Vidyasagar University
| Vidyasagar University | |
|---|---|
 Science Block of Vidyasagar University | |
| Motto | Shiksha, gyan, pragati |
| Established | September 29, 1981 |
| Type | Public |
| Chancellor | Governor of West Bengal |
| Vice-Chancellor | Ranjan Chakrabarti |
| Postgraduates | 1500 |
| Location | Midnapore, West Bengal, India |
| Campus | Rural |
| Affiliations | UGC |
| Website | www.vidyasagar.ac.in |
 | |
Vidyasagar University (Bengali: বিদ্যাসাগর বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়) is a state-government administered, affiliating and research university in Paschim Medinipur district of southern West Bengal, India. It offers courses at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels.
History
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The university was established on 29 September 1981 by the Vidyasagar University Act 1981 (West Bengal Act XVIII of 1981) of the state of West Bengal to commemorate Pandit Iswar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, also known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great educationist and social worker of 19th century Bengal. The University Grants Commission accorded recognition to the university under Section 12 B on March 1, 1990.[1][2]
Vidyasagar University, named after one of the most illustrious sons of Bengal as well as one of the doyens of Indian Renaissance, Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, has grown out of a long cultural and educational movement in West Bengal in general and in the undivided district of Midnapore in particular.
The idea of founding a University in the district was mooted by the various organizations, notably by the Regional Education Association, Midnapore, headed by Professor A.K.Gayen(Born: February 01, I919 and died February 07, 1978). of IIT, Kharagpur.Anil Kumar Gayen was arenowned scholar in the fields of Mathematics and Statistics. He was awarded Ph.D degree in 1950 in Statistics from the University of Cambridge. Professor Gayen obtained his Ph.D under the supervision of Prof. Henry Ellis Daniels, F.R.S.,then President of the Royal Statistical Society, U.K. and the co-formulator of the famous Parry-Daniels Map. Gayen was Professor of Statistics and held the chair of the head of Mathematics Department at the Indian Institute of Technology at Kharagpur during 1954-1978. Anil Kumar Gayen dedicated the later years of his life towards the establishment of Vidyasagar University as a non-traditional institution of higher education in the erstwhile Medinipur district of the West Bengal state in India.Professor Anil Kumar Gayen’s vision was clearly reflected in theVidyasagar University Act of 1981 wherein among others, it was stated that the “University shall have the power to make such academic studies as may contribute to the improvement of economic conditions and welfare of the people in general and the tribal people in particular.” (Vidyasagar University Act 1981 amended in 1997 and 2011).[</Compendium of INSA Fellows. 2012.Accessed at: insaindia.org/Compendium%20of%20Fellows%20of%20INSA on 08.06.2012>].[</Mukherjee, B.C., 1987-88, “Vidyasagar University:Its Objectives and character”. Journal of Higher Education 1987-88,Vol.13 Nos. 1-3.pp. 125-126>]. [</Guha,A. "A Forgotten Founder of a University" Frontier, vol. 45, no.9, Sep 9-15, 2012.www.academia.edu/.../A_forgotten_founder_of_a_university_._Frontier>]. The Ghani Committee appointed by the U.G.C. also suggested, among others, for the setting up of a University in Midnapore on the ground of its ‘having a compact area and a manageable number of colleges’ (at that time there were 36 colleges with an enrolment of about 42,000), and also of its ‘having the great advantage of co-operation of the IIT, Kharagpur. The Committee was also of the opinion that the new University would develop on the lines suited to the needs of this backward area.
To give honour and respect to these pious intentions and proposals, the Government of West Bengal decided in 1978 to establish Vidyasagar University. The U.G.C. approved the proposal and on the advice of, and in consultation with the U.G.C., the State Government appointed a Planning Committee in March 1979 to lay down the lines of development and to take initial steps to found the University. The Committee submitted its report in October. Then the Vidyasagar University Act, 1981 (West Bengal Act XVIII of 1981) was passed; some of its sections were brought into operation on 24 June 1981. Finally, Professor Bhupesh Chandra Mukherjee joined as the first Vice Chancellor of the University on 29 September 1981.
Academic activities started when through a Notification [no. 983-Edn (U), dated Calcutta the 23rd May] issued by the State Government, 30 colleges of the District of Midnapore were affiliated to the Vidyasagar University with effect from 1 June 1985.The foundation stone of the main campus at Tantigaria mouza of Midnapore Sadar Town for post graduate teaching and central administration of the University, was laid on 18 July 1983 by the then Hon’ble Chancellor of the University and Governor of West Bengal, Late B.D.Pande. On 15 January 1986, it was inaugurated by Shri Jyoti Basu, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. From the next day (16 January) classes commenced in six post graduate departments: Anthropology, Applied Mathematics with Oceanology and Computer Programming, Commerce with Farm Management, Economics with Rural Development, Library and Information Science, Political Science with Rural Administration.
