Did you know that you could do tea tasting for a living? Or get paid to climb the highest of peaks and live your dream? For every student who has just got out of school, but do not want to pursue a career in engineering or medicine or for someone who does not want to slog it out studying a subject that has become monotonous for him/her and want to do something quirky, here's a list of unusual courses offered by Indian universities that you might want to consider studying.
1. Astrobiology
While astrophysics is a subject we all know about, not many know of this upcoming field in science that studies life beyond Earth. To help you bring your Interstellar dreams come true, Indian Astrobiology Research Centre is offering a course – International Diploma Program in Astrobiology (IARC). Astrobiology is a study of the genesis, evolution and distribution of extraterrestrial life. Headquartered in Mumbai, the IARC offers this course through an online platform for domestic and international students. It has tied-up with various United Nations organisations and encourages research in this field through various foreign internships and externships.
2. Carpet technology
In this day and age, when the Indian textile, carpet and allied industries are dying there is a dire need of its revival through advancement of carpet technology. To promote research and technological improvements in this industry, the Ministry of Textiles set up the Indian Institute of Carpet Technology offering three different types of courses – regular, long distance and short term. The syllabus includes both theoretical and practical understanding of processing of fibre, dying, manufacturing and maintenance. The regular four-year B.Tech course in Carpet and Textile technology is offered on its campus at Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh.
3. Rural studies
If you are someone interested in discovering the deep layers of the rural sector of our economy, then this is the course for you. It is offered by several universities and institutes across the regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP and Uttarakhand such as Bhavnagar University, BRS College of Rural Studies, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya, etc. The syllabus of this course covers topics like farm management, rural credit and banking and community development. This course can help you secure jobs in governmental organisations and research institutes in India and abroad.
4. Ethical hacking
Unlike hacking, a term which sets off a tocsin in most places, ethical hacking is an admissible career opportunity for someone who has a flair for programming languages and the internet. Ethical hacking involves intrusion into systems and networks to detect malwares, threats and loopholes which a malicious hacker may find and abuse to destroy data and crash a system. Usually available in the form of short term courses, they are offered by several institutes across the country. A prime institute offering this course is The Indian School of Ethical Hacking in Kolkata.
5. Fishery science
Fishery science is an ideal career choice for a fishing enthusiast or someone interested in aquaculture. Fishery science is an upcoming subject that studies fish processing, fish resource management, scientific rearing and aquaculture. Several institutes in India offer this course, but a prominent university that offers this course is the Tamil Nadu Fisheries University in Nagapattinam.
6. Gerontology
Gerontology is the comprehensive and scientific study of old age, the process of ageing, the problems associated with old age and the mental and social implications of ageing. Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology offers a one-year postgraduate diploma course in Gerontology and Age Management. Post the completion of this course, students can find work with NGOs, old age homes, healthcare agencies and research centres. The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Institute of Home Economics are two other institutes offering similar courses on their respective campuses.
7. Museology
Are you someone who can't get enough of museums or someone whose dream workplace is The MET? The National Museum Institute (NMI) of History of Art, Conservation and Museology, New Delhi, and University of Calcutta both offer MA and MSc courses in Museology or the study of museums. The syllabus includes subjects like collection and curatorship, documentation, museum marketing, museum architecture, preservation, conservation etc. The NMI also offers PhD for students who wish to take up research in the subject. This course offers an excellent opportunity for all the art and history junkies who wish to make a career in this field.
8. Photonics
Photonics is the branch of science that studies the properties and transmission of photons. The course deals with understanding the characteristics of light, development of laser and optic systems, optical communication and measurement, microscopy methods etc. International School of Photonics, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, and IIT, Chennai, and Manipal Institute of Technology are some of the institutes which offer courses in Photonics. For all the physics enthusiasts particularly fascinated by the concept of photons, this course may just be the ideal career option.
9. Mountaineering
For anyone who loves the adrenaline rush of mountain escapades, the National Institute of Mountaineering is offering mountaineering course on its campus located at Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand. This course equips you with the skill to climb the highest of mountains and take up mountaineering as a profession.
So if you think the mountains are calling you, enroll yourself in one of these schools and live the outdoor life you dreamt of.
10. Public health entomology
Public health entomology studies the impact of insects and other such organisms on the health and well-being of humans. It is a science subject which requires aptitude and interest in both biology and chemistry. The subject analyses the life and behavioural pattern of different species to find cure to life-threatening diseases caused by them. Courses in this subject are offered by Assam Agriculture University, the Vector Control Research Centre under Pondicherry University and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in Delhi.
11. Tea tasting
Calling out all the chai loving science enthusiasts, Assam Agricultural University is offering both under-graduate and post-graduate programmes in a unique course called Tea Husbandry and Technology. Along with this course, the Faculty of Agriculture in the university is offering several other interesting courses like Bachelors and Masters in agronomy, soil science, genetics, sericulture and so on.
Courses in tea tasting are also offered by the following institutes – Birla Institute of Futuristic Studies (Kolkata), Indian Institute of Plantation Management (Bengaluru) and Dipras Institute of Professional Studies (Kolkata).
12. Alcohol technology
Though the name of the course might seem exciting to a few, this one requires applicants to have an inclination to both chemistry and biology and does not include chugging down liquor. A course offered by Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Maharashtra, the contents include biochemistry, organic chemistry, viticulture and several other topics involving deep understanding of chemistry.
13. Art restoration
Apart from museology, another course that might interest all the history nerds is the course offered by National Museum Institute in Delhi in Art Conservation. It also offers PhD from the same department. The Museum in Mumbai offers a one-year PG Diploma in a similar course. Even though art restoration takes place at select places, conservators are hard to find according to curators and museum directors.
14. Cartography
Maps are no longer drawn by men and women on a paper in a dingy corner with dim lights as seen in your history textbooks. Cartography has advanced to greater levels due to digitisation of maps and the display of the geographical structure of place. Osmania University in Hyderabad is offering a PG Diploma in Cartography on its campus for geography enthusiasts who want to make a career out of map-making. The syllabus includes topic like map projection, design, cartographic techniques, symbolisation and digital cartography.