Mangaluru University suspends 16 low-enrollment courses

Mangaluru

Mangaluru University has decided to temporarily suspend 16 postgraduate and other academic programmes due to low or zero student enrollment. The decision was taken at the Syndicate meeting held on Tuesday as part of preparations for the 2026-27 academic year. Vice-Chancellor Prof. P.L. Dharma said around five courses had already been discontinued over the past three years because of poor enrollment. With several more programmes recording insufficient admissions this year, the total number of suspended courses has now increased to 16. The affected programmes include Applied Botany, Computer Electronics and Cyber Security, M.Sc. Psychology at the Evening College, M.Com. in HRD, Bioinformatics, MSW at the Evening College, Tulu, Konkani, Sanskrit, Gem Technology, Environmental Science, Material Science, Geography and a flight-related course. Prof. Dharma said students were not showing sufficient interest in several programmes, including Tulu, Konkani and Hindi. He noted that some courses were introduced earlier to meet regional requirements but did not receive statutory government approval. However, he said Tulu has special importance in the coastal region and indicated that classes could be started if at least 15 students come forward, even at a later stage. The university has also approved 15 new courses aimed at improving employment opportunities. The programmes are being designed around current market requirements, digital technology, artificial intelligence and emerging needs in the information technology and agriculture sectors. University officials said the new programmes are intended to provide students with skills relevant to changing employment trends. The move comes as higher education institutions increasingly review traditional courses based on student demand and introduce programmes focused on emerging technologies and job opportunities.