Nellore: Vikrama Simhapuri University starts 4 new vocational courses

Nellore: Vikrama Simhapuri University is introducing four new vocational and job-oriented courses from this academic year 2020-21. The University Grants Commission has sanctioned new courses to the varsity as part of National Skills Qualifications Framework scheme.

The Department of Marine Biology was sanctioned a vocational degree course in aquaculture, diploma in aqua, lab technician and certificate course in marketing executives for aqua sector while an advanced diploma course has been sanctioned to Department of Analytical Chemistry.

Under the scheme, the UGC will provide financial assistance to develop the existing lab facilities, teaching, and fieldwork, and these courses will be offered during the current academic year and will be useful to the students and the aqua industry located in the district.

In fact, aquaculture is being taken up in 16 mandals along the coast in the district in around 1 lakh acres and it has gradually been coming down due to various reasons like fluctuations in the market, seasonal diseases, and pandemic like Covid-19. The earnings from the sector is around Rs 15,000-16,000 crore per annum, a major chunk of revenue to the state exchequer.

These aqua products are being exported to Saudi, China, USA, South Africa, Israel, and other countries. Earlier, the farmers also exported their produce to European countries. After Covid pandemic, they stopped exports to Europe. These aqua farms and other ancillary units require qualified technical personnel and there has been a demand for them. Vikrama Simhapuri University has tied-up with the units for the last 3-4 years for attaching qualified personnel to the needs of sector.

Vice Chancellor R Sudarshan Rao said the UGC had sanctioned four skill-based/vocational courses to the university proposed some time back.