Department of B.Voc

Moving along with the trend of the New Generation Courses, St. Dominic’s College Kanjirappally, with the grant of the University Grants Commission (UGC), started B.Voc Programmes in the college from November 2018. Along with the academic excellence, the B.Voc.Programmes aim at skill development of the students with the newly adopted methods of teaching, activity- oriented classes (AOC), industrial visits, internships and so on. More than acquiring a job in an industry or other such fields, these programmes promote and encourage the students to become entrepreneurs. Even though designed as three year programmes, the B.Voc programmes enable multiple exits, i.e., after successfully completing two semesters, the students will be eligible for getting a diploma, on completing four semesters, they will get an advanced diploma and finally, on completing six semesters, the students will be qualified with a B.Voc degree. The B.Voc Degrees are treated as equivalent to the other degrees of the universities both by the governmental as well as non- governmental organizations and institutions.

The college introduced two NSQF Programs - B.Voc. Agriculture Technology and B.Voc. Agro Food Processing – in the year 2018. The programmes were shifted to self- financing stream from 2021 onwards. These programmes, in addition to emphasizing academic excellence, are structured to cultivate student’s skill set through innovative pedagogical approaches, activity-oriented classes (AOC), practical experiences like industrial visits and internships, among other initiatives.

The B.Voc. Agriculture Technology programme equips students with various farming techniques, fertilizer application, pest management, animal husbandry, and emerging agricultural technologies. Graduates of this programme gain knowledge in the commercial cultivation of diverse crop varieties. The curriculum incorporates internships at agricultural institutions, fields, and nurseries during the second and fourth semesters, culminating in a project in the final semester and industrial and farm visits throughout.

In the B.Voc. Agro Food Processing programme, students delve in the chemistry of food, preservation methods, food quality analysis, techniques for detecting food adulteration, national and international food regulations, food processing and the augmentation of agro food products. Students are prepared for roles in food processing industries, particularly within quality control and production departments, while also being equipped to establish their own micro industrial units. This program includes internships at various food processing industries during the second and fourth semesters, along with project conducted at a food research institute or industry during the sixth semester. Industrial visits are integrated into each semester to provide comprehensive practical exposure.

In every sense, the B.Voc courses are truly professional courses aiming at providing skilled and talented individuals to the society. This is the rationale behind, and the relevance of the B.Voc. Programmes in the present scenario.