University Grants Commissions

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
ABILITY ENHANCEMENT COMPULSORY COURSE (AECC)

This module consists of 3 units, covering 45 hours of classroom based and

field work intended to create awareness, enhance knowledge, develop skills and
attitudes necessary to understand the Environment in its totality and enables
students to participate proactively for the cause of the environment.

1. Environmental Studies (AECC) is made compulsory core module syllabus

framed by UGC for all the Indian Universities/Colleges as per the directions
given by the Honorable Supreme Court, which believed that, conservation
of environment should be a national way of life and to be included into the
education process. As suggested by State Level Environmental Science
Subject Expert Committee, Chairpersons of Board of Studies, Board of
Examiners and subject experts it is proposed to implement the details
listed in the tabular column below, mandatorily.

Semester in
Environmental Studies (AECC) - Ability
which the course
Enhancement Compulsory Course
is to be taught
B.Sc/B.A/B.C.A/B.S.W/B.F.A and other
I
streams of Humanities and Science
Streams
B.Com, /B.B.A/BBA (T&T)/BFT and other
II
streams of Commerce and Management

2. This pattern helps in distributing the workload of teachers of

Environmental Studies to both I and II semesters enabling the distribution
of the teaching workload of an institution for full academic year;
ensures distribution of examinations into two semesters; also provide
scope for a full-time teacher of the subject.
3. Qualifications to teach Environmental Studies (AECC): A candidate with
minimum qualifications of M.Sc. in Environmental Science subject is eligible
to teach Environmental Studies (AECC) at the under graduate level at all
Universities, Deemed to be Universities, Autonomous Institutions,
Government, Aided and Private Colleges. Preference be given to candidates
with UGC-NET/K-SET/Ph.D. in Environmental Science.

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 However, when such candidates are not available, teachers of the
subjects listed below are to be preferred to teach ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES – AECC paper in the following order:
i. Biological Sciences:
Botany/Zoology/Microbiology/Biotechnology/Life Sciences
ii. Chemical Sciences and Earth Sciences:
Chemistry/Geology/Earth Sciences
The teachers NOT ELIGIBLE to teach Environmental Studies (AECC)
paper are - Humanities (Economics, Geography, History, Sociology, Political
Science, Rural Development, Philosophy and others), Commerce,
Management, English & others languages, Communication, Performing
Arts, Fine Arts, Social work, Women Studies, Psychology, Home Science,
Fashion Technology, Travel & Tourism and other similar subjects.
4. Pattern of Examination: Total marks – 100 (Formative Assessment - 40
marks and Term End Examination - 60 marks).
I. Summative Marks distribution

Formative Assessment
Assessment Occasion/Type Weightage in Marks
Assessment Test – 1 10
Seminar/Field work/Group discussion 10
Assessment Test – 2 10
Assignment/seminar/project or field 10
work
Total 40

II. Term End Examination: Paper will be for maximum of 60 marks. The
minimum mark to pass the examination is 35% (21 marks).
Section – A: Multiple Choice Questions
Section – B: Short Answer Questions
Section – C: Medium Answer Questions
Section – D: Long Answer Questions
5. Duration of the Term End Examination: Two hours
6. Teaching hours and credits: 3 hours of teaching per week and 3 credits.

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 University Grants Commissions
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
ABILITY ENHANCEMENT COMPULSORY COURSE (AECC)

Total Contact Hours: 45 Course Credits: 3

No. of Teaching Hours/week: 3 Duration of ESA/Exam: 2 Hours
Formative assessment Marks: 40 Semester end assessment Marks: 60

45
Content of ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES – AECC
Hours
Unit 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to Environmental Studies: 2
• Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies.
• Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and
sustainable development.
Chapter 2: Ecosystems 6
• What is an ecosystem? Structure and function of
ecosystem; Energy flow in an ecosystem: food chains, food
webs and ecological succession. Case studies of the
following ecosystems:
a) Forest ecosystem
b) Grassland ecosystem
c) Desert ecosystem
d) Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers,
oceans, estuaries)
Chapter 3: Natural Resources: Renewable and Non- 7
Renewable Resources
• Land resources and land-use change; Land degradation,
soil erosion and desertification.
• Deforestation: Causes and impacts due to mining, dam
building on environment, forests, biodiversity and tribal
populations.
• Water: Use and over-exploitation of surface and ground
water, floods, droughts, conflicts over water (International
& Inter-state).
• Energy resources: Renewable and non-renewable energy
sources, use of alternate energy sources, growing energy
needs, case studies.
Unit 2 Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Conservation 8
• Levels of biological diversity: Genetic, species and
ecosystem diversity; Biogeographic zones of India;
Biodiversity patterns and global biodiversity hotspots.
• India as a mega-biodiversity nation; Endangered and
endemic species of India.

