Kochi : From teaching programming languages to undergrads to introducing agentic AI in business administration, city’s higher education institutions are changing their curricula to match the demands of a fast-changing job market. As employers look for new skills in graduates, colleges are increasingly bringing these requirements into the classroom. Autonomous colleges, in particular, are using the flexibility they have to introduce more industry-oriented courses and updates.
With the college designing merely 20% of the syllabus, some departments are cutting short the university syllabus,” said an assistant professor at the college. “Similarly, we introduced Python software in the BSc physics syllabus considering the need within the industry.
At Bharata Mata College (Autonomous), which received autonomous status two years ago, the syllabus is periodically reviewed through discussions with industry experts, said academic director Johnson K M. Such additions cannot be seen in the university syllabus,” Johnson said. Sacred Heart College principal Franklin John said syllabuses are designed and reviewed periodically, with the board of studies constituted twice a year. “The feedback is forwarded to the curriculum committee, which shares the same with the board of studies involved in designing the syllabus,” said RCSS associate director Binoy Joseph. Joseph said the college is also incorporating artificial intelligence components across subjects to make its curricula future-ready. Also, when the labour codes were amended recently, we soon incorporated them into our syllabuses,” he said. A Malayalam language teacher at an autonomous college outside the city said the flexibility offered by autonomy is not fully utilised.
The college found, for instance, that mathematics graduates were not sufficiently familiar with software used in industries, prompting it to introduce such software into the curriculum. The college has also decided to appoint industry experts as professors of practice, allowing professionals from relevant fields to teach students the hands-on application of skills necessary once the student enters the job role. Several colleges are making periodic adjustments to their syllabuses after placement cycles by taking feedback from recruiters. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (RCSS), for instance, has industry representatives on its boards of studies and also collects feedback from recruiters and alumni. “For instance, in the business administration courses, we are teaching students the applications of agentic AI in hiring. However, such experiments with curriculum flexibility remain largely centred on autonomous colleges, particularly within the city limits. “Although autonomy brings a lot of possibilities, colleges outside of the city limits are not using that opportunity.
Last week, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) decided to introduce an industry-flexible curriculum under which 20% of the syllabus can be periodically updated to reflect emerging technologies, research findings and industrial practices. The remaining 80% will comprise the core curriculum prescribed by the board of studies. The move towards greater curricular flexibility is also being seen at the university level. Cusat has also proposed continuous professional development for faculty through training programmes and collaborations with research and development institutions. The university will also include significant research findings by students and researchers into the curriculum after scrutiny by the respective departmental research committee.