Coimbatore: In an attempt to override the acute shortage of urban planners, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities and colleges to introduce a course or a subject on urban planning at either the undergraduate or postgraduate level. 

The University Grants Commission has written to all universities and colleges to include a subject on urban planning from the current academic year- 2016-17. The UGC directive comes after the implementation of smart city project by the Centre. Members of the UGC made a presentation to Prime Minister Modi on how towns and cities are emerging as key drivers of economic growth, and emphasized on the need for capacity building in urban administration and urban planning.

UGC chairman, Jaspal Sandhu, said, "It was proposed that colleges and universities should start subject/courses on urban planning. Accordingly, you (vice-chancellors of universities) are requested to start a subject/course on urban planning in your university and also convey relevant instructions to the colleges/institutes affiliated to your university to take urgent steps for starting of this new subject course at graduate and post graduate level."

The fact that most municipal bodies in India do not have urban planners is a cause for concern. "Municipal bodies lack urban planning skills. They have engineers who may understand construction but aren't trained as planners. Municipal bodies should develop a cadre of urban planners and managers. There should also be an ongoing skill upgradation programme for municipal staff," said the South Asia Regional Director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), Shreya Gadepalli. She appreciates the UGCs move to introduce a subject or a course on urban planning as it will produce more professionals sensitized to urban planning. "There are few institutions in India which produce competent urban planners. This step will help mitigate the shortage," she added.

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