A fully autonomous School of Forensic Science for Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) and a library complex for Union Christian College at Aluva on its centenary year figure among key announcements for the higher education sector in Ernakulam in the budget.
The proposed School of Forensic Science will give a boost to Cusat’s ongoing efforts to develop postgraduate programmes and expand research in the field. “We had launched an M.Sc programme in Forensic Science in association with the Kerala Police Academy this academic year. With the setting up of the school, research and learning can be enhanced by exploring the inter-disciplinary linkages,” said K.N. Madhusoodanan, Vice Chancellor.
“The varsity also hopes to receive a share of the 150 new posts of faculty members in universities. The Finance Minister mentioned the ₹242-crore infrastructure project under the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) in the budget. The new building on the Marine Sciences campus under the project will be inaugurated within a fortnight, while tender proceedings have begun for procuring equipment for the international lab-cum-academic complex coming up on the Kalamassery campus,” he added.
The budget has earmarked ₹5 crore for the proposed library complex at Union Christian College, Aluva, to be built in memory of Communist leaders P.K. Vasudevan Nair and P. Govinda Pillai. Thomas John, manager of the college, said the state-of-the-art facility would be spread across 22,000 sq.ft. “The highlights of the complex include appropriately equipped space for visually and physically challenged, a technology training centre for women and children from the neighbourhood, special cubicles for research fellows, audio-visual room, and space for videoconferencing and production of digital teaching / learning resources,” he said.
B. Manoj Kumar, Registrar, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, said the budget had sanctioned ₹33.5 crore of projects worth ₹39.5 crore that the varsity had presented before the Finance Department.
