Osmania University to be demarcated into zones

Campus to have women's and men's hostels zone, and administrative among others

Hyderabad: The sprawling 1,632 acres of Osmania University (OU) campus here will soon be demarcated into different zones including women’s and men’s hostels zone, and administrative among others.

As per the university’s plan, after completing the construction of the new centenary administrative building opposite to IICT gate for which the foundation was recently laid, the present administrative building which houses the Vice Chancellor’s office will be converted into a women’s hostel.

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As other women’s hostels are in the same vicinity, the officials are considering converting this area into a women’s hostel zone.

Likewise, the varsity is drawing up plans to bring in all the men’s hostels under one zone. After completion of the proposed centenary administrative zone, the area will be demarcated as the administrative zone.

This apart, OU has drawn up plans to construct a new 500-bed hostel for engineering students on the campus. A proposal has been finalised and it will be placed before the Executive Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the university. The proposed hostel will be for boys studying in the university engineering college, whose present hostel is in a bad shape.

In the last four years, the university has been on a developmental spree. So far, four new hostels have come up on the campus. The varsity recently laid the foundation stone for a 500-capacity men’s hostel that is being established at an estimated cost of Rs 39.50 crore. The new hostel for engineering students will come up on similar lines.

Earlier, the varsity opened a new 500-capacity centenary hostel building for girls on the campus, and another hostel building for girls was established at the Nizam College, a constituent college of the OU.

Plans to introduce ‘Professor of Practice’ concept

Campus, constituent, and affiliated colleges of Osmania University (OU) can soon hire experts from the industry to teach various courses under the Professor of Practice concept that the university is planning to introduce.

Under this concept, the university is drawing up plans to hire or invite experts from different fields including IT industry, scientists, bureaucrats, and politicians, and Assembly speakers to teach relevant subjects as full or part-time or deliver lectures.

The university move comes in the wake of the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission on engaging experts under the Professor of Practice. Unlike regular teachers, there is no mandatory PhD clause for experts to teach under this concept. However, such experts should have put in a minimum of 15 years of experience in the field.

Not just teaching, colleges can also use the services of experts in designing their course curriculum in tune with the industry requirement thereby enhancing the employability quotient of students.

“We are planning to introduce the Professor of Practice on the university campus, constituent, and affiliated colleges from this academic year. This will be discussed in the forthcoming varsity’s Executive Council and a decision will be arrived at,” OU Vice Chancellor Prof D Ravinder told Telangana Today.