Possibilities of Introduction of Remote Sensing Within the Science Stream Curricula in Colleges and Univesities of India*

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Remote Sensing Education in Transtion
Being a new frontier of technological innovation remote sensing was restricted to the governmental agencies in the seventies and eighties. Nineties witnessed transitional phase of migration of technology to the research institutions and academics (Refer Table 1). Twenties are witnessing the emergence of usage of remote sensing data products for research and commercial purposes. This coincides with the advanced technologies like GIS/LIS and image analysis software that are available in personal computers. Remote Sensing is a module within the space science and technology which is an inter-disciplinary in nature and encompasses subjects of physical sciences (physics, mathematics); engineering and technology (surveying, photogrammetry, civil engineering and computer technology); natural sciences (biology, environmental sciences, agriculture, forestry) and earth sciences (geology, geography, cartography, geophysics). The remote sensing education was at infant stages stage even in the eighties (except photo-geology and photo-geology and photo-interpretation courses were taught at the departments of geology and geography, essentially used aerial photographs) and has gained wide popularity from early twenties (Table 1). Bhagia, (1985) recommends to compare the relevant applied components suited to the problems of the society as such with the existing academic components of the subjects and courses. In order to evolve a comprehensive profile for the proposed curricula, the academic and applied components of subjects vis-vis remote sensing technology are analyzed (Table .2). The recommended combination of subjects which includes (practical, thesis work and seminar) within the existing science stream curricula in the universities and colleges at graduate courses are outlined in Table. 3.

Table . 1. Universities Offering Courses with Remote Sensing Major*

University	Degree	Specialization
Andhra University	M. Sc.,/M.Tech.	Geography/ Remote Sensing
Anna University	M. Tech./B.Tech.	Remote Sensing/Geomatics
Aligarh Muslim University	M. Tech.	Remote Sensing
Bharatidasan University	PG Diploma	Remote Sensing
B. M. Birla Sci& Tech Center	M. Tech	Remote Sensing
Gujrat University	M. Sc.,/PG Diploma	Geography/Space Sciences
IIT-Bombay (CSRE)	M. Tech	Civil Engineering
IIT-Kanpur	M. Tech.	Civil Engg/Geomatics
Jamia Milia Islamia, NewDelhi	M. Sc.,	Environmental Remote Sensing
Jawaharlal Nehru Tech. Uni.	M. Tech.	Remote Sensing
Madurai-Kamaraj University	M. Sc.,	Environmental Remote Sensing
School of Planning,Ahmedabad	PG Diploma	Planning
University of Roorkee	M. Sc.,/M.E.,	Applied Geology/Civil Engg/RS
University of Madras	M. Sc.,	Geography/Cartography
*exclusing the M.A/M.Phil., Ph.D., programs, with Remote Sensing specialization.

Table.2. Comparative Outlook of Academic vs. Application Components in Masters Level Courses in Remote Sensing

