Madras varsity to have five new departments next year

Chennai:

In a bid to offer job-oriented courses to students, Madras University will add another five new departments by the next academic year, according to Madras University vice-chancellor G Thiruvasagam.

Speaking to reporters after the inauguration of permanent photographic exhibition on University of Madras at the Senate Hall here on Thursday, Thiruvasagam said departments of Social Work, Women Studies, Bioinformatics, Network System and Information Technology and Material Science will be added in the next academic year.

He said with the addition of the new departments, the university would now have 75 departments. The courses offered by these departments are job-oriented courses, said Thiruvasagam.

He also said the faculties for the department will be filled by March end. “We will be filling 150 teaching posts, including those of the newly added departments, by March end,” he added.

Meanwhile, the website of the department of Academic Staff College will be uploaded in the next days. “The website will have details of the departments besides the photos of faculties and their qualifications.

Earlier, education secretary T S Sridhar opened the Permanent photographic exhibition on University of Madras and its contribution to education. Later speaking to reporters Thiruvasagam said the university has appointed a 12-member committee to maintain the Senate House and will be earmarking a maintenance fund to maintain the heritage building.

Now the building won’t be used for exams, functions or cinema shooting and will be utilized as permanent exhibit of photographs, said Thiruvasagam, adding that currently Senate House has 320 photo exhibits.

He said university’s archaeology department would maintain the hall, which will remain open from 10 to 5pm for the public to view the expo.