Biodiversity Courses: Central University of Odisha caught in the middle of research vs jobs debate

NEW DELHI: In the heart of Odisha’s tribal belt, surrounded by rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, the Central University of Odisha (CUO) in Sunabeda, Koraput district, stands as a beacon of opportunity. Established with an aim to elevate students from marginalised communities, the institution faces the challenge of balancing quality education with practical career prospects in a remote region.

The university reflects the broader tension in higher education, where specialised fields like biodiversity research thrive intellectually but struggle to connect students with viable career options. In consequence, CUO’s Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources department, otherwise perfectly located and responsible for significant contributions to the field, is now facing closure.

Shweta Purohit had high hopes when she pursued her PhD in Biodiversity at CUO. Passionate about environmental conservation, she believed that her research would open doors to meaningful career opportunities. She said that while the department produced groundbreaking research, including the discovery of two new species of ‘Megascolex earthworms’ or giant earthworms by PhD scholar Ayusmita Naik, it could do little to ensure students’ employment in this field.

"In India, biodiversity is treated as an afterthought. Job advertisements rarely list biodiversity as a qualification. This forces students like us to either switch fields or remain unemployed. The policies need to change. The government must include biodiversity in job eligibility criteria, and universities should create better industry connections," she said.

Purohit is presently an assistant professor at CV Raman Global University, Bhubaneswar. “So having a master’s degree in zoology helped me get placed as an assistant professor,” she said.

CUO: Transforming education

What works are more traditional programmes. Priyanka Bhoi, a final-year student of the BEd programme at CUO, represents the aspirations of many young students in the region. With a strong passion for teaching, she wants to work to improve education in Odisha.

"I want to teach. I intend to do a MEd later on and then go ahead with teaching in Odisha. I want to try for the Odisha Education Service exam," Bhoi said.

During her visit to Maliput village, Bhoi realised that the challenges of education in the region are evident. Communicating with the locals was difficult, as many parents, being first-generation learners, had studied only up to Class 10. "Only a few people interacted with us," Bhoi said.

The scarcity of teachers in the Koraput district adds to the problem. "In this district, many schools struggle due to a shortage of qualified educators."

Bhoi has a clear career goal, "I will first complete my postgraduation. Then I will opt for the Odisha Education Service exam and try to become a block education officer or a district education officer. That way, I can personally visit schools and address the challenges in the education system."

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CUO: A setback

SK Palita, professor and head of the department of biodiversity, laments the decision to close. The MSc programme has been scrapped.

“Biodiversity is an essential area of study, but students are not getting jobs after completing their degrees. Research is still ongoing, and research scholars are there, but there were no admissions in the programme last year. Now, the department will function only as a research centre," he said. This decision is disappointing, especially considering the university’s achievements in biodiversity research.

Despite achievements such as Naik’s, Palita said the discipline faces problems in India. "In our country, when jobs are advertised, biodiversity is not mentioned. Zoology and botany are given more importance, while biodiversity is ignored. This has to change. Government hiring policies need to recognise biodiversity graduates, and universities should collaborate with industries and environmental organisations to create more job opportunities."

This has led to fewer students choosing biodiversity, making the department’s survival even more difficult. "Globally, biodiversity is gaining importance. Universities in Singapore and Europe treat it as a key subject, but in India, we still don’t give it the recognition it deserves. Without institutional and policy-level changes, students will continue to struggle," he added.

Biodiversity as a field of study is gaining global recognition, with universities such as the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and institutions in Singapore and Europe treating it as a priority subject, Purohit said. These universities integrate biodiversity with environmental science, sustainability studies, and conservation programmes. In contrast, the lack of dedicated job prospects in India limits students' opportunities, leading to a decline in enrollments and, ultimately, the closure of programmes like that of CUOs.

Institutions offering biodiversity and allied programmes

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CUO: Academic excellence

Unlike the struggling biodiversity department, CUO’s mathematics department with 120 students in its five-year integrated programme is doing well. The department has also introduced an exit option after three years, as per NEP 2020, allowing students to leave with a bachelor's degree and explore other opportunities.

"Every year, around five students qualify through the JAM exam and go on to study at IITs and NITs," said Jyotiska Dutta, head of the department, Mathematics.

In addition, CUO has partnered with the state government to offer free coaching to SC and ST students preparing for UPSC and other state government exams. "This programme aims to help students from marginalised backgrounds get jobs in the public sector," Dutta added.

Throwing light on schooling and higher education in the tribal belt among the tribals, Dutta said, some villages have only 20 to 25 residents, making it difficult to set up schools in every village. However, efforts have been made to improve the situation. The Odisha government has started programmes like Odisha Adarsh Vidyalaya, which provides English-medium schooling to students.

Despite these difficulties, many tribal students have managed to overcome barriers to education. "Around 30 to 40 percent of local tribal students from this area have cleared the CUET exams and joined CUO. This is a positive sign," Dutta added.

The Central University of Odisha (CUO) has 10 schools offering a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. These include the School of Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources, the School of Social Sciences, offering disciplines like sociology and anthropology. The School of Education runs BEd and MEd programmes, while the School of Languages provides programmes in Odia, English, and Hindi. Its other schools include ones for basic sciences, commerce and management, agricultural sciences, applied sciences, animal husbandry, life sciences, journalism and mass communication, economics, computer science, and law.