8-Earth Science in Hydrology Education - An Appraisal.

Abstract

There has been a growing awareness that hydrology as a geophysical science is making slow progress and lacks solid foundations. A major factor in this unsatisfactory situation is the fact that the majority of hydrologists are not trained as scientists but as technologists. An IAHS/UNESCO panel on hydrological education has recently reported that the UNESCO sponsored Hydrology Course in several developing countries have emerged to be merely topping up programmes in general hydrology for graduates trained in other disciplines. It is felt that the solutions to such problems can be tried by increasing geoscientific content into the currently run Postgraduate Hydrology programmes. It is believed that introduction of separate Postgraduate and Masters Courses in specialised areas of hydrology like Groundwater Hydrology, Surface Hydrology, Watershed Management and Environmental Hydrology, would go a long way in alleviating the above malaise. A proposal has been formulated in the present paper, for introduction of a separate P.G./Master's Course in Groundwater Hydrology and Management in significant Universities of India and abroad depending on local needs and employment potential. Such a course as open to young scientists as well as inservice personnel is also likely to promote further research and development in Groundwater Hydrology.