The University of Mumbai has announced plans to establish women’s colleges, satellite centres, and night colleges in an effort to provide skill-based education. The university’s senate recently gave approval for a comprehensive plan for the academic years 2024-2025 to 2028-2029. The initiative will prioritize skill-based courses that are regionally specific and socially relevant, as outlined in the National Education Policy.
The plan is intended to provide a more comprehensive and skill-oriented education to students and suggests courses at the university examination centres that align with the specific skills required by each district. The comprehensive plan introduces innovative skill courses, including stock market, business analytics, warehouse and Godown management, seafood processing, data warehousing, blockchain technology, freight management, and beekeeping management, among others.
Colleges will offer essential skill courses instead of the traditional arts, science, and commerce faculty courses. The allocation of points will be determined based on the district’s population and the presence of colleges. The comprehensive plan considers the geographical areas of Mumbai, Mumbai suburbs, Thane, Raigad, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, and Palghar districts and addresses the skill sets required by local industries, women, students, backward classes, tribal communities, trade, and commerce.
The plan has been developed through a detailed survey of regional needs for higher education facilities, considering the requirements of socially and economically disadvantaged youth. The plan considers Mumbai Division, Konkan Division, Rural and Urban areas, Hilly and Coastal regions, and Tribal communities.
The new vice-chancellor of MU, Ravindra Kulkarni, stated that the plan prioritizes a more comprehensive and skill-oriented education for students. The plan aims to provide students with the opportunity to gain specific skills that are required in each district, considering the geographic, social, and urgent needs.
The comprehensive plan is an important initiative that addresses the unique needs of each district and aims to create a more skilled workforce in the region. MU’s efforts to provide a more comprehensive and skill-oriented education will help students to be better equipped to enter the job market and address the specific needs of their local communities.
