Jamshedpur: Arka Jain University, a private varsity at Gamharia in Seraikela-Kharsawan, will start a bachelors course in optometry from the 2018-19 session, keeping in mind the huge demand for the profession in the eye care sector.

An optometrist examines the eyes and applicable visual systems such as spectacles and contact lenses.

The move of the year-old private university, with 3,000 students, is aimed at introducing courses that have market value and career openings.

A BSc in optometry will be a four-year integrated course with eight semesters.

"There are a few institutes in Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar that offer optometry courses. Since there is a huge demand of optometrics and assistants to ophthalmologists, we decided on this four-year integrated course that will help students bag jobs," said S.S. Razi, Arka Jain University vice chancellor.

"The university is already in talks with Jamshedpur Eye Hospital and Tata Main Hospital to recruit skilled manpower from the university to be comfortably placed in their hometown itself," Razi said.

Senior ophthalmologist and consultant to Jamshedpur Eye Hospital Dr S.P. Jakhanwal welcomed the course. "It will be a boon for doctors in eye care as there is always a dearth of trained people and the doctor has to take the extra load. Ideally the ratio is one ophthalmologist to four technicians, including optometrics, technicians and assistants, but in reality, the picture is dismal. The course will be a boon for eye care in the steel city."

Optometry apart, the varsity will also start a three-year BSc biotechnology with six semesters in the new session. The fees for optometry and biotechnology courses will be Rs 35,000 each per semester.

The university has job-oriented UG courses such BBA, mass communication, fashion designing, MBA and polytechnic courses in mechanical engineering, electronics, communication and computer science. It also plans to start MCom in the near future.