Department of Sericulture

Indian sericulture is an agro based cottage industry with 1,71,959 hectares of mulberry and producing 14,620 tonnes of raw silk annually. It provides job opportunities to the rural folk of the country and also a major foreign exchange earner. In the year 1980, Bangalore University started a full fledged two year M.Sc., course in sericulture for the first time in the country with the World Bank assistance as R&D programmme in sericulture. The department is accredited for producing highly trained man power to serve the cause of sericulture industry in the country. The department of sericulture proudly announces its 25 years of unblemished existence and the students are well placed in central and state government services including private sectors. Of late, the department experienced a steady decline in the admission to M.Sc. course in sericulture mainly due to lack of employment opportunities. However, the research activities in different aspects of sericulture are being continued in the department. During the last 5 years (2002-07) 52 students have passed out as M.Sc. graduates and 18 students have been awarded Ph.D degree in sericulture. At present there are 12 students pursuing their Ph.D degree in sericulture. Recently the department has made necessary attempts to frame the curriculum for M.Sc., Life Science course based on UGC-CSIR NET syllabi. After obtaining the necessary approval from various statutory bodies of the University the Department is offering M.Sc. course in Life Science from the academic year 2006-07. M.Sc. course in Life Science is most innovative, since it is the blend of Classical and modern disciplines like Biosystematics, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Bioinformatics, Biodiversity, Environmental Biology, Microbiology and Genetics. The convergence of various disciplines in this new course will provide a perfect platform to launch a better career in biological sciences by the students. The course is unique and inter disciplinary in nature offering equal importance to all aspects of Life Science. In order to inculcate scientific temper among the postgraduate students, research oriented dissertation is included in the curriculum. The students are taught not only by the faculty of the department but also by the eminent teaching faculty drawn from various science departments in Jnana Bharathi campus. Invited lectures by renowned scientists from reputed research institutes/universities are being arranged to help in furthering the knowledge of the students in Life Science. Further, student teacher interactive seminars and field visits are some of the meaningful agenda planned for this course. Totally 15 students have joined this course from different states like West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Manipur, Karnataka in the year 2006. The department is optimistic in their placements.