The Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University will admit 600 students next academic year. It currently admits 355 students.
The university received approval for four undergraduate vocational programmes from the University Grants Commission just ahead of admission last year and could admit only 20 students in each of these programmes. From the next academic year, it will admit 50 students in each of these programmes.
Vice-Chancellor S. Felix said, “We started six constituent colleges last year and offered 15 courses. We plan to admit 600 students in the next academic year.”
Students with science subjects in class 12 could opt for Fisheries Engineering or Fisheries Food Technology. Last year, three girl students were admitted to B. Tech Nautical Technology programme. Although the university had more girls enrolling, he said it came as a surprise that girls were willing to take up the Nautical Technology programme.
“We expected students from fisher community but they came from all sectors. This programme requires people to stay for several months in the sea. We are surprised to see girls coming forward. It is good that they are coming,” he said.
The graduates had a wide range of opportunities, Mr. Felix said as the Centre’s Fisheries department had raised the target of production to 20 million tonnes by 2022-23 with focus on marine fishing.
There were also proposals to explore opportunities in near shore fishing. The country was following the example set by Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Taiwan, which were into cage farming and seaweed farming.
The university has purchased two deep sea fishing vessels — one for the university and the other to train fishermen in the Mandapam region.
“Now I am asking the students to visit schools and talk about fish-eating habits. We are targeting youngsters to create awareness about the benefits of eating fish,” he added.
