Entomological Aspects in UGC Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) Curriculum at Tamil Nadu Educational Institutions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has suggested to offer choice based credit systems (CBCS) to all its stakeholders of educational intuitions offering courses with language papers, core papers, elective papers, allied papers, non-major electives (NME), skill-based elective (SBE) for under-graduates (UG) and core, electives and special papers at the post-graduate (PG) level. As per the UGC model curriculum, Apiculture and Sericulture are considered Skill-Enhancement courses whereas Insect, Vector and Diseases as Discipline Specific Electives (DSE). Most of the universities at Tamil Nadu are offering entomology as core paper or elective paper or special paper. However, a few universities are offering entomology or entomology related papers as allied subject. The objectives of the courses are to study the insect pests, agricultural and medical importance and their control measures, to study the economic importance of insects as vectors, pollinators, predators and parasites and integrated pest control components. As an alternative, entomological aspects are offered through Economic Zoology where Apiculture, Sericulture and Lac culture are included. At PG level, the entomology paper has been offered as core paper (theory and practical) or as elective paper. Further, entomology related papers like Sericulture or Apiculture are offered as elective or special or optional paper. Autonomous colleges are offering entomology in UG, PG and M. Phil. level with usual generic names or with attractive terms. General / Applied Entomology has been also offered as allied subject. In M. Phil entomology has been offered as special paper in a few autonomy colleges. These were discussed in details.