BHUBANESWAR: Environmental studies and disaster management will be a compulsory subject in Plus III from the current academic session, Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo said on Friday. It will be taught in the first year. The decision in this regard was approved in the Odisha State Higher Education Council meeting held on the day. The disaster management component has been included in the existing environment science subject, he said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in his Council of Ministers meeting in May this year had resolved to make disaster and pandemic preparedness a part of the curriculum in schools and colleges. Like other compulsory subjects, this subject will carry 100 marks (four credits) in the first year exam. Apart from disaster management, pandemic preparedness and survival skills will also be taught to the students as part of the subject.
Sahoo said that the meeting deliberated on a number of issues including strengthening the Higher Education Council further to bring reforms in State’s higher education system and further improve teaching quality in colleges and universities. He said that an institutional development plan is being worked out by the Council for this purpose. The issue of academic audit was also discussed.
The Minister said that a model syllabus for university education has already been created as part of the ongoing examination reforms. “We have also introduced common PG entrance and admission process from last year to improve the quality of education,” the Minister said and added that the Council will now take measures to help colleges and universities to get better NAAC grades and improve their score in the National Institute Ranking Framework.
