MU adds 500 new courses for open electives

MU vice chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni said the university’s aim is to equip students with multidisciplinary skills along with exposure to more subjects

Mumbai: The University of Mumbai has launched over 510 new open elective (OE) courses this year, spanning the field of humanities, science, commerce, technology, and interdisciplinary studies. Such a move allows students the freedom to study subjects outside their main discipline, opening the doors for learning, skill development, and career flexibility. Over 550 professors worked for two years to design and finalise the new curriculum.

Mumbai University Convocation Hall

Among the new electives, over 200 are from the faculty or humanities, over 100 are from the sciences, 81 from the commerce stream, 88 from interdisciplinary studies, and 28 from the technology field.

MU vice chancellor Ravindra Kulkarni said the university’s aim is to equip students with multidisciplinary skills along with exposure to more subjects. “The impact of electives is already visible. Students are excited to explore beyond their main subjects. A science student can now earn credits in music, while an arts student can learn chemistry,” he said.

MU has also shortlisted a few courses and will upload them on the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) SWAYAM portal, where students across the country can access them online for free. SWAYAM is an open online course platform initiated by the government to make free online courses available to all students from grade 9 to their graduation.

The new electives blur the lines between subjects, allowing even seemingly unconnected subjects like economics and psychology to find common ground. The electives allow an economics student to also study gender economics, health economics, and climate change and resource management. Meanwhile, a psychology student can opt for behavioural economics, peace psychology, consumer psychology, and psychology for conservation and climate change. This flexibility allows students to add value to their academic journey and prepares them for a workplace which often demands multiple skills.

“This range ensures that students are not restricted to one narrow path. Instead, they can build personalised journeys that reflect their passions and goals,” Kulkarni said. He added that the idea behind open electives is rooted in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages flexibility, holistic learning, and the breaking down of barriers between various disciplines.

Kulkarni explained the process behind the electives and said that faculty members had presented various subjects and refined the course material over a series of meetings and discussions spanning two years. He added that the wide range of electives also include creative and engaging electives like Urdu shayari, chemistry in daily life, a study of Marathi songs, gardening fundamentals and small scale farming, which connect learning with everyday experiences. Such subjects allow students to pursue their creative interests while continuing with their main academic course.

A student’s perspective

Michael Milagris Keer, 21, a third-year history student at Sathye College, Vile Parle, specializing in ancient Indian culture and archaeology, said that since they were the first batch to get the open electives possibility, the new system had been initially hard to adjust to. “But when we realised that the electives are connected with our core subject, we started enjoying them,” Keer said.

In his first year, Keer, a history student, had chosen botany and microbiology as his open electives. Explaining the link between the subjects, he said, “While studying ancient culture, we have topics like ancient botany. So the elective in botany helps us classify plants at the basic level.”

What college principals are saying

Kulkarni said that colleges were taking initiatives to provide students with more information about the new electives. He highlighted the Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Arts, Science and Commerce, where the annual open elective fair turns into a melting pot of creative talent. In the fair, students display what they have learned through exhibitions, performances, and interactive projects where courses like financial literacy, the basics of the stock markets, photography, and artificial intelligence are brought alive with stalls and presentations. “Such events prove that learning can move beyond textbooks into hands-on engagement,” Kulkarni said.

Several college principals have welcomed the move and stressed the importance of a holistic development for students. Professor Anita Kanwar, principal of Vivekanand Education Society’s College of Arts, Science and Commerce, called the initiative an inspiring platform for all-round development. She said, “We offer more than 60 open electives. To make students understand them better, we even organise an OE mela where courses are explained through games, dramas, demonstrations, and creative presentations.”

Deelip Bharmal, principal of Shri Pancham Khemraj Mahavidyalaya, Sawantwadi, said the initiative is particularly useful for rural students. “Open electives are giving confidence to students.” Bharmal said that being able to understand subjects from other streams, as well as taking up electives like singing or other hobbies, helps students grow confident, and makes learning more enjoyable.

However, many university principles and educationists have pointed out that colleges have not given students the flexibility to choose subjects of their choice. Kulkarni admitted that such challenges persist, especially because of the lack of infrastructure and resources. “Many colleges cannot allow students to pick freely (from the electives) and instead offer a fixed bouquet of courses,” he said, admitting that this defeats the purpose of the program.

While some courses are also being offered online, MU has suggested that colleges have agreements with nearby institutions so that students can access a wider pool of electives. “From next year, we plan to guide students more closely in how to select electives so that they get the right match for their interests and careers,” Kulkarni added.