(Written by Alfiya Nalwala) Even as the Union Budget mentioned setting up of a National Police University, the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has already decided to tie up with the Centre for Police Research, Pashan, to offer courses in police-related work. For starters, SPPU will offer a short-term course in sketching, for those interested in becoming sketch artists for police. Vice-Chancellor Nitin Karmalkar said discussions on the same took place in the recent meeting of the academic council. “Actually, they approached us quite a while back. To begin with, we are planning a short-term course in sketching for police work. There is a shortage of sketch artists and wherever CCTVs are not available, sketch artists become crucial. We are hoping many aspirants will be interested in the course,” he said. The V-C added that while a formal MoU was yet to be signed with the Centre for Police Research, the course will be offered at the university by trained sketch artists who are already in the job. “The course will span a few weeks and a joint diploma certificate can be offered at the end of it,” he said.