As visitors enter S.V. Parameshwara Bhatta Institute of Kannada Studies on the Mangalore University campus, a colourful flower ‘rangoli’ and folk artefacts greet them.
This department, older than the 34-year-old Mangalore University itself, as it was under the University of Mysore as a postgraduate centre for Kannada in 1968, did not lag behind in projecting its strength during the two-day ‘open house’ organised by the university for the first time on Friday.
In addition to six teachers with doctorates, the department has its own library, an archive cell, a museum, a recording studio and a computer laboratory.
It has rare palm and paper manuscripts as well as a collection of rare books and journals preserved scientifically.
Job opportunities
What about job opportunities for postgraduates in Kannada? In addition to taking up jobs as teachers in colleges, one can join the print, broadcast and electronic media, the profile of the department said.
It is one among other departments offering traditional courses in humanities, highlighting their strength to attract students to its post-graduate courses at the open house which would conclude on Saturday. The departments had their best effort to market the courses.
“Studying in the department definitely makes a difference for students as no degree college under the university has such a full-fledged post-graduate Kannada department,” said K. Chinnappa Gowda, a senior professor at the university and senior dean of the university.
According to the profile of the Department of History, its postgraduates can appear for civil service examinations, can take up jobs in tourism sector and in institutes relating to archaeology, heritage and museums. Department of Political Science said that its postgraduates are suited for administration, media and academic jobs.
It said that it has plans to adopt some villages for an extensive social and cultural survey to evaluate functioning of Panchayat Raj institutions.
Department of Sociology said that its degree holders can look for jobs in research institutes, non-government organisations and as project assistants. Department of Mass Communication and Journalism highlighted the job opportunities in the media.
At the inaugural session of the open house, K. Byrappa, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said that the web portal of the university would be launched shortly.
He said four kiosks would be opened in the university at different places to enable students to log on to the web portal.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare U.T. Khader inaugurated the session.