The U.G.C. accorded recognition to the University in terms of Section 12B of the U.G.C. Act, on 1 March 1990.The University presently houses 27 PG departments (apart from this course – MBA - being run under the Department of Commerce with Farm Management), 12 in Humanities and 15 in Science while 46 undergraduate colleges apart from 11 courses in yet 11 other colleges / institutes are affiliated to it. Fourteen vocational subjects and six other specialized courses are also offered at the UG level. The overall emphasis of the university is not to perpetuate the traditional nature of the other universities of West Bengal but to merge as a distinctive entity with a special nature of its own. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) awarded Vidyasagar University with a 3-star status. The campus has a picturesque background within which afforestation programmes are being undertaken.
The Vidyasagar University thus began its journey to sail through many trials and tribulations.
Mission statement
The university was established with a mission to provide an answer to the education needs of the region. It provides ethnic, sociocultural, geographical along with mainstream education. The university logo with the motto Education, Knowledge, Progress embodies the mission.
Total area
The total area of university campuses in the semi-rural areas is 182.75 acres (0.7396 km2). It may be distributed as:
- Main Campus: 103.79 acres (0.4200 km2)
- Residential Campus: 35.00 acres (141,600 m2)
- Third plot: 43.97 acres (177,900 m2)[3]
Organisation
The university is an affiliating institution and has its jurisdiction over Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur districts or any district which may be created in future out of any parts thereof. Thirty colleges of the University of Calcutta in the erstwhile district of Midnapore were initially deemed to be affiliated to Vidyasagar University.
Governance
The university's formal head is the Chancellor (the governor of West Bengal), though as with most state universities of West Bengal, the Chancellor is a titular figure, rather than someone involved with the day-to-day running of the university. The Vice-Chancellor, currently Ranjan Chakrabarty, is the "de facto" head of the University who mainly controls the day to day running of the university. Court and Executive council is the policy forming body of the university. Also faculty council, members of student union, finance committee takes an important role in decision making body.
Right to Information
Vidyasagar University(VU), which is located in Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal is not listed among the Public Authorities as a ‘defaulter’ in the Annual Reports of the WBIC, the State Public Information Officer and the Appellate Authority of VU were appointed by its Vice-Chancellor by a notification dated 10.01.2008( memo no. VU/R/Noti/55/08), two years after the promulgation of the RTIA in the country and 16 months after the WBIC became effective in the state.
Colleges
- See: Colleges of Vidyasagar University
Vidyasagar University has 54 affiliated colleges and 12 more colleges with affiliated courses. Colleges are independent from the university but they follows the course curriculam of the university. Colleges are headed by the principal and teachers of the colleges are appointed via West Bengal college service commission. Colleges have responsibility for admitting undergraduates and organising their classes.
Teaching and Degrees
Undergraduate teaching is centred on the affiliated colleges of the university. Undergraduates enroll for a three-year program. Students are assigned for an honours course when they enter the university, and cannot change it later. Science and business disciplines are in high demand, as these fields are perceived to have better job opportunities. University is only responsible for conducting the bachelors degree examination and conferring bachelor's degrees to students. University himself offers postgraduate degrees (M.Sc, M.A, M.Com, M.Phil) to the students and it also offers Ph.D degrees to the students of their own department as well as specialized institutions.
Academic Year
The normal Academic Year of the University commences on the first day of July and ends on the last day of June of the following calendar year.
Academics
A unique non-conventional research at Vidyasagar University has been carried out by Abhijit Guha, a teacher of Vidyasagar University's Anthropology Department in which he has studied the growth of the university and particularly of its campus space in relation to the tribal communities living around the campus[4] PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms
Professor Bidhan Chandra Patra, Dean, Faculty of Sciences was initiated collaborating research work with the Dibrugarh University of North-East India. He already take assignment related to the Resource Mapping and Conservation of Freshwater Fishes of West Bengal and Sikkim, to design a interdisciplinary research fem work of RS-GIS with Fisheries Sectors.
