Keeping in tune with the needs of the country and time, teaching institutions need to evolve their courses. Adhering to this the Central University of Odisha has started four new programmes – three undergraduate and one postgraduate.

The undergraduate ones are four-year B.Sc. programmes in Agriculture Science, Dairy Science, and Forest Management while PG one is a two-year MBA Programme in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

As per the Press release issued by CUO, these programmes have been launched to “cater the interest of the young population including the tribal community.”

Talking about them, Prof. Chakradhar Tripathi, CUO’s Vice-Chancellor told India Narrative: “The Koraput region situated in the Eastern Ghats is a highland plateau with a number of hills and hillocks. Agriculture, livestock, and forest products are the mainstay of the district economy, and more than 80 per cent of the population in Koraput district directly depends on agriculture. In 2012 the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations accorded the status of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System to the traditional agricultural system being practiced in Koraput region of Odisha for promoting food security and conserving biodiversity. Keeping this in view, the University is going to start the new B.Sc. programmes.”

Going further, the VC added that Koraput produces varied crops and that too in large quantities. These include rice, millet, ginger, coffee, black pepper, vegetable, jackfruit, strawberry, dragon fruit, apple, banana, and other rare fruits. Yet to properly handle and market this produce at national and international levels, there is no adequate management and supply chain system. “The new two-year programme in Logistics and Supply Chain Management will fulfil these demands.”

CUO will soon issue admission notifications and the admission process for the new programmes will be completed by July 31, 2023.