I cannot explain how on the one hand, Hyderabad is trying to become a Biotechnology hub and on the other, enrollment in BSc biological sciences had plumeted to an abysmal level. Many colleges in Hyderabad have closed down their botany, zoology, microbiology and biochemistry departments.
The college I teach in, is holding on, but just about.
Apart from my self interest (no students, no job) if there are no students doing biology, how is this soon-to-be-booming-to-11 billion$ biotech industry going to find employees?
So why are there no takers for our BSc courses in bio sciences?
3 comments:
I beleive it largely depends on placement. Do we have statistics on that? Perhaps if the colleges also try to improve their placement record, students (and parents) might be more willing?
The biotech industry will have to go to schools and explains this concept to students. They will also need to explain this to parents because parents are still the big factor in deciding children't future. Probably your's and other colleges also will have to do the same. Just wishing doesn't help make real changes...
@RS: Since this downward trend started, we have been holding workshops to educate students and parents about careers in bio sciences. We also plan to do this for lower classes.
@Anon: The placement is the problem...biotech companies are not forthcoming in telling us what extra training we can give our and other BSc students in order to make them employable. We have asked them to collaborate with us, but since their need is not immediate, they do not seem to see that future supply of employees is going to be bad. We are trying.
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