Hyderabad: Does Telangana need a completely new education policy? Or should it just improve the current curriculum to align with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches? Creating a brand-new policy would be costly and require setting up a department like the Telangana Education Commission (TGEC). On the other hand, updating the existing system would be a more affordable option.
Osmania University has taken the first step in giving students more freedom to choose their courses. According to sources, the university plans to allow students from different streams to study subjects outside their traditional areas. For example, a science student could study commerce, and a social science student could study science subjects.
One professor from the social sciences department of Osmania University called this initiative “ambitious.” He explained that this would let students explore subjects that interest them, even if they are outside their main field of study. However, there is a challenge in making this work effectively. It is difficult to figure out how to design courses that allow students to build career paths or pursue higher education based on their chosen subjects.
For example, the Department of Higher Education recently introduced psychology in over 100 degree colleges across the state. One of the new course combinations includes Psychology, Journalism, and English Literature. While each subject has its own career path, it’s unclear how mixing these subjects will help students explore emerging fields.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offers a four-year undergraduate programme with an honours degree option. This programme combines research, community engagement, and the ability for students to choose between single or double majors, minors, and skill-enhancing courses.
An example of this is a combination of Psychology and Linguistics. A student with a specialisation in Cognitive Psychology and Literature could pursue a career in Artificial Intelligence (AI) related to language technologies. This could eventually lead to advanced degrees like an MSc or MA in Cognitive Studies or Sciences. Such skills are valuable, especially in a country as linguistically diverse as India.
Private institutions like Amrita University already offer courses such as MSc in Cognitive Science. Prestigious institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and AI and Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) are also working on AI technologies that use India’s linguistic diversity, which is important for advancing Digital India.
In a similar way, a specialisation in Criminal Psychology could lead to careers in police administration and related fields.
However, for such interdisciplinary programmes to work, universities need to create “bridge courses.” These courses would help students move between different subjects and qualify for a range of career opportunities. Additionally, investing in these new programmes could help train a new generation of qualified teachers for colleges and universities in Telangana.
