Bhubaneswar: The University of Delhi is all set to open a Centre for Odia Studies as part of efforts to promote the language and culture, offering MA, diploma and certificate programmes.
Sources said the proposal for setting up the Centre, tabled at the Delhi University’s (DU) Executive Council (EC) meeting recently, has been approved. The centre will be a part of the faculty of arts at the university.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is stated to have played a significant role in this regard. The Centre is likely to pave the way for higher studies and research on Odia language and literature in the national capital. This will perhaps be the first such a dedicated centre for a language has been set up in any university in the country.
Centre for Odia Studies will expand the scope of discussion on language, literature, culture, civilisation and customs at DU, according to DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh.
The centre will offer an MA course in Odia as a two-year postgraduate programme, in semester mode, while further modalities for a one-year postgraduate programme, aligned with the four-year undergraduate programme, as per the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, will be determined later based on operational needs, he said.
The centre also aims to offer certificate, diploma, and postgraduate programmes and a generic elective in Odia Studies at the undergraduate level through the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022, in order to popularise the language.
Delhi University Dean of Colleges Balaram Pani said a proposal for the establishment of this centre has been sent to the UGC. After obtaining the necessary approval, the registration process for MA, PhD and post-PhD in Odia will start from next year at this centre. There is a proposal to allocate Rs 39 crore for setting up the centre.