Subjects	Academic components	Application components used in Remote Sensing
Agriculture	a. Agronomy	Crop yield estimation/modeling Leaf Area Index estimation
	b. Plant pathology	Disease detection
	c. Entomology	Damage detection due to insects
Cartography	a. Map projections	Data acquisition/processing , product generation Map reading, Verification, Thematic mapping
	b. Thematic mapping	Computer mapping / Thematic mapping
	c. Photogrammetry	Generation of data products
	d. Map production	Data transfer verification
Computer Science	a. Computer Programming	Software Design, Testing
Computer Science	b. System Analysis	System Analysis, Integration
Environ. Science	a. Ecology	Ecosystems Analysis, Integration
Environ. Science	b. Env. Imp. Assessment	Monitoring/assessment of land, water and air
Geodsey	a. Physical Geodsey	Positional/predicted positions
Geodsey	b. Satellite Geodsey	Surface gravity anamalies/ undulation of geoids
Geography	a. Cartography	Projections, thematic mapping, photogrammetry
	b. Physical Geography/	Geomorphological/ environmental change analysis
	c. Bio-Geography/ Resources & Environ.	Ecosystems/Vegetation mapping, Land use mapping, environmental deterioration, Natural hazard assessment & mapping, Environmental pollution (land, water and air)
	d. Population/Settlements	Urban sprawl, EIA, urban ecology
	e. Regional Planning (rural/urban/region)	Regional development and planning Micro-level planning
	f. Agricultural Geography	Agro-ecological studies
	g. Medical Geography	Diseases/Health monitoring
Geology	a. Geomorphology	Land from process/change
	b. Structural Geology	Mapping of lineaments/fractures
	c. Hydro geology	Geological interaction vs. process
	d. Petrology	Lithology/rock, oil/mineral exploration
	e. Environmental geology	Geological process vs. human interaction
	f. Economic Geology	Exploration vs cost-benefit
	g. Photo geology	(a,b,c,d,e,f)
Forestry	a. Forest ecology	Floristic composition/environment
	b. Plant physiology	Spectral signatures
	c. Forest silvculture	Development plans
	d. Forest management	Forest inventory/management
	e. Forest pathology	Disease/damage detection,
Hydrology	a. Ecosystems	Bio-diversity/wetlands, Water logging/salinity Watershed characterization (Command/catchment)
Hydrology	b. Drainage	Surface water bodies mapping (including snow) (inventory/monitoring) Flood mapping/modeling/forecast
Marine Biology	a. Marine Ecology	Open/coastal ecosystems Phytoplankton/chlorophyll studies Acquatic/Sea Grass Ecosystems Ocean sediment concentrations
Mathematics	a. Computer Programming	Image Processing/Analysis
Meteorology	a. Meteorology	Rainfall/Temperature/Monsoons (Sea, Earth, Aerosols, turbidity) (Wind/cloud height estimation
Oceanography	a. Oceanography	Surface wind magnitude, Wind stress wave fields, Ocean color/temperature, Atmospheric interaction Sea surface elevation, Ocean surface currents Sea ice/ icebergs, surface heat flux, altimetry, SST
Physics	a. solid state physics	Sensor (design, fabrication & testing)
	b. optics	Spectral signatures of features on earth
	c. electronics	Sensor/Image calibration and analysis
Soil Science	a. Pedalogy	Soil mapping, Land evaluation/degradation
	b. Soil conservation	Soil erosion/ land degradation
	c. Soil physics	Soil moisture/ Soil nutrient analysis
Statistics	a. computer Programming	Image Processing/Analysis
Statistics	b. sampling techniques	Digital Analysis, Ground truth data processing

Table. 3. Proposed Curricula for Graduate Level Science Stream Courses with Remote Sensing as A Major or Optionals

Subjects	Possible options	Practical	Thesis work	Seminar
Agriculture	Physics/Computer Science Statistics/Remote Sensing	Yes	Yes	optional
Cartography	Photogrammetry/Comp. Science Statistics/Remote Sensing	Yes	optional	optional
Environmental Science	Ecology/Comp. Science Geography/Remote Sensing	Yes	Yes	optional
Forestry	Environmental Sci./Ecology Comp. Science/Remote Sensing	Yes	Yes	optional
Geodesy	Geophysics/Statistics Cartography/Remote Sensing	optional	optional	optional
Geography	Cartography/Statistics Environmental Science/ Remote Sensing	Yes	optional	optional
Geology	Geophysics/Statistics Photogrammetry/Remote Sensing	Yes	optional	optional
Hydrology	Geology/Statistics Geomorphology/Remote Sensing	Yes	Yes	optional
Marine Sensing	Biology/Environmental Science Biology Oceanography/Remote	optional	optional	optional
Meteorology	Physics/Environmental Science Oceanography/Remote Sensing	optional	optional	optional
Mathematics	Physics/Computer programming Graph Theory/Remote Sensing	optional	optional	optional
Oceanography	Physics/Environmental Sciences Hydrology/Remote Sensing	optional	optional	optional
Physics	Mathematics/Chemistry Electronics/Remote Sensing	Yes	optional	optional
Soil Science	Biology/Environment Science Geomorphology/Remote Sensing	Yes	Yes	optional
Statistics	Computer programming / Statistics/Remote Sensing	optional	optional	optional

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