Cuttack: The Ravenshaw University has decided to start several new courses from this academic year.

The decision of introducing eight courses was made during the academic council meeting held on Friday. Vice-chancellor Ishan Patro told The Telegraph that the varsity had approved the postgraduate courses in biochemistry, business economics and yoga with 24, 40 and 32 seats, respectively.

Patro said postgraduate diploma courses in clinical biochemistry and medical biotechnology with 20 seats each would be introduced. The university would also initiate a graduation course in journalism with 40 seats.

Other courses that have been given nod are certificate programmes in public health ethics, social history of medicine and tribal rights and policy ethics.

Patro said the new courses had been selected as part of its policy shift "to introduce innovative courses aimed at ensuring that students pursuing them are able to go back and earn their living or be able to do something of their own and generate jobs".

He said the certificate courses would be of six months duration and diploma courses of a year.

The graduate and postgraduate courses would be for three and two years, respectively.

The vice-chancellor said all the eight courses had been approved and the study material for them would be ready by the beginning of this academic year.

Filling up forms online for the new session will start from April 25. The university will hire yoga experts and trainers for the students who opt for the course.