KOCHI: The New Vice Chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (KUFOS) Dr A. Ramachandran says that he plans to take the university to a new level where the institution would be able to devise methods to meet the shortfall in the fish catch from the sea. “We are standing at a point where the fish catch from the sea is fast depleting. The alternative method to boost fish production is to promote aquaculture. We have a lot of native fish varieties which can be bred in aqua farms. The university proposes to strengthen farming and breeding technologies to increase the output to meet the shortage,” Dr Ramachandran told DC.
He said that another priority was to strengthen the currriculum. “The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) Deans Committee has given suggestions in this regard and also regarding research priorities. The committee has also suggested new areas of teaching and research. Based on the suggestion, the university curriculum will be altered before the convening of the Academic Council in August,” Dr Ramachandran said.
He also said new generation masters courses would be started at the university in the UGC stream after meeting the faculty and administrative staff shortage. “The new fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma has been quite positive on this. The university which has jurisdiction all over the state will associate with Central and State institutes so as to generate more research. We are planning to admit 100 PhD students in the current year. Eminent persons in these institutes can become guides. Retired senior professors and technocrats too will be roped in as adjunct faculty for boosting research,” Dr Ramachandran said.
He said that the 40 acre farm under the university would be modernised and an academic block would be constructed for the faculty. “The student enrolment at the university will be increased by 25 percent and laboratories will be upgraded. A Central Instrumentation Facility will be set up. Increasing the number of publications and patents is another priority,” Dr Ramachandran added.
