NATIONAL ECOLOGY

NEEF COURSES

NEEF offers following courses with specialization in Environment and Development, Earth Literacy, Sustainable Development, Environment Management and Ecotourism.

1) Certificate Course
Eligibility- 10th Pass; Duration: 9-12 months; Course Fee: Rs. 11000/-

2) Postgraduate Diploma Course
Eligibility: Graduate Degree in any subject; Duration: 18-24 months; Course Fee: Rs.22000/-.

3) Ph.D Programme
Eligibility: Postgraduate Degree in any discipline; Duration: 3-5 years; Course fee: No Fee to be paid for NEEF and University Fees are to be paid directly to the concerned University where students get registered. However, affiliation with NEEF is required.

4) Advanced Training Course
Eligibility: Professionals from Corporate Sector, Consultants, Academics and Researchers; Duration: 1-2 weeks; Course fee: Rs. 5000 - 15000/- per course depending upon the type and duration of the course.

Note: Above Fees include all costs of reading material, examination fee, postal charges, etc. and there is no hidden fee. Life Members of NEEF and their wards are eligible for 10% discount on Fees. All Fees are non-refundable and payable at the time of admission by DD/IPO/MO/Cheque in the name of the National Ecology and Environment Foundation, Post Box-9020, Mumbai-400 063 (INDIA).

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About the Courses

The Postgraduate (PG) and Certificate Courses of the NEEF are Correspondence courses and Advanced Training Courses and Doctorate Programme are regular full/part time courses.

The courses are timely response to the growing concerns for deteriorating quality of environment caused by unplanned development in India. The courses offer students and other aspirants an excellent opportunity to know the importance of ecology and environment in the process of economic development and learn about the technical, economic and policy aspects of local, regional and global environmental problems and their solutions.

The course contents of PG Course cover a wide range of Environment and Development Issues and include basic as well as advanced topics. The curriculum is comparable to the Master's degree programs of institutes in the Indian and International academic. Distinguished and well-known faculty members of premier institutes have prepared the course material. The curriculum will include lecture notes, tutorials, field surveys, seminars, self-studies and internship/project report/dissertation.

The Certificate Course covers similar topics as for PG Course but the extent of study is limited to the basic knowledge of the subject in an easily understandable form.

Advanced Training Courses are designed from time to time on topics of immediate relevance and useful to solve the arising problems in Industries/Society. Doctorate Programme is designed for PG Degree holders with strong and proven ability in environmental issues.

Eligibility and Duration:

For admission to PG Course, minimum qualification is bachelor's degree in any discipline. For Certificate Course, no formal education is required but good knowledge of English and Hindi is essential and 10th class pass candidates are preferred. There is no age limit for both of the courses. However, preference will be given to candidates having background of Science, Engineering, Medical, Economics or Social Sciences. Also, the applicants should have aptitude for analytical work and basic computer applications.

The duration for completion of the PG Course and Certificate Course is 18 and 9 months, respectively. Advanced Training Courses are organised for 1-2 weeks' duration and aspirants such as corporate employees, consultants and specialists can take advantage of these courses for solution of their day-to-day problems on the subject.

Objectives and Career Opportunities:

The Courses are designed to develop multi-disciplinary skills among the students, which can be utilized for solving simple as well as complex environmental problems. The curriculum ensures to provide aspirants with a wide range of updated theoretical and practical knowledge on the subject. There is a high demand of trained environmental professionals in India and abroad. The PG Diploma and Certificate holders in this emerging area could form a strong human resource in various organizations such as environmental consultants, multinational companies, research and teaching organizations, pollution control boards, national laboratories, various ministries and other government organizations, non-government organizations, public and private sector etc.

Curriculum Design:

The PG Course will cover six subjects to be completed within a period of 12 months from the starting date. The last six months will involve dissertation/project report/ internship on any assigned topic related to Environment and Development. The Certificate Course will cover the same topics but basic issues on the subjects within six months and three months will be for project work. Aspirants will be required to secure minimum passing marks to be eligible for receiving PG Diploma and Certificate. Titles of various courses, their objectives and broad outline of the contents are as follows:

Examination Pattern for PG Course:

All Examinations will be conducted through correspondence only. Along with the course material, students will receive the question papers for each subject. The students must solve papers themselves and send them to the NEEF. Marks for each course will be assessed through intermediate examination and a final comprehensive examination paper covering all subjects will be sent at the end of 18 months. To test the authenticity about the knowledge gained by the students, the NEEF's staff may interview students over the internet/email/telephone.

After successful completion of all courses and examinations, students will be required to work on the dissertation. The topics of dissertation will be suggested by the NEEF and students have choice to work in any region of world. After submission of the dissertation, students will be interviewed personally for final comprehensive examination on all subjects and dissertation at any of our examination centres in Chennai, Delhi, Kolkotta and Mumbai.

