French and German would be included in the Bachelor of Education course affiliated to Bangalore University from this year on.
These subjects will be introduced as optional specialisations.
The step is taken in the wake of faculty shortage in foreign languages in schools, especially in Kendriya Vidyalayas.
The authorities of Bangalore University will take guidance from Max Mueller Bhavan and the Goethe Institute to devise curriculum according to the students. As the content of the syllabus will be designed by the experts of Goethe Institute, there will be online sessions from the teachers of the institute for the same. BU will be placing its proposals and recommendations before Academic Council for approval.The students can opt for the subject only if they have studied these languages at the undergraduate level.
With the introduction of autonomous institutes five colleges under BU have applied for it. The proposal is yet to be approved by University Grants Commission (UGC). The colleges that support it are BMS College for Women, Maharani’s Science College for Women, Maharani’s Art, Commerce and Management College for Women, Smt. VHD Central Institute of Home Science and Government First Grade college. These colleges can develop their own curriculum, create fee structure and conduct examinations once they are approved by the UGC. This initiative will help more students to get an opportunity to study under a relaxed fee structure.