Calcutta University has decided to drop its MSc in electronics science course and introduce a four-year BTech in electronics from the next academic year.

CU’s secretary of engineering and technology faculty said they decided to introduce the BTech in electronics because the programme better aligns with the
market.

“The MSc in electronics science does not attract students any more. So we junked the programme. The four-year BTech in electronics will have components of the VLSI (very large-scale integrated) design and have better placement opportunities,” said secretary Amit Roy.

The MSc in electronics science, introduced in the ‘90s, was under the science faculty.

Students with a physics background would be admitted there. Those with a BSc in electronics could also apply for the programme that offered 40 seats.

The BTech in electronics will be part of the technology faculty.

CU will soon write to the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education), seeking permission to start the BTech programme with 30 seats.

Vice-chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh said they will approach the AICTE for permission to introduce the BTech in electronics under the new programme category.

“We have to think of programmes that are needed. Otherwise, public-funded institutions will struggle. Private colleges are fast adapting to the changes. We, too, have to change. The programme at the master’s level was not attracting students,” said
Ghosh.

“We hope to attract bright students to pursue the BTech in electronics,” he said.

Teachers who taught the subject at the master’s level would be assigned BTech-level classes in electronics.

A CU official said they started the four-year BTech programmes in 2015, replacing the three-year BTEch, which could no longer attract students. A CU professor said: “It is heartening to note that CU is waking up to the reality and introducing new subjects in sync with the time.”