Goa varsity to start job-oriented courses

New courses and an attempt to introduce job-oriented syllabus in the faculty of languages in the Goa University seems to have boosted the number of students enrolling for the post-graduate language courses.

The faculty offers two-year full-time post graduation in five languages namely Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, English and French.

According to R Sharma, dean of the faculty of languages and head of the department (HoD) of the Hindi department, the intake of students has been fluctuating over the years.

"Over the last three years the various language departments have introduced new courses. The Hindi department introduced new courses such as mass media, journalism and functional Hindi three years back. Since then, the department has been receiving a number of applications. Thus we are planning to increase the number of seats from 25, at present, to 30," Sharma said.

Likewise, the Marathi department has introduced new subjects such as translation theory and Indian literature three years back. Around five years back the department had an intake capacity of 10 students.

V D Sawant, HoD Marathi, said the number of seats has been increased to 15 as more number of students have been applying for the Marathi course owing to demand of the language in journalism, theatre and drama.

The English and Konkani departments have an intake capacity of 30 students. On an average there are 20 to 30 students enroll for these courses every year.

The Konkani department has recently introduced mass communications course and there are plans to revise the syllabus for the benefit of students, according to C A D'Souza, HoD, Konkani.

The English department has also introduced around five to seven new course modules three years back.

"At the university we also encourage students to take optional courses from other departments as this enables the students to develop interdisciplinary perspective," said K S Bhat, HoD, English department.

There has also been a continuous and sustained interest in foreign languages such as French at the University. The French department has been able to fill in 50 per cent of the actual intake capacity (10 students).

This number has been consistent over the last many years according to Edit Melo Furtado, HoD, French.

The optional subjects offered by the department vary every year owing to the demand from the students. Faculties at the Goa University are of the opinion that education has become an 'industry', which endeavours to have a job oriented syllabus.