The University of Mumbai (MU) is planning to replace traditional Arts-Science-Commerce colleges with skill-based courses and institutes over the next five years. The university’s highest decision-making body, the senate, recently approved MU’s five-year perspective plan from the academic year 2024-25 to 2028-29, which seeks to provide vocational education to students based on their needs under the National Education Policy 2020.
The perspective plan outlines the blueprint for establishing new institutes and academic programs in the university’s jurisdiction. The varsity will also prepare detailed yearly plans based on this long-term agenda. The plan includes approximately 60 trades and professions, from traditional vocations like cooking-baking, horticulture, gardening, and handicraft to new-age skills such as cloud computing, blockchain management, and data warehousing and management. In addition, niche courses related to real estate, agriculture, and warehousing and supply chain are also on offer.
Moreover, the university administration has proposed geographical area-wise slots for new institutes based on specific socio-economic conditions, industrial requirements, and demography of particular regions. Along with skill development institutes, MU has plans for setting up night and women’s colleges, as well as satellite centers across seven districts where the university has jurisdiction, including Mumbai and Thane.
MU’s new vice chancellor, Dr. Ravindra Kulkarni, is spearheading the university’s transformation to offer more vocational and skill-based education as envisaged under the National Education Policy 2020. With this five-year perspective plan, MU aims to train students according to their needs and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to boost their employability. By doing so, it hopes to contribute to the growth of the local economy and meet future industry demands.
