Department of Psychiatry

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT : 

The Department of Psychiatry was established in 1992, prior to which psychiatry functioned as a unit within the Department of Medicine. In 2000, three specialty clinics were launched: Psycho-Geriatric, Child & Adolescent, and De-Addiction. Community psychiatry services began at RHTC, Jawan in 2009.

The MD (Psychiatry) programme commenced in 2007, with the first candidate passing in 2010 - the same year MCI recognition was granted. MD seats increased from 1 to 3 in 2017, with all seats recognized in 2020. The PhD programme in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry was introduced in 2011-12. First PhD (Clinical Psychology) was awarded in 2018. Currently, 03 candidates are enrolled in the PhD (Clinical Psychology) programme with annual intake of 01 student.

Clinical Services include daily general OPD, weekly specialty clinics - Child & Adolescent (Saturday), Psycho-Geriatric (Thursday), and Community psychiatry OPD at RHTC Jawan (every Tuesday). Emergency services operate 24/7, with indoor facilities available for both male and female patients. Outreach services are provided at NAPS Hospital on alternate Fridays, monthly at Mother Teresa Charity Centre, and at the Juvenile District Board, Aligarh since 2017.

Teaching & Training covers MBBS and postgraduate MD (Psychiatry) students, PhD scholars, and interdisciplinary students from MSW, MA (Clinical Psychology), and Diploma in Physiotherapy/Dialysis Therapy programmes.

Specialized Therapeutic Services Available in the Department:

1. Brief Pulse Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

2. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)

3. Biofeedback

4. Aversion Therapy

5. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

6. Family Therapy

7. Interpersonal Therapy

8. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

9. Motivation Enhancement Therapy (MET)

10. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Specialized Therapeutic Services Available in the Department:

1. Digital EEG (Electroencephalography)

2. Psychometric assessments:

                  • IQ Assessment

                  • Rorschach Test

                  • Personality tests

                  • Neuropsychological tests

                  • Neurodevelopmental disorder assessment (Autism, Learning Disability, ADHD)

3. Biochemical Tests:

                  • Lithium level estimation

VISION:

                  • Impart quality training to MBBS, MD, and PhD students in Psychiatry.

                  • Promote interdisciplinary academic, research, and clinical activities.

                  • Provide mental health services to all, with special focus on the underprivileged.

MISSION:

                  • Develop the department into an Institute of Psychiatry and Allied Sciences.

                  • Strengthen specialty clinics toward super-specialty status (DM Programme).

                  • To upgrade department research laboratories for quality research work.

New Milestones:

In July 2024, the Department of Psychiatry started a dedicated “Addiction Treatment Facility” (OPD & IPD) at JNMCH, AMU, Aligarh - established under the aegis of NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi. This facility delivers structured, evidence-based de-addiction care to patients across the region, positioning JNMCH as a regional hub for addiction medicine serving the underserved communities of western Uttar Pradesh.

Adding to its growing arsenal of advanced treatments, the Department has also introduced Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) therapy — in both portable and fixed configurations. This non-invasive neuromodulation technique targets specific brain regions to effectively manage conditions such as depression, schizophrenia, OCD, and substance use disorders, further cementing the Department's commitment to cutting-edge, compassionate psychiatric care.