CHENNAI: In view of popular demand, the Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) in Tiruvarur district has decided to start four new postgraduate courses from the next academic year. CUTN will offer Master’s in Food Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Bioinformatics and Physical Education from the academic year 2023-24. Necessary approvals to start the courses have been obtained and admission to these new courses will be done through Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
The university has 12 schools in its campus under which 27 departments function. The aforementioned four courses will be offered by four new departments. According to varsity officials, there has been a long standing demand to start a Master’s programme in Physical Education as it will provide an opportunity to those students who have completed graduation in physical education, to get an M.PEd. Plans are on to expand the department by starting more courses related to sports, officials added.
Vice Chancellor M Krishnan, said after Covid-19 the demand for subjects related to the pharmaceutical sector and bioinformatics have increased manifold. “The pharmaceutical sector needs more skilled hands and to cater to the rising demand we have decided to start Pharmaceutical Technology,” he said. Further rapid digitalisation during the pandemic has boosted the bioinformatics sector. There is a shortage of bioinformatics researchers in India and abroad. The course would ensure a good career option, the V-C said.
The MSc in Pharmaceutical Technology will provide hands-on training to the students in the latest technologies in the pharma sector. The varsity will collaborate with industry experts to chalk out the latest syllabus for the courses. “We already have a School of Life sciences functioning in the university, under which departments like biotechnology, microbiology and horticulture are functioning.
The new departments like pharmaceutical technology and bioinformatics will open avenues for research in the university,” said an official of the university. The university will begin the four courses offering 30 seats in each department. A decision on increasing seats will be made taking into account the footfall for the courses, officials said.