Marks Distribution:

*Course No.* *(as below)*	IE	FE	TM	PM
1)	60	40	100	50
2)	60	40	100	50
3)	60	40	100	50
4)	60	40	100	50
5)	60	40	100	50
6)	60	40	100	50
7)	--	400	400	240
*Total*	360	640	1000	540

Note:
IE - Intermediate Exams; FE - Final Exam; TM - Total Marks; PM - Passing Marks.

Examination Pattern for Certificate Course:

Final Examination of 300 marks will be conducted by email or through personal/ telephonic interview covering questions on all six subjects. Project Report of 200 marks will be submitted by the students at the end of 9 months which will be assessed by NEEF staff. Passing marks will be 50% in aggregate i.e. 250 marks in total.

Topics for Advanced Training Courses:

The topics selected for these courses are based upon the requirements of Environmental Professionals and aimed at solving day-to-day problems of their organization. The course contents are of very high standard and designed to meet the challenges of arising problems due to government regulations at International and National levels. Some of the Broad areas of focus are - Environmental Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Audits, Trade and Environment, International Issues, Engineering Design and Environmental Management.

Doctorate (Ph.D.) Programme:

The Ph.D. Programme is offered in collaboration with various Institutes/Universities. Candidates are free to select Institute/University of their choice. Their thesis supervisors will be assigned from the highly qualified members of NEEF's affiliates and/or Faculty members of the selected Institute/ University. Thesis topics are assigned by the mutual consultation between students and their guides.

Duration of the programme is 3 - 5 years and it can be opted as part/full time. The actual feescharged by the Institute/University selected by the candidate will be payable by him/her to the concenred Institute/University. Students shall complete all formalities required by the Institute/University for completion of the thesis. After satisfactory completion of the thesis, Examinations will be conducted as per rules of the Institute/University selected. Stipends/ Fellowships ranging from Rs.3000 to 8000 per month are arranged for exceptional scholars whose research makes a significant contribution to the objectives of the NEEF. Stipend/Scholarship holders will also be required to work on part/full time basis for the NEEF.

1) Environment and Development

Major Objectives:

To develop basic concepts, definitions, and technical terms related to environment and development.
To give an overview on the subject in its entirety starting from identification, monitoring, modeling, laboratory and field work, to the overall management.

Course Contents:

Introduction; Various Eco-systems - Land, Water, Air, Forests and Biodiversity; Carrying Capacity of Eco-systems; Ecology-Environment and Human Relationships; Population, Urbanization, Industrialization and Economic Development; Anthropogenic Activities, Consumption Patterns and Environmental Stress; Sources of Pollution - Natural and Man-made; Effects of Pollution- Health and Others; Atmosphere- Various Divisions and their Importance; Photochemical Reactions and Pollution Problems; Role of Meteorology - Wind, Temperature, Solar Radiation and Atmospheric Stability; Pollution Standards and their Importance; Local, Regional and Global Environmental issues; Scientific, Technical and Economic Aspects of Environment - Basic and Advanced; Monitoring and Modelling of Pollutants; Environmental Law and Policy; Environmental Management. Comparison of Environmental Problems in Developed and Developing Countries.

2) Energy and Environment

Major Objectives:

To demonstrate the inter-dependency of energy and environment and efficient use of energy to protect the environment.
To highlight the need of environment friendly energy technologies required for boosting economic development.

Course Contents:

Introduction; Various Types of Energy- Conventional, Non-conventional and Renewable; Major Sources- Thermal, Nuclear and Hydro-electric; Other Sources- Solar, Geothermal, Wind, Wave and Tidal Energy; Bio-mass Energy; Types of Fuels- Fossil Fuels such as Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, their Occurrence and Importance; Other Fuels- Hydrogen, Methanol and derivatives; Use of Different Energy Forms - Merits and Demerits on Environmental and Economic Considerations; Energy and Environment Relationship- Environmental Impacts; Economically Viable and Environmentally Sustainable Innovations in Energy Science and Technology; Environmentally Clean Energy Technologies; Waste-to-Energy Conversion- Energy from Incineration, Gases from Landfills; Wastes and Biogas Plants; Energy Conservation and Management- Supply and Demand Side; State-of-the-art and Future Energy Scenario for India.

3) Environmental Pollution

Major Objectives:

To understand in detail about the Sources and Effects of different types of pollutants.
To focus on the current status of Environment in India and Developed countries and steps to enhance environmental quality.

