CHALLENGES AND SCOPE IN INTRODUCING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (Pages 43-52) by Ms. Ameeza Zarrin* and Dr. Abduraheem. K** in THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST / ISSN: 2350-1499 (Online); 2350-0751 (Print)

Today protection and conservation of the environment is a matter of global concern. International bodies, National Government and non government organizations are active in protecting natural and cultural diversity of the different nations. If the present rate of exploitation of natural resources is continued for some more time the ecological balance may be disturbed leading to global disaster. Internationally, environmental education gained recognition when the United Nations Conference on the “Human Environment” held at Stockholm in 1972 followed by another Conferences on „Environment and Development‟ held in Rio de Janerio in 1992 and World Summit on „Sustainable Development‟ at Johannesburg in 2002. But no environmental summit, treaty or convention alone can guarantee the protection of global environment. It is only possible by the active participation of environmentally aware public. Therefore environmental conservation and sustainable development must be a hot topic from village level to United Nation. Environmental awareness is very important to all person, even educated people may not well aware about the modern dangers like the disposal of e-waste, clinical waste etc. But the curriculum of higher education was silent about these issues, that is why UGC has implemented compulsory course on environmental science in under graduate classes under the directives of the Supreme Court order. But many challenges in implementing the course including the constrains of unavailability of trained teachers and lack of interest among students must be properly addressed. Design separate curriculum module according to the different streams such as Arts, Social Science and Science etc. are necessary as the content of common syllabus is quite tough for arts and commerce streams. Various institutions facing shortage of trained staff to teach the course all over the country. Teaching by untrained staff may misguide the students about the sensitive issues. Many state government institutions are unable to implement the same due to the unavailability of trained staff, infrastructure etc. Thousands of arts colleges of India does not have a single position of science teacher to teach the environmental science also become a constrains. The UGC should provide special assistance or grant to recruit the qualified personnels having background of environmental science. New courses in environmental science must be started at post graduate level in universities to prepare trained staff to cater the need. The introduction of new courses in environmental science may also offer new job opportunities. Keywords: Environmental Science, environmental conservation, sustainable development, trained staff, and Infrastructure.