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 • Threats to biodiversity: Habitat loss, poaching of wildlife,
man-wildlife conflicts, biological invasions; Conservation of
biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity
• Ecosystem and biodiversity services: Ecological, economic,
social, ethical, aesthetic and Informational value.
Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution 7
• Environmental Pollution: Types, causes, effects and
controls; Air, water, soil and noise pollution.
• Nuclear hazards and human health risks.
• Solid waste management, Control measures of urban and
industrial waste.
• Pollution case studies.
Unit 3 Chapter 6: Environmental Policies and Practices 7
• Climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion,
acid rain and impacts on human communities and
agriculture.
• Environment Laws: Environment Protection Act; Air
(Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act; Water (Prevention
and Control of Pollution) Act; Wildlife (Protection) Act;
Forest Conservation Act. International agreements:
Montreal and Kyoto protocols and Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Nature reserves, tribal populations and rights, and human
wildlife conflicts in Indian context.
Chapter 7: Human Communities and the Environment 6
• Human population growth: Impacts on environment,
human health and welfare.
• Resettlement and rehabilitation of project affected
persons; case studies.
• Disaster management: Floods, Earthquake, Cyclones and
Landslides.
• Environmental movements: Chipko, Silent valley, Bishnois
of Rajasthan.
• Environmental ethics: Role of Indian and other religions
and cultures in environmental conservation.
• Environmental communication and public awareness, case
studies (e.g., CNG vehicles in cities).
Chapter 8: Field work (Any two) 2
• Visit to an area to document environmental assets:
river/forest/flora/fauna, etc.
• Visit to a local polluted site- urban/Rural/Industrial/
Agricultural.
• Study of common plants, insects, birds, and basic principles
of identification.
• Study of simple ecosystems – pond, river, Delhi ridge, etc.

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Reference
1. Bharucha, E. (2015). Textbook of Environmental Studies.
2. Carson, R. (2002). Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
3. Climate Change: Science and Politics. (2021). Centre Science and
Environment, New Delhi.
4. Gadgil, M., & Guha, R. (1993). This Fissured Land: An Ecological History of
India. Univ. of California Press.
5. Gleeson, B. and Low, N. (eds.) (1999). Global Ethics and Environment,
London, Routledge.
6. Groom, Martha J., Gary K. Meffe, and Carl Ronald Carroll. (2006). Principles
of Conservation Biology. Sunderland: Sinauer Associates.
7. McCully, P. (1996). Rivers no more: the environmental effects of dams (pp.
29-64). Zed Books.
8. McNeill, John R. (2000). Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental
History of the Twentieth Century.
9. Nandini, N., Sunitha N., & Sucharita Tandon. (2019). A text book on
Environmental Studies (AECC). Sapna Book House, Bengaluru.
10. Odum, E.P., Odum, H.T. & Andrews, J. (1971). Fundamentals of Ecology.
Philadelphia: Saunders.
11. Pepper, I.L, Gerba, C.P. & Brusseau, M.L. (2011). Environmental and
Pollution Science. Academic Press.
12. Rajit Sengupta and Kiran Pandey. (2021). State of India’s Environment 2021:
In Figures. Centre Science and Environment.
13. Raven, P.H., Hassenzahl, D.M. & Berg, L.R. (2012). Environment. 8th Edition.
John Wiley & Sons.
14. Rosencranz, A., Divan, S., & Noble, M. L. (2001). Environmental law and
policy in India.
15. Sengupta, R. (2003). Ecology and economics: An approach to sustainable
development. OUP.
16. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2014). Ecology, Environmental Science
and Conservation. S. Chand Publishing, New Delhi.
17. Sodhi, N.S., Gibson, L. & Raven, P.H. (Eds). (2013). Conservation Biology:
Voices from the Tropics. John Wiley & Sons.
18. Wilson, E. O. (2006). The Creation: An appeal to save life on Earth. New York:
Norton.
19. World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our
Common Future. Oxford University Press.

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 Question Paper Pattern
Section – A: Multiple Choice Questions (10 x 1 = 10)
All questions are compulsory
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Section – B: Short Answer Questions (5 x 2 = 10)
Answer any five questions. Answer the following questions not more than 2-3
sentences
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Section – C: Medium Answer Questions (4 x 5 = 20)
Answer any four questions. Answer the following questions not more than 5-6
sentences
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

Section – D: Long Answer Questions (2 x 10 = 20)

Answer any two questions. Answer the following questions not more than 800
words
22.
23.
24.

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 Subject Expert Committee Members actively participated in the
preparation of proposed curriculum of Environmental Studies (AECC) for all the
under-gra6.duate courses in the Universities/Colleges in the state of Karnataka.
Several meetings were conducted virtually and physically with
Environment.al Science Subject Committee Experts; and the proposed curriculum
was approved8. by the Chairpersons of Board of Studies and Board of Examiners of
various Universities and Colleges of Karnataka State.

SUBJECT EXPERT COMMITTEE – ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Name Designation and address Position Signature
Members Present
Professor, Department of
Environmental Science,
Dr. N. Nandini Chairperson
Bangalore University,
Bengaluru
Professor, Department of
Studies in Environmental
Dr. N. S. Raju Member
Science, University of Mysore,
Mysuru
Associate Professor and Head
Department of Environmental
Dr. S. Suresha Science, Yuvaraja’s College Member
(Autonomous), University of
Mysore, Mysuru
Associate Professor and Head
Department of Environmental
Dr. B. S. Prabhakar Member
Science, St. Joseph’s College
(Autonomous), Bengaluru
Special Officer, Karnataka State
Member
Dr. Jayappa, M. Higher Education Council,
Convenor
Government of Karnataka
Members Absent
Professor, Department of PG
Studies and Research in
Dr. S. V.
Environmental Science, Member Absent
Krishnamurthy Kuvempu University,
Shankaraghatta

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