Date:10/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/10/stories/2006041001030500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Sri Venkateswara University to get choice-based credit system soon

Universityroundup

<36,2,,,,,,1>Sri Venkateswara University is all set to implement choice-based credit system in its constituent and affiliated colleges from the next academic year. The novel concept, which makes the postgraduate programmes more intensive by offering flexibility to students, also enables them to choose from a newer set of papers, thus enhancing their scope of learning. In a nutshell, it promotes inter-disciplinary approach.

The varsity offers three types of courses viz., core (compulsory) subjects, electives and self-study courses. A chemistry student can opt for a paper from say, zoology, sociology or statistics to get an overall exposure, that helps them during competitive exams like UPSC, APPSC, NET, etc.

Osmania University

The University College of Law, OU organised the South Indian moot court competitions on human rights. Eleven teams from different parts of South India participated. There were three rounds. Justice G. Yethirajulu and Justice C.V. Ramulu, sitting judges of Andhra Pradesh High Court presided over the finals.

The winner of the competitions was BMS College of Law, Bangalore. They bagged the shield and cash prize of Rs. 5,000. The runners-up were AMS College of Law for Women, Hyderabad.

The judges were impressed by the calibre and professionalism of the participating teams and complimented the organisers for their initiative in providing a platform for budding lawyers.

The event was inaugurated by Vice-Chancellor, Osmania University, Suleman Siddiqi. Justice L. Narasimha Reddy, Dean, Faculty of Law, OU and G.B. Reddy, Principal of the college were present.

CPMB signs pact

Swarnabharati Biotechnics, a consortium of premier seed companies of the State entered into an MoU with the Centre for Plant and Molecular Biology (CPMB), OU for collaborative research and training in the emerging areas of genetic engineering and plant biotechnology. Swarnabharati has sponsored a research project worth Rs. 27.5Lakhs at CPMB. It is seeking research capabilities and expertise of CPMB to acquire sustainability and competitive edge to their product range and will be strengthening infrastructural facilities at CPMB.

Kakatiya University

The Department of Economics, Kakatiya University, proposes to expose the students to field study. The students will have to adopt a village and study the economy of the habitation in detail. They will have to come out with a report on the rural economy.

This forms the part of the project sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC) which has sanctioned Special Assistance Programme (SAP) to two departments of Kakatiya University - Economics and Botany.

The UGC has granted Rs. 21 lakhs to the Economics Department under the programme to be spent over three years. "It was sanctioned in 2004 with the objective of building research infrastructure and strengthening teaching," explains N. Lingamurthy, SAP coordinator.

The main thrust areas of the programme taken up by the Economics Department are; study in detail and report on agriculture; gender economics and environmental economics in the region.

Over the last two years, the department conducted two seminars, extension lectures and built up an exclusive library with Rs. 1.2 lakhs apart from the separate department library and the main library of the university.

According to Prof. Lingamurthy, a special computer laboratory was set up with the funds.