Mumbai University to introduce Civil Defence course in curriculum
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Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to introduce a civil defence course into the academic curriculum of the University of Mumbai, recognising the vital role of volunteer-based emergency response systems during crises. This initiative gains urgency amid heightened national attention on preparedness in the backdrop of the Indo-Pakistan conflict, which recently prompted large-scale mock drill exercises across the state.
The move is part of a broader effort to strengthen the Directorate of Civil Defence, which currently faces significant challenges, including acute manpower shortages, low volunteer compensation, and logistical constraints such as a lack of functioning sirens, vehicles, and ambulances.
As part of this initiative, the Directorate of Civil Defence and the University of Mumbai have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formalising the integration of a civil defence course into the university’s curriculum. Director of Civil Defence Prabhat Kumar confirmed the development, noting that the course will be introduced across all engineering colleges affiliated with the university and will carry a weightage of 25 marks.
"Students who wish to contribute to the nation while pursuing their education will now have the opportunity to do so," said Kumar. The course will train students in rescue operations and emergency response, equipping them to work alongside key agencies such as disaster management cells, fire brigades, and hospitals, particularly during emergency or war-like situations.
Interest in civil defence has surged following recent mock drills conducted across coastal districts and cities, including Pune, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. These drills, involving around 10,000 volunteers from Civil Defence, the Home Guard, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other agencies, aimed to raise awareness and build preparedness among both trained personnel and the general public.
Officials say the state government is actively working to revive and reinforce civil defence mechanisms. While the Directorate of Civil Defence has a sanctioned staff strength of 420 personnel, only 135 are currently in service across the state. Some units, such as those in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, operate with only one full-time government employee.
"In times of emergency, civil defence must have access to its own ambulances and vehicles. Many of the existing vehicles are in such poor condition that they are close to being scrapped," an official noted.
Volunteers currently receive a daily allowance of ₹150, a figure the Directorate hopes to raise to ₹500 through a pending proposal. Additional proposals have also been submitted to increase manpower, acquire new training equipment, and install adequate sirens. The government, according to officials, is positively considering these demands.
With PTI inputs