What is Rehabilitation Psychology?
Rehabilitation Psychology is a specialized area of professional psychology concerned with helping people with disabilities and chronic health conditions achieve better psychological, social, vocational and functional outcomes.
Unlike an approach that focuses only on symptoms or diagnosis, Rehabilitation Psychology looks at the person within the broader context of functioning, participation, family, environment, accessibility and quality of life.
Rehabilitation Psychologists may work with individuals experiencing developmental, intellectual, physical, sensory, neurological, traumatic or multiple disabilities. Their work may include psychological assessment, counselling, psychotherapy, behavioural interventions, vocational rehabilitation, family interventions, community rehabilitation and multidisciplinary rehabilitation planning.
The RCI’s new Master in Rehabilitation Psychology (M.Rehab.Psy.) curriculum explicitly adopts a biopsychosocial and rights-based approach and is effective from the academic session 2026-27. It is a two-year professional programme.
Rehabilitation Psychology vs Clinical Psychology
Although the two fields overlap considerably, their primary orientation is different.
| Rehabilitation Psychology | Clinical Psychology |
|---|---|
| Focuses strongly on disability, functioning and rehabilitation | Focuses primarily on mental health and psychological disorders |
| Emphasises adjustment, participation and independence | Emphasises assessment, diagnosis and treatment |
| Works extensively with persons with disabilities and chronic health conditions | Works across a broad range of mental and behavioural disorders |
| Strong multidisciplinary rehabilitation orientation | Strong clinical assessment and psychotherapy orientation |
| Includes vocational, family and community rehabilitation | Includes psychotherapy, psychological assessment and clinical interventions |
| Uses biopsychosocial and functional perspectives | Uses clinical, psychological and psychopathological perspectives |
The distinction should not be understood as absolute. Clinical Psychologists can work with persons with disabilities, while Rehabilitation Psychologists also deal with psychological disorders and mental-health concerns.
Rehabilitation Psychology Courses in India
RCI’s current Regular Mode page lists the following four programmes.
| Programme | Abbreviation | RCI Code | Duration | Broad Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor in Rehabilitation Psychology | B.Rehab.Psy. | 0907 | 4 years | Undergraduate |
| Master in Rehabilitation Psychology | M.Rehab.Psy. | 0908 | 2 years | Postgraduate |
| M.Phil. Rehabilitation Psychology | M.Phil.(R.P.) | 0906 | 2 years | Advanced professional training |
| P.G. Diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology | P.G.D.R.P. | 1405 | 1 year | Postgraduate Diploma |
Important: Programme recognition and institution-specific approval are separate matters. Students should always verify the current RCI-approved institution, programme and academic-session validity before applying.
M.Phil. Rehabilitation Psychology
The earlier RCI-recognized professional programme was the M.Phil. in Rehabilitation Psychology.
As per the NEP, it has been removed and a new program Master in Rehabilitation Psychology has been introduced. Although institutions has been extended validity to continue M.Phil programs for few more years.
It is a two-year full-time professional training programme following a two-year M.A./M.Sc. in Psychology, with a minimum of 55% marks in the qualifying degree.
Master in Rehabilitation Psychology (M.Rehab.Psy.)
The RCI has introduced the Master in Rehabilitation Psychology (M.Rehab.Psy.), effective from academic session 2026-27.
It is a two-year full-time programme, including internship and clinical placement. The curriculum covers prevention, assessment, intervention and rehabilitation within a biopsychosocial framework.
Eligibility for M.Rehab.Psy.
According to the RCI guidelines, eligible qualifications include:
- B.Rehab.Psy. or B.Clin.Psy. recognized by RCI
- Four-year regular B.A./B.Sc. degree in Psychology
- Three-year B.A./B.Sc. Psychology + M.A./M.Sc. Psychology first year or PGDRP
- M.A./M.Sc. in Psychology or equivalent
The qualifying degree should generally carry 55% marks, with 50% applicable to specified reserved categories including SC/ST/OBC/PwD/parents of PwDs as mentioned in the RCI guidelines. Admission is through an entrance test conducted by the respective institution.
Important 2026-27 Update
The RCI’s new M.Rehab.Psy. curriculum is effective from 2026-27, but the RCI Approved Institutions list dated 21 August 2026 does not separately list institutions under the M.Rehab.Psy. title. It continues to show certain institutions under M.Phil.(Rehab.Psy.) for their existing approved cohorts.
Therefore, students should not assume that an institution offering M.Phil.(Rehab.Psy.) automatically has approval to start M.Rehab.Psy.
RCI-Approved Institutions with Active M.Phil.(Rehab.Psy.) Entries
The following institutions have M.Phil.(Rehab.Psy.) entries extending into 2026-27 in the RCI approved-institutions list.
| Institution | Location | Approval shown | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Om Sterling Global University | Hisar, Haryana | 2021-22 to 2026-27 | 10 |
| National Institute of Speech & Hearing (NISH) | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | 2022-23 to 2026-27 | 10 |
| National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, Regional Centre | Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra | 2022-23 to 2026-27 | 12 |
| MJRP College of Education, Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University | Jaipur, Rajasthan | 2022-23 to 2026-27 | 10 |
| OPJS University | Churu, Rajasthan | 2022-23 to 2026-27 | 10 |
| National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities | Secunderabad, Telangana | 2022-23 to 2026-27 | 14 |
| National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD) | Dehradun, Uttarakhand | 2025-26 to 2027-28 | 10 |
These entries are directly based on the RCI approved-institutions document.
Institutions with older M.Phil. entries
The same RCI list also contains institutions where the displayed M.Phil.(Rehab.Psy.) approval ends in 2025-26. Note that these institutions are generally given approval but their final status must be checked from the RCI official list or the RCI official channels. The list is given below:
- JSS Medical College, Mysuru
- NIEPID Northern Regional Centre, Noida
- NIEPID Regional Training Centre, Kolkata
Important: The final list of approved institutions should always be cross-checked with the official RCI website, as the list of recognized institutions and programme approvals may be revised or updated periodically.
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