Course Contents:

Ecological Degradation and Environmental Pollution; Natural Sources- Volcanic Eruptions, Forest Fires, Dust Storms; Anthropogenic Sources- Domestic, Commercial and Industrial; Air Pollution- Local and Global; Types of Pollutants- Gaseous and Particulate, Primary and Secondary; Point, Line and Area Sources; Sampling and Analysis of Air Pollutants; Source Identification based upon Physical and Chemical Analysis; Effects of Air Pollution- on Health, Plants, Vegetation, Monuments and Visibility; Water Pollution- Physical, Chemical and Biological Examination of Water; Effects of Water Pollution- Water Borne Diseases, Harm to Aquatic Life, Buildings and Agricultural Crops; Coastal Pollution and Problems of Coastal Areas; Solid Waste Pollution- Types of Wastes, Organic and Inorganic, Recyclable Wastes; Treatment and Disposal of Different Wastes; Thermal, Radioactive and Noise Pollution; Pollution Abatement- Engineering and Economic Instruments.

4) Environmental Science and Engineering

Major Objectives:

To enhance understanding of Scientific and Technical issues of Chemical, Physical and Biological Pollutants.
To suggest various technical solutions for Pollution Abatement.

Course Contents:

Advanced Monitoring and Modelling Aspects of Pollutants; Principles of Monitoring of Air Pollutants- Filtration, Impaction, Adsorption and Absorption Techniques, Monitoring Equipments- High Volume Samplers, Cascade Impactors, Quartz Crystal Microbalance and Gas Samplers, Ambient and Stack Sampling; Analysis of Pollutants by various Wet and Dry Techniques- Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence Technique; Devices for Pollution Control- Cyclone Separators, Bag Filters, Scrubbers, Electrostatic Precipitators; Air Quality Modelling- Source and Receptor Models and their use for Source Identification and Apportionment; Analysis of Water Pollutants- Turbidity, pH, Colour and Odour Detection, Estimation of Bio-Chemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand and Dissolved Oxygen; Bacterial and Metallic Analysis; Water Quality Modelling- Importance of One, Two and Three Dimensional Modelling; Water and Waste Water Treatment; Disposal of Waste Water and Sludge; Cost-Benefit Analysis, Environmental Impact Assessment; Life Cycle Analysis.

5) Regional and Global Environmental Issues

Major Objectives:

To compare Local and Global Environmental Problems in Developed and Developing Countries.
To understand the role of various International and Indian Organizations in Combating the Problems.

Course Contents:

Local versus Global Pollution; Developing versus Developed Nations; Trans-boundary pollutants- Aerosols, Acid Rains and their Impacts; Green House Gases, their Sources and Effects; Climate Change and Global Warming- Scientific, Technical, Economic and Policy Aspects; Impact of Global Warming on Agriculture- Problem of Food Security; Impact on Water Resources - Changes in Monsoon Patterns; Socio-Economic Impacts- Sea Level Rise, Land Submergence and Shifting of Coastal Communities, Impact on Shore line Infrastructure and Coastal Resources; Stratospheric Ozone and Its Importance- Ozone Depleting Substances and their Alternatives, Effects of Ozone Depletion; Forests and Bio-diversity and their inter-relationship; Trade and Environment Linkages- Product, Process and Packaging Standards; Trade of Waste; International Efforts for protecting global environment - Role of Inter-government Panel on Climate Change, Global Environment Facility, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank and others.

6) Environmental Economics and Policy

Major Objectives:

To understand the socio-economic and policy aspects of Environmental Problems.
To assess the Pollution Damages and suggest Economic Instruments for minimizing them.

Course Contents:

Economic Development and Environment; Concept of Sustainable Development; Renewable and Exhaustible Resources; Environmental Externality; Environmental and Natural Resource Accounting; Damages due to Pollution- Health and Non-health; Valuation of Damages- Total Economic Value; Analytical Tools for Valuation- Direct and Indirect Methods, Cost, Benefit and Risk Analysis; Willingness to Pay and Accept; Hedonic Pricing and Contingent Valuation; Equimarginal Principle; Command and Control versus Economic Instruments for Pollution Abatement- Incentives and Marketable Permits; Environmental Policy- Various Laws, Acts, Regulations and Notifications in India; Various Authorities and Stakeholders- Ministry of Environment and Forests, Pollution Boards, National Laboratories and Research Institutes; Water Act, Air Act and Environment Act; Coastal Regulation Zones and Development of Coastal Areas; Comparison of Policies in Developed and Developing countries.

7) Dissertation /Project Report/ Internship

Major Objectives:

To develop capability among the students and other aspirants so that they can work as independent researcher/manager/leader on the topics of their interest.
To reproduce their skills in the form of report/dissertation.

Course Contents:

The final report on dissertation/project/internship will be prepared by the students with the guidance of NEEF staff on a topic to be assigned by the NEEF. The topic can be based upon either computer modeling, field surveys, laboratory analysis, monitoring or combination of them depending upon the interest and background of the students and facilities available to them in their locality.