As part of their academic curriculum aimed at gaining practical exposure in mental health and addiction counselling, 6th-semester psychology students from Government Degree College (GDC) Kargil conducted an educational field visit to the Neuro-Psychiatry Section and the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) unit at District Hospital Kargil.

The visit was organized under the supervision of Mohd Mustafa, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, with the goal of bridging classroom learning with real-world clinical practice.

The visit began with an interactive session at the NTCP unit, where the students were received by Zarina Banoo, Counsellor. She provided a detailed overview of the structured counselling process followed for individuals dealing with tobacco addiction.

A key highlight was the opportunity for students to observe a live counselling session, conducted with the informed consent of the patient. This experience offered valuable insight into empathetic communication, clinical assessment, and therapeutic approaches used in tobacco cessation.

The second part of the visit focused on the Neuro-Psychiatry Section. Here, Syed Hassan Shah, Clinical Psychologist, provided a comprehensive briefing on counselling strategies used for various mental health conditions. He discussed the prevalence of common psychological disorders in the region and shared statistical data on patient demographics and treatment outcomes. His session enhanced students’ understanding of the diagnostic and rehabilitative roles played by psychologists in clinical settings.

The Department of Psychology extends its sincere gratitude to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kargil, and Dr. Fatima Nissa, Nodal Officer, Mental Health Programme, for facilitating the visit. The department also expresses heartfelt thanks to Prof. Disket Angmo, Principal, GDC Kargil, for her continued encouragement and support in promoting experiential learning among students.