School psychologist or school counsellor?

School leaders often search for a "school psychologist" when what they need is someone to support students. In India the words psychologist and counsellor are used loosely, and job advertisements mix them. This page explains how the two differ, which questions to ask, and how a school can arrange support.

Our article on school counsellors describes what a counsellor does day to day and full time versus part time. This one is about the title and the training behind it.

Psychologist and counsellor: how they differ

A counsellor helps students talk through worries, make choices and build coping skills. School counselling tends to focus on everyday difficulties such as exam stress, friendships, family changes and choosing a stream.

A psychologist usually has a longer academic background in psychology, and some specialise in areas such as clinical or educational work. A psychologist may be better placed to assess a learning or emotional difficulty in depth or to work with a child whose concerns go beyond what a school setting holds.

In practice there is overlap. Some people hold both kinds of training, and a title alone does not tell you what someone can do. Our article on therapists and counsellors in India explains the titles in more detail.

Qualifications to ask about

Ask what degree the person holds, in which subject, from which institution, and how much of their experience is with children and teenagers. Ask for experience in schools specifically, and whether they have worked with teachers and parents.

In India, the Rehabilitation Council of India keeps a register of some mental health professionals. Whether registration applies depends on the role and the title the person uses, so check the Council's own information, and confirm with your legal adviser what your school needs. We have not set out the rules here because they change and we would not want you to rely on a summary.

For child safety, also ask whether the person has training in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, known as POCSO. On Leshya, counsellors tell us whether they are POCSO trained. We do not certify it for them, so ask them about it directly.

What a school actually needs

Start from the needs, not the title. Do students need someone to talk to? Do you need career guidance for classes 9 to 12? Do teachers need help recognising when a child is struggling? Do you need a clear route for the occasional serious concern?

Most schools need a counsellor who is present and trusted, plus a clear referral route to a psychologist or other specialist when a student needs more than school can offer. A named person to refer to, with a clear handoff, matters more than the job title on the door.

Boards and authorities set their own expectations for school counsellors, and these have been changing. See our guide on the CBSE counsellor rule for what changed in January 2026.

How to arrange support through Leshya

Leshya offers part-time counselling for schools, career counselling for classes 9 to 12, POCSO awareness for teachers and staff, and a referral linkage. These are matched from counsellors on Leshya who have told us they take on school work. A person reviews every counsellor profile before it goes live, and you can see the education and experience each counsellor lists on their profile before the school agrees.

Leshya does not place a psychologist on your staff. If your school needs a full time employee or a formal clinical assessment, you will need to hire or refer separately. What we can arrange is counselling support and workshops, with a named counsellor your teachers can refer to.

Scope and fees are agreed before anything starts. Individual counselling stays between the student and their counsellor, and Leshya does not report who attended or what was discussed to the school.

How to start

Open the For organizations page and choose "Tell us what you need". Say you are a school, how many students you have, and what you are hoping for. A person reads it and a short call follows. If a student is in crisis now, Tele MANAS, the national helpline, is on 14416.