SPPU Plans New Undergraduate School

Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) is planning to start a separate School of Undergraduate Studies from the next academic year.

The proposed school will focus on courses that combine subjects from different departments, giving students broader academic exposure and preparing them for changing job requirements.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Suresh Gosavi stated that the university currently has over 45 academic departments, mostly involved in postgraduate teaching and research, with only a limited number of undergraduate programmes.

The new school could change this structure by allowing departments to jointly design undergraduate courses, such as integrated science programmes combining Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Statistics, and Biotechnology.

Similar combinations are being considered for humanities and social science subjects. The university is also looking at a single admission system for these programmes, where students can apply directly to the proposed school instead of individual departments.

SPPU has already tested multidisciplinary undergraduate education through its blended BSc programme with the University of Melbourne and IISER Pune, which received a positive response from students.

The programme allows students to develop basic knowledge in subjects they may not have studied in Class 12. The university now wants to build on this experience while planning its new undergraduate school.

The proposal comes as more affiliated colleges are gaining autonomous status and the National Education Policy 2020 encourages universities to move towards flexible and multidisciplinary education.

The university is currently holding discussions on the structure and courses to be offered. If the plans are finalised as proposed, the School of Undergraduate Studies will begin functioning from the next academic year.

This development is expected to provide students with more options and flexibility in their undergraduate studies, aligning with the changing needs of the job market and the education sector.

The introduction of the School of Undergraduate Studies at SPPU is a significant step towards providing students with a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary education, preparing them for success in their chosen fields.