PU all set to revolutionise curricula

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 11

Panjab University (PU) is all set to revolutionise its curricula. As per the application submitted for the Institution of Eminence (IoE) competition today, the PU has proposed for starting new courses by integrating studies.

Under the Institution of Eminence scheme, the UGC will help 10 public and 10 private institutions to evolve into a world-class institution. If selected, the financial assistance will be up to Rs 1,000 crore or 50 per cent to 75 per cent of the projected requirement in perspective and detailed plans submitted by the institutions over a span of five years.

New courses

MA/MS-PhD: A MS/MS-PhD integrated course in cognitive science has been proposed. It is aimed at students who want to develop their project management skills and theoretical knowledge for a career in cognitive neuroscience and related disciplines. Twenty students will be taken in the first year. Bachelors or masters degree in cognitive science or related disciplines, including psychology, neuro-science, bio-sciences, mathematics, physics, engineering, medicine, languages, is required. The pass out students will have opportunities in the fields of cognitive computing, natural language processing, design, usability research, human factors, human-computer interaction, cognitive and behavioural rehabilitation and advertising.

MBBS-PhD: Another ambitious course is MBBS-PhD, where 20 students will be taken. The concept of physician scientists is already in fashion in the US, UK, Japan, Europe and Australia. The dental department will be the nodal department for this course while biochemistry, biophysics, microbiology, pharmacy, nuclear medicine, forensic science, public health, medical physics, PGI and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) will be collaborating in the course. It is divided in seven years. In the 8th year, there will be compulsory internship. But for this, a 100-bed hospital is needed. Physician scientists will be suited for medical and research institutes of the country to undertake research in areas of medical importance.

Engineering Physics: Engineering physics course will be aimed at producing inventors. It is a MS-PhD course of five years. Three different types of courses are part of it — space sciences and technology, nuclear sciences and technology and material sciences and technology. There will be 20 seats each in the courses.

Meanwhile, the Department of Physics has also allowed BTech or BE students to take two-year MSc Physics and electronics course. One more curriculum of ‘India Studies’ has been proposed which is designed by the arts faculty of the varsity.