Include consumer studies as elective course in curriculum: UGC to varsities

The country's higher education regulator UGC has asked all universities to include consumer studies as an elective course in their curriculum to make students informed consumers. The University Grants Commission (UGC) formed an expert committee to prepare the course module on consumer affairs at undergraduate level which can be offered as an elective course in any discipline. "Since every student is a consumer and will continue to be consumer for the rest of his or her life, the module may be offered as an elective for students of any discipline. The same may be perused and suitably adopted by your university and affiliated colleges," UGC secretary P K Thakur said in a communication to vice-chancellors. The universities have also been asked to conduct faculty development programmes for those who will be teaching the module, considering the relevance and complexity in terms of topics. "The idea is to strengthen the consumer movement in India through creating awareness among all segments of consumers including young college students. The objective can be realised through inclusion of modules on consumer studies as elective course in syllabi," he added.