Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Aug 27-
Two days workshop on “Curriculum Reforms” was organized by School of Biotechnology, University of Jammu under RUSA scheme (Phase II) from 26th August to 27th August 2019. Theme of the workshop was “Updating and restructuring course curriculum’ for Master Degree Programme in Biotechnology, Microbiology and Biochemistry. Prof Manoj K Dhar, Vice chancellor University of Jammu was also present for the workshop. Prof Dhar addressed the gathering and stressed the importance of such workshops. He briefed the resource persons on the curricula followed by the school and how it is upgraded almost every year after comparing it with syllabi of national and international repute
The workshop started by reviewing the existing syllabi, Prof Ashok K. Srivastava, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Prof Pawan Dhar, School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Prof Jatinder Singh, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar critically analyzed the course contents and gave very valuable inputs. They stressed on the development of skill based curriculum which can be put into practice using different learning resources.
Prof Pawan Dhar laid stress on the adoption of outcome-based curricula. He stressed on the introduction of system biology and emphasized on the need to enhance hands on component in the curricula. He said that university has to work on employment market and students need to be made aware of the science policies so that students can forecast and foresight their future. Resource persons laid stress on the designing of the courses that are more creative and innovative and problem based.
Earlier, Prof. Jyoti Vakhlu, Director of the School presented the opening remarks and welcomed the resource persons.
On the concluding day, Prof. Srivastava and Prof. Pawan Dhar deliberated on the curriculum development. They suggested that invited lectures should be organized and visiting faculties should be invited to the department to make students aware of the emerging fields in science. They shared their research experience and interacted with the students and scholars of the School after making a presentation on their area of research.
Entire faculty of the School along with the resource persons reviewed the course curricula and gave suggestions regarding the introduction of new courses that will help the students to acquire employable skills. Workshop concluded by finalizing the various inputs and suggestions by the experts that will be incorporated in the reformed syllabi to be submitted to the University very soon.
The formal vote of thanks was presented by Prof. Jyoti Vakhlu, Director, School of Biotechnology.
Dr. B.K Bajaj, Dr. Sanjana Kaul, Dr. Madhulika Bhagat, Dr. Ritu Mahajan and Dr. Nisha Kapoor along with the contractual faculty of the School were present in all the sessions during the discussions.
