Kargil: As part of their curriculum to gain real-world insights into mental health and addiction counselling services, psychology students of the 6th semester from Government Degree College Kargil undertook an educational field visit to the Neuro-Psychiatry Section and the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) unit at District Hospital Kargil.
The visit, organized under the guidance of Mr Mohd Mustafa, Assistant Professor, department of Psychology, was aimed at bridging theoretical knowledge with practical exposure in clinical settings.
The first leg of the visit was to the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP), where the students were warmly received by Zarina Banoo, Counsellor at the NTCP unit.
Zarina elaborated on the structured counselling process designed for individuals addicted to tobacco.
A particularly enriching experience for the students was observing a live counselling session, conducted with the informed consent of the patient.
This allowed students to witness firsthand the empathetic engagement, assessment techniques, and therapeutic approaches applied in tobacco cessation interventions.
Following this, the students visited the Neuro-Psychiatry Section of the hospital. Mr. Syed Hassan Shah, Psychologist, provided a comprehensive overview of the counselling strategies used for mental health patients.
He discussed various common psychological disorders prevalent in the region and shared statistical insights into patient demographics and therapeutic outcomes.
His session helped students understand the complexities of mental health care and the critical role played by psychologists in diagnosis, counselling, and rehabilitation.
The Department of Psychology extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kargil, and Dr. Fatima Nissa, Nodal Officer, Mental Health Programme, District Hospital Kargil, for their kind permission and support in facilitating this field visit.
The department also sincerely thanks prof. Disket Angmo, Principal of Government Degree College, Kargil, for her constant encouragement and support in promoting experiential learning among students.
