Ten new postgraduate courses and nine diploma courses in other subjects would be introduced at the Alipurduar University in the upcoming academic session, Mahendranath Roy, the vicechancellor of the sixmonthold varsity, said hereon Friday.

“Initially, we had approval for PG courses in four subjects but now, we have received approval for PG courses in 10 other subjects and can also introduce oneyearlong diploma courses in nine other subjects from the state higher education department. It is indeed a major development and will benefit hundreds of students of Alipurduar and adjoining districts,” said Roy.

Roy said that there would be 20 seats each for oneyearlong diploma course, while the number of seats may vary from 10 to 25 for PG subjects.

Among the diploma cours¬es that would be introduced at the varsity, include manage¬ment in diploma inteamanagement, forestrymanagement, tourism managementand hotel, and courses diploma inon folk culture, songs and dances of Rajbanshi, Adivasi, Mech, Ne¬pali and Rava communities.

The 10 new traditional subjects which would be introduced for the twoyearpostgraduate courses include botany, zoolo¬gy, maths, Bengali, Sanskrit, political science, philosophy, economics, commerce and ge¬ography. Earlier, the varsity had got approval for PG cours¬es in English, history, chem¬istry and biology.

“We will start the admission process in a couple of months,” the VC said.

Meanwhile, in Murshidab¬ad, educationists and membe¬rs of the civil society have de¬manded that postgraduate co¬urses in Arabic be introduced at Murshidabad University, set up last year. There are 25 colleges in Murshidabad amo¬ng which undergraduate cou¬rses in Arabic are taught in 14. Every year, 500 to 700 students complete their UG course in this subject, said Sheikh Abir Hossain, an educationist.

“However, out of the 14 subjects in which postgraduate courses have been introduced at the varsity from this year, Arabic is not there. We want this subject, along with some other subjects like Islamic studies, to be introduced at the varsity immediately. This would create an option for hundreds of students who want to pursue higher studies in Arabic,” he said.

Hossain mentioned that they are readying a mass petition on the issue and will send it to the state education minister and to Sujata Bagchi, the vicechancellor of the varsity, said: “This is our first academic ye¬ar. We have introduced as ma¬ny as 14 subjects. We need pro¬per infrastructure and faculty to start a PG course in Arabic. It will be done in due course.”

Additional reporting by Alamgir Hossain in Murshidabad