Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) Indian Knowledge System in Social Work Profession Syllabus - Mumbai University
This is the syllabus of the College of Social Work (Empowered Autonomous), Nirmala Niketan, which is the only college offering the B.S.W. under the University of Mumbai. The college has been autonomous since 2019-20 and empowered autonomous since 2024-25, so it sets this syllabus and conducts these examinations itself, and the degree awarded is still a University of Mumbai degree. The University last set a common B.S.W. paper of its own in 2019; this is the current document, amended in June 2026.
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Syllabus for Indian Knowledge System in Social Work Profession
About this course
The course Indian Knowledge System in Social Work Profession will orient the learners toward the profession of social work tracing its origin and historical evolution in the Western and Indian context. It will give the learner an understanding of some of the significant social reformers in India and their contributions in the development of the social work practice in India. The learner will be oriented towards the Contemporary trends in Social Work practice In India.
Course objectives
- The learner will get an insight to the global evolution of Social Work.
- The learner will develop an understanding of the Indian context of Social Work through the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial periods.
- The learner will study about some significant Indian Social reformers and their contribution to the development of social work practice in India.
- The learner will gain knowledge of contemporary trends in Social Work practice In India.
Learning outcomes
- CO 33 Describe the global evolution of Social Work
- CO 34 Contextualise Social Work from the Indian perspective
- CO 35 Categorize some of the significant Indian social reformers and their contributions in the development of the social work practice in India
- CO 36 Analyse contemporary trends in Social Work practice In India
Unit I: Social Reformers and Ideological background of social work in India
- Evolution of Social Work in the West: Intervention methodology of Mary Richmond
- Evolution of Social Work in India: Ancient Medieval and Modern Period
- Social Reformers and their contribution to Social Work in India: Jyotirao Phule, Savitribai Phule, Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, B.R.Ambedkar, M.K Gandhi
- Rabindranath Tagore, EVR Periyar
Essential readings
- Desai, M. (2002). Ideologies and Social Work: Historical and Contemporary Analysis, Jaipur: Rawat Publication.
- Batra, N. (2004) Dynamics of Social Work in India. Jaipur: Raj Publishing house
Unit II: Indian Philosophy and Social Work: Some Interfaces
- Six schools of Indian philosophy – Mimansa, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, Yoga and Vedant;
- Buddhistic philosophy: Hinayana (realists) and the Mahayana (idealists);
- Medieval Indian philosophy;
- Application of IKS in Social Work
Essential readings
- Pandya, S. (2016). Indian Philosophy and Social Work: Some Interfaces, International Journal of Philosophy and Social Sciences, 1(1), 1-19
Reproduced from Regulations and Syllabus of Bachelor of Social Work Degree (2023), Amended 2026, published by the College of Social Work (Empowered Autonomous), Nirmala Niketan, which is affiliated to the University of Mumbai and sets this syllabus itself. Wording is as printed in that document.
The complete syllabus
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