PathFinderPathFinder — Career Explorer by StudioQ
Explorer
Artsmental health & social work

Rehabilitation Counsellor

Rehabilitation counsellors work with people with physical, mental or developmental disabilities to restore function, adapt to daily life and access community resources. In India they are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centres, NGOs, schools and corporate employee-assistance programmes. Training combines psychology, counselling techniques and knowledge of disability services.

Salary range
₹3–12 LPA
Job growth
high
Work type
Hybrid (clinic, community outreach, school/hospital and remote counselling)
Paths to entry
3 routes

Actions for your grade

  • Choose subjects that build a foundation (biology/psychology if available, social sciences)
  • Attend workshops or webinars on counselling and disability rights
  • Start basic reading on mental health and counselling techniques

Your complete path from Grade 10 to Rehabilitation Counsellor

Every step you need — from now to your first job.

BA (Hons) Psychology / BSW → MA/MSc Clinical or Rehabilitation Psychology
Arts

Undergraduate psychology or social work gives the foundational knowledge; follow with a specialised master's or MPhil for clinical roles.

  1. Now
    Arts Stream
  2. Exams
    CUET UG
  3. Degree
    BA (Hons) Psychology or BSW (3 years) → MA/MSc Clinical or Rehabilitation Psychology (2 years)
  4. Colleges
    Tata Institute of Social Sciences · University of Delhi · Jamia Millia Islamia
  5. Career
    Rehabilitation Counsellor
MSc / MPhil / Doctoral clinical route (specialisation)
Any Stream

Top clinical programmes may use institute-specific tests; CAT is listed for alternative management/NGO leadership programmes.

  1. Now
    Any Stream Stream
  2. Exams
    CAT
  3. Degree
    MSc Clinical Psychology / MPhil Clinical Psychology / PhD (2–5 years depending on programme)
  4. Colleges
    Nimhans Bengaluru · Tata Institute of Social Sciences · National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
  5. Career
    Rehabilitation Counsellor
Diploma/Certificate & on-the-job training
Any Stream

Shorter diploma routes and internships can lead to entry-level roles in NGOs, hospitals and community programmes.

  1. Now
    Any Stream Stream
  2. Exams
    MHT CET
  3. Degree
    Diploma/Certificate in Rehabilitation Counselling or Community Rehabilitation (1–2 years)
  4. Colleges
    Niepid Hyderabad · Christ University Bengaluru · St Xaviers College Mumbai
  5. Career
    Rehabilitation Counsellor

Entrance exams

ExamEligibilityDifficultyWindow
MHT CET
Maharashtra State CET Cell
Class 12 PCM (Maharashtra domicile preferred)MediumApr-May
CUET UG
NTA
Class 12 (any stream)MediumMay-Jun
CAT
IIMs
Bachelor's degree 50%+Very HardNov

Where to Study

Institutes known to offer this career pathway in India.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences
University of Delhi
Jamia Millia Islamia
Nimhans Bengaluru
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
Niepid Hyderabad
Christ University Bengaluru
St Xaviers College Mumbai
Recommendations only — verify eligibility, seat availability, and admission rules from official portals before applying.