By The Hindu Bureau
The Central University of Kerala (CUK) will introduce three new four-year undergraduate programmes from this academic year under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The new courses include BSc (Hons) Biology, BCom (Hons) Financial Analytics and BCA (Hons), aiming to prepare students for emerging global opportunities and technology driven careers.
These honours programmes, offered respectively by the School of Biological Science, the Department of Commerce and International Business, and the Department of Computer Science, will follow entry and exit structure.
Students will be eligible for a certificate after the first year, a diploma after the second, a degree in the third and an honours degree with research after four years, enabling admission to research or a one-year postgraduate programme.
The BCom (Hons) Financial Analytics course is designed in consultation with industry experts to meet the demands of the changing business landscape. With a blend of finance, data science, and technology, the course opens career paths in quantitative and financial analysis, risk strategy and fintech, with skills in Python, Power BI and global financial databases.
The BCA (Hons) programme aims to address global tech skill shortages by offering training in data science, Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), cybersecurity and systems analysis, preparing students for roles such as software developers, AI specialists and cybersecurity analysts.
The BSc (Hons) Biology programme provides hands on training in core area like zoology, molecular biology, biotechnology and bioinformatics, targeting careers in biotech clusters, pharmaceuticals, public health and reasearch.
Vice-Chancellor Sidhu P. Algur said the programmes are tailored for digital era careers and academic progression.
鈥淭he job market is undergoing a digital transformation, and these courses will equip students with the tools needed for future sectors,鈥 he said.
Admissions will be based on the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) conducted by the National Testing Agency. Applicants must register on the university portal once admissions open.
The varsity already offers a four-year BA International Relations programme at its Thiruvnanthapuram centre and had previously launched a four year Integrated Teacher Education programme as part of the NEP 2020.