Academic crossroads in tribal Odisha

In the state’s tribal heartland, Central University of Odisha struggles to balance research excellence in biodiversity with practical career opportunities while serving the marginalised communities

- Pritha Roy Choudhury

In the heart of Odisha’s tribal belt, surrounded by rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, the Central University of Odisha (CUO) in Sunabeda, Koraput district, stands as a beacon of opportunity. Established with an aim to elevate students from marginalised communities, the institution faces the challenge of balancing quality education with practical career prospects in a remote region.

The university reflects the broader tension in higher education, where specialised fields like biodiversity research thrive intellectually but struggle to connect students with viable career options. In consequence, CUO's Biodiversity and Conservation of Natural Resources department, otherwise perfectly located and responsible for significant contributions to the field, is now facing closure.

Shweta Purohit had high hopes when she pursued her PhD in Biodiversity at CUO. Passionate about environmental conservation, she believed that her research would open doors to meaningful career opportunities. She said that while the department produced groundbreaking research, including the discovery of two new species of ‘Megascolex earthworms’ or giant earthworms by PhD scholar Ms Ayusmita Naik, it could do little to ensure students’ employment in this field.

“In India, biodiversity is treated as an afterthought. Job advertisements rarely list biodiversity as a qualification. This forces students like us to either switch fields or remain unemployed. The policies need to change. The government must include biodiversity in job eligibility criteria, and universities should create better industry connections,” she said.

Purohit is presently an assistant professor at CV Raman Global University, Bhubaneswar. “So having a master’s degree in zoology helped me get placed as an assistant professor,” she said.

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