M.Phil Admission Season is Here: Dark Truth About M.Phil Admission

With MPhil admission season kicking off, a lot of psychology enthusiasts are burning the midnight oil preparing for it. I recently heard someone say, ?????????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????? ?????????????????????? ???????? ????????. And honestly? They might not be wrong. Around 3,000–4,000 students appear for the exam every year, while the total number of seats across institutions hovers between 80-100. That’s an ???????????????????? ???????? of just 2.5% ???? 3.3%—which is wild (UPS Education).

In comparison, In ???????? ???? 2023, the number of qualified students was 111,871 out of 200,517 who appeared, which translates to a ??????-?????????????? ???????? of approximately 55.78%.1 For NEET PG 2024, the number of qualified students is not specified, but based on the trend, a similar percentage can be expected (Careers360.com).

Now, let's talk about what no one tells you about MPhil admissions:

• MPhil is NOT a Test of Your Therapy Skills or Competence : Yes, the exam checks for your domain knowledge and some practical skills. But let’s be real—no matter how much you study, you can never master everything in psychology. The field is just too vast. If you don’t know every single concept, that does not mean you’re not good enough.
• Selection is NOT Just About Your Performance: Scoring well in the entrance is just one part of the equation. Your selection depends on multiple factors:

?? Your category (General, BC/OBC/SC/STetc.,)

?? Domicile (Place of living and birth)

?? Languages known (Since MPhil is a practical course, knowing regional languages can be a plus)

?? Profile evaluation (Your past academic & research experience)

I’ve personally experienced scoring above 80-85% and still not getting a call. I’ve even written to departments for clarification, only to realize that there are always some unspoken selection criteria at play.

• Minimal Assessment of Actual Therapy Skills: They might give you scenarios or ask questions on psychological testing, but there’s hardly any direct assessment of therapy skills. This means that even if you ace the exam, it doesn’t necessarily reflect your actual ability to be a good therapist.
• The Hardest Part: Failing & Starting Over: Let’s face it—these competitive exams are designed in a way that you have to get comfortable with failing. Over and over again. And still, dare to try again. One thing that really helped me? Mocks, mocks, and more mocks. It helped me overcome exam fear and shift my mindset to treat failure as an experience.

The Million Dollar Question: MPhil vs. Work Experience: Which is Better?

If you ask me whether an MPhil adds value, the answer is yes. But is it better than work experience?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

At work, you manage real-life cases, handle end-to-end therapy processes, and deal with actual clients—stuff that no MPhil coursework can fully prepare you for. I’ve heard so many MPhil graduates say that they learned way more in two years of work than in their MPhil journey itself.

So, if you get in, great. If you don’t, it doesn’t define your worth as a psychologist. You can still be an amazing therapist—with or without that MPhil tag. It’s just another jewel in your crown. But remember, you can still be the queen/king of the field even without that extra jewel.

As I conclude, to all the warriors taking their shot at MPhil this year—keep going. You’ve got this. And no matter what happens, trust and invest in yourself.