Disaster Management — What This Subject Is About
Floods, earthquakes, cyclones, building collapses, industrial accidents — India faces them all, and civil engineers are among the first people called when one happens. Disaster Management is Open Elective-01, Option A (or you can take Project Management, or an Advance Skill Development certification instead). It is a 50-mark internal-only subject, so it does not add to the semester total — but the knowledge is the kind that saves lives.
The subject covers the disasters themselves (geological, hydro-meteorological, biological, technological and man-made), the disaster management cycle — before, during and after — how India organises disaster management under the Disaster Management Act 2005, and the science and technology behind it: remote sensing, GIS, GPS and early warning systems.
Subject 5.6 (Open Elective-01, Option A) • 50 Marks Internal Only • 2 Credits • L 2 • Total NA — not counted in semester total • Choose this OR Project Management (OR Advance Skill Development) • 5th Semester — Civil Engineering • Session 2026–27
What You Will Study
Unit 1 — Understanding Disaster (5 Periods, 15%)
Understanding the concepts and definitions of disaster, hazard, vulnerability, risk, capacity — disaster and development, and disaster management.
The basic vocabulary — disaster, hazard, vulnerability, risk and capacity — and how disaster management connects with development.
Unit 2 — Types, Trends, Causes, Consequences and Control of Disasters (6 Periods, 25%)
Geological disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunami, mining); hydro-meteorological disasters (floods, cyclones, lightning, thunder-storms, hail storms, avalanches, droughts, cold and heat waves); biological disasters (epidemics, pest attacks, forest fire); technological disasters (chemical, industrial, radiological, nuclear) and manmade disasters (building collapse, rural and urban fire, road and rail accidents, nuclear, radiological, chemicals and biological disasters); global disaster trends — emerging risks of disasters — climate change and urban disasters.
The disasters themselves — geological, hydro-meteorological, biological, technological and man-made — and the emerging risks of climate change and urban disasters.
Unit 3 — Disaster Management Cycle and Framework (6 Periods, 25%)
Disaster management cycle — paradigm shift in disaster management. Pre-disaster — risk assessment and analysis, risk mapping, zonation and micro-zonation, prevention and mitigation of disasters, early warning system; preparedness, capacity development; awareness. During disaster — evacuation — disaster communication — search and rescue — emergency operation centre — incident command system — relief and rehabilitation. Post-disaster — damage and needs assessment, restoration of critical infrastructure — early recovery — reconstruction and redevelopment; IDNDR, Yokohama Strategy, Hyogo Framework of Action.
The disaster management cycle — before, during and after a disaster — from risk mapping and early warning to evacuation, relief, recovery and reconstruction.
Unit 4 — Disaster Management in India (5 Periods, 15%)
Disaster profile of India — mega disasters of India and lessons learnt; Disaster Management Act 2005 — institutional and financial mechanism, National Policy on Disaster Management, National Guidelines and Plans on Disaster Management; role of government (local, state and national), non-government and inter-government agencies.
How India manages disasters — the Disaster Management Act 2005, the national policy and guidelines, and the roles of government and non-government agencies.
Unit 5 — Applications of Science and Technology for Disaster Management (6 Periods, 20%)
Geo-informatics in disaster management (RS, GIS, GPS and RS); disaster communication system (early warning and its dissemination); land use planning and development regulations, disaster safe designs and constructions, structural and non-structural mitigation of disasters; S&T institutions for disaster management in India.
The science and technology behind it — remote sensing, GIS and GPS, disaster communication, land-use planning and disaster-safe design.
Instead of This Elective — Advance Skill Development
The 5th-semester scheme allows an Advance Skill Development certification course to be taken instead of Open Elective-01. The course named in the scheme is Advanced Plumbing (TATA TECH.). No detailed contents for this certification course are given in the PDF. Students present a seminar/viva on their Advance Skill Certification along with certificate, project and report.
Complete Syllabus
The full examination scheme, the complete practicals list and the reference books from the official syllabus. The unit-wise topics are in the “What You Will Study” section above.
Examination Scheme
| Code | Paper | Type | L – P | Credits | Internal | External | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6 | Open Elective-01: Disaster Management | Theory | 2 – 0 | 2 | 50 | — | NA |
| Open Elective-01 Total | 2 | 50 | — | NA | |||
Units at a Glance
| Unit | Topic | Periods | Marks Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understanding Disaster | 5 | 15% |
| 2 | Types, Trends, Causes, Consequences and Control of Disasters | 6 | 25% |
| 3 | Disaster Management Cycle and Framework | 6 | 25% |
| 4 | Disaster Management in India | 5 | 15% |
| 5 | Applications of Science and Technology for Disaster Management | 6 | 20% |
Reference Books
As listed in the syllabus:
- Publications of National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Various Templates and Guidelines for Disaster Management.
- Bhandani, R. K., An overview on natural & man-made disasters and their reduction, CSIR, New Delhi.
- Srivastava, H. N., and Gupta G. D., Management of Natural Disasters in developing countries, Daya Publishers, Delhi.
- Alexander, David, Natural Disasters, Kluwer Academic London.
- Ghosh, G. K., Disaster Management, A P H Publishing Corporation.
- Murthy, D. B. N., Disaster Management: Text & Case Studies, Deep & Deep Pvt. Ltd.
- D.V.Gupta, Vikram Singh, Earthquake Engineering & Disaster Management, Asian Publishers, Muzaffarnagar, ISBN No. 978-93-91541-54-5.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many marks is Disaster Management worth in the 5th semester?
50 marks internal only — the total is marked “NA” in the scheme, so it is not counted in the semester total. It carries 2 credits.
Which units carry the most weightage in Disaster Management?
Types, Trends, Causes, Consequences and Control of Disasters (25%, 6 periods); Disaster Management Cycle and Framework (25%, 6 periods) — the highest weightage in the subject. The complete unit-wise weightage table is in the Complete Syllabus section above.
Is Disaster Management a theory subject or a practical subject?
Open Elective-01: Disaster Management is theory (L–P 2 – 0).
Is Disaster Management counted in the 5th semester total of 850 marks?
No. Disaster Management (Open Elective-01) is 50 marks internal only, and its total is marked “NA” in the scheme — it is not counted in the semester total of 850 marks. The same applies to Indian Constitution (Q).
Can I take an Advance Skill Development course instead of this elective?
Yes. The scheme allows an Advance Skill Development certification course instead of Open Elective-01. The course named in the scheme is Advanced Plumbing (TATA TECH.). No detailed contents for that course are given in the syllabus PDF.
How can I download the Disaster Management syllabus PDF?
The PDF is free to download — use the download link in the Download section below. It is prepared by KAMALDNP Academy from the official BTEUP syllabus.
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Download the Disaster Management Syllabus PDF
Download the complete Disaster Management syllabus PDF below — prepared by KAMALDNP Academy, with the full topic list, practicals and reference books.
Download the Disaster Management Syllabus PDF
Source: BTEUP 3rd Year curriculum (folder2627), approved in C.D.C. meeting held on 16.07.2026. Topic lists follow the official syllabus; short explanations are the author's own plain-English summaries, not syllabus text. Please confirm with your own polytechnic for any local changes.
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