Environmental Studies and Disaster Management will now be a mandatory subject for +3 first year students in Odisha, informed Higher Education Minister, Arun Sahoo on Friday.
Following a high-level meeting with the Odisha State Higher Education Council, Sahoo said a model syllabus has already been created as part of the on-going examination reforms. He further said that the common PG entrance and admission process has already been introduced from last year to improve the quality of education.
Sahoo said the new curriculum will be implemented from the current academic session.
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It is pertinent to mention here that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during a meeting with his Council of Ministers in May this year had resolved to make ‘disaster and pandemic preparedness’ a part of the curriculum in schools and colleges.
Apart from students, the Chief Minister said that elected representatives, government officials and Mission Shakti members will also be trained in disaster and pandemic preparedness.
Senior officials of the Odisha State Higher Education Council said already the existing model course on Environmental Science for Under Graduate (UG) students has been rechristened as Environmental Studies and Disaster Management.
This will be a compulsory subject for students of all streams- Arts, Science and Commerce for the first semester of +3 students. The new subject will be of 100 marks (4 credit) with four units.