Kolkata: Calcutta University is all set to introduce post-graduate studies in Sports Science from the ongoing academic year. The university will be churning out MSc courses in Sports Physiology, Sports Nutrition, Sports Biochemistry and Sports Physiotherapy.
The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports have selected three universities across the country for commencing courses in Sports Science, with CU in Kolkata being one of them. The ministry has allocated an amount of Rs 25 crore for a period of five years, for putting in place the infrastructure for the course.
"We are proud that the Centre has selected our university among the three in the country. Initially, four subjects will be taught in MSc level," said Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee, vice-chancellor of CU.
The other two universities that have been selected by the Centre for the course are Annamalai University and Central University of Rajasthan.
"A number of foreign countries across the globe successfully pick up talents through Sports Science. There is no lack of talented sportspersons in our country. But often their talent goes unrecognised and they fail to make it big in the sports arena. We hope to reap the benefits of the course and churn out world class sportsmen," a senior CU administrative official said.
To begin with, CU will be offering 64 seats for these courses and around 12 teachers will be recruited. Classes will be held at the Salt Lake campus of the university. The University Grants Commission will frame the syllabus. But the university will have the power to exclude 30 percent of it and design the curriculum in a student-friendly manner.
It may be mentioned that the university has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sports Authority of India (SAI), which will be lending its expertise and infrastructure for running the course in a professional manner.
The coordinator of the Sports department of CU, Somnath Gangopadhyay, said: "This course will be beneficial in expansion of sports research in the country."
The university has plans to start three more courses in future that will include Sports Bio-Mechanics and Sports Management. 48 additional seats will be added.