From Vaastu to AI, Asutosh College launches 25 courses to boost employability

Main building of Asutosh College. Photo: Wikipedia

A well-known educational institution in Kolkata, the 1916-established Asutosh College, in a major initiative, has launched as many as 25 skill-oriented courses — ranging from Vaastu Shastra to Beekeeping to Artificial Intelligence — with the aim of enhancing student employability.

While it has become common for colleges to offer short-term skill-based programmes, this is possibly the first instance in West Bengal where an institution has launched such a wide range of courses simultaneously. Each course is priced at ₹999.

“These certificate courses are starting now, in the middle of June, and will be held every year henceforth. Conducted by the faculty of the different departments of Asutosh College, each course will be of 50 hours’ duration, conducted over a period of twelve weeks in the blended mode (online and offline),” principal of the college, Dr. Manas Kabi, told The Hindu.

“Students of Asutosh College as well as colleges from across West Bengal will be eligible to enrol in these courses. I am 100% hopeful that they will stand to benefit in a competitive atmosphere. Take the course in Vaastu Shastra, for example. There are so many flats being constructed across the country and they are all being constructed on the basis of Vaastu Shastra. Therefore, there is a need for certified Vaastu experts,” Dr. Kabi said.

Several of these courses, including the one on Vaastu Shastra, fall under the Indian Knowledge System, promoted by the National Education Policy of 2020, which has been implemented in West Bengal only recently. The Vaastu Shastra course will be conducted by Asutosh College’s Department of Sanskrit, led by Assistant Professors Arnab Patra and Somnath Das.

“Course attractions include identifying whether Vaastu Shastra is recognised within scientific thought; finding a better direction in life based on time, astrology and star-based architecture; designing and building a house as per the right Vaastu, both the interior and the exterior; and identifying various problems in the home and looking at ways to solve them so that a better life can be found through Vaastu Shastra,” said Dr. Patra. According to him, about a dozen students have already enrolled in the course.

The Department of Botany will, likewise, conduct a course on Herbalism and Aromatherapy, aimed at enabling students to participate in industries that connect herbs and aroma with physical and mental wellness. Other courses include Travel and Tourism Management, Wildlife Conservation and Ecotourism, Data Analytics, Ornamental Fish Breeding, Radiology, and Clinical Pathology and Geology.

Published - June 16, 2025 06:54 pm IST