Did you know the Department of Geology at the University of Madras welcomes school students to take a tour of the rocks at its museum? Various types of rock — metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks among them — gathered from various parts of India are on display. One can also get up close with a dinosaur fossil and ammonites. The museum also houses samples of semi-precious stones found naturally or mined.
“Discovering marine fossils is a special experience, many of them have been sourced from our field works at various sites in Tamil Nadu include the Ariyalur region,” says Suresh Gandhi, Professor and Head of the Department of Geology, University of Madras.
During special occasions such as Micropaleontology Day and Environment Day, the Department sends out invitations to neighbouring schools to visit the museum and have a first-hand experience of the geological treasures.
“Besides this museum by the Department of Geology, we also have the Department of Applied Geology where one can learn about geological evolution. Students are welcome through the year, they just need to notify us in advance,” says the professor.
Careers in geology
In Chennai, the University of Madras and Anna University are the only two institutions that offer a postgraduate programme in Geology.
This year, the entrance examination for M. Sc Geology by the University of Madras will be held on July 14. Professor Suresh says the number of opportunities in the field of geology has grown over the years. “One can appear for the UPSC examination with geology as an elective, which is preferred by many as it is easy to grasp. Most of the oil fields recruit geologists and they are also needed for ground water studies,” he says.
For more details, call professor Suresh at 9443806534.
Published – June 07, 2025 10:47 pm IST