Dr. Abhijit Guha, a faculty of the Department of Anthropology at Vidyasagar University debated with the Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen in the year 1994 on the Darwinian view of progress and organic evolution.The debate appeared in the journal Population and Development Review published by the Population Council, New York.[</Sen, Amartya. 1993."On the Darwinian View of Progress" Population and Development Review, Vol. 19, No. 1 (Mar., 1993), pp. 123-137,http://www.jstor.org/stable/2938387>].[</Guha, Abhijit. 1994."The Darwinian View of Progress: Comment on Sen"Population and Development Review,Vol. 20, No. 4 (Dec., 1994), pp. 861-865,http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137665>].[</Sen, Amartya. 1994."The Darwinian View of Progress: Reply to Guha"Population and Development Review,Vol. 20, No. 4 (Dec., 1994), pp. 866-870,http://www.jstor.org/stable/2137666>].
Faculties
Vidyasagar University has 29 departments organized into two faculties: Science, Arts & Commerce[5]
Faculty of Science
The faculty consists of the departments of...
- Applied Mathematics with Oceanology and Computer Programming,
- Aquaculture Management & Technology,
- Anthropology,
- Botany and Forestry,
- Biomedical Laboratory Science and Technology,
- Computer Science,
- Chemistry and Chemical Technology,
- Physiology and Community Health
- Dietetics & Community Nutrition Management,
- Economics with Rural Development,
- Electronics
- Geography with Environment Management
- Physics and Techno-physics,
- Microbiology
- Remote Sensing & GIS,
- Zoology and Fishery Science.
Faculty of Arts and Social Science
The faculty consists of the departments of...
- Bengali,
- English,
- History,
- Political Science with Rural Administration,
- Philosophy and Life-world,
- Library and Information Science
- Sanskrit,
- Sociology,
- Mass Communication and Videography,
- Santali,
- Hindi
Faculty of Commerce
- Commerce with Farm Management
- Master of Business Administration(MBA).
Centres
- Women Study Centre
- University Scientific Instrumentation Centre (USIC)
- Gandhian Study Centre
- Computer Centre
- Social Research Center
Admission
Admission in undergraduate and postgraduate course is mainly based on the result of higher secondary (10+2) and graduation (10+2+3) level results, respectively. Every colleges also set up their own criteria for admission in undergraduate course but all are mainly based on higher secondary results.[6][7]
For research level programs, the aspirants have to sit for a qualifying test followed by an interview. It is mandatory that they secure at least 55% marks in their post graduate level examination. If the aspirants qualify the all India examination like NET, GATE, SET then their admission in Ph.D is only based on interview.
Distance Education
Vidyasagar university has a Directorate of Distance Education (DDE,VU) for conducting post graduate studies in distance mode. This is for people who cannot undergo post graduate studies in regular (full-time) mode. The Directorate of Distance Education is located on the main campus of the Vidyasagar University. It was established in 1994 and started offering correspondence courses in postgraduate subjects from the session 1994-1995. Candidates pursuing Distance Learning courses are provided with study materials in the form of modules on topics prescribed in the syllabus. The Directorate of Distance Education also organises Personal Contact Programme (PCP) for interaction with leading academic experts in the subjects who give counselling and advice rather than class room lectures. PCPs are held ordinarily during Summer Recess, Puja Recess and Winter Recess and on holidays. Courses of distance education in the university is approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Distance Education Council.[8][9]
Library
Vidyasagar University has a central library. It has a collection of 75000 volumes which includes Text Books, Reference Books, Journals etc. The book database of the library is accessible through OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue). It is a close access library, remains open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturday, from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.. The library is a beneficial member of UGC -infonet consortium and also an institutional member of IIT. Xerox facility is also available in the library on payment of a nominal charge.[10]
Computer Centre
Computer centre of Vidyasagar University takes an important role for spreading the knowledge of computer education in rural areas of West Bengal. They offers certificate and diploma courses on some computer based subjects like Office Automation and Financial Accounting, Office Automation and Internet Technologies. They also offered few Post graduate diploma courses in collaboration with CMC. It also maintains the Campus Wide LAN (Optical Fiber based GBIC) with 400 nodes throughout the campus and Providing the Internet Services.[11]
Sports and Games
Games and Sports of the university are the integral part of academic achievements. Sports events like Athletics, Football, Volleyball, Kho-Kho, Swimming, Kabadi, Cricket competition are now being organised regularly as per university's Sports Calendar. The University has shown remarkable performance in All India Inter-University Tournaments and all Bengal Inter-University Tournaments even with the limited infrastructural facilities.[12]
Accreditation
Vidyasagar University has been awarded B grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).[13]
See also
- List of universities in India
- Universities and colleges in India
- Education in India
- Distance Education Council
- University Grants Commission (India)
References
- ↑ List of State Universities, University Grants Commissiondead link]
- ↑ History and Heritage of Vidyasagar University
- ↑ Campus area of Vidyasagar University
- ↑ [Abhijit Guha (2013): Campus Anthropology: A Case Study from West Bengal,India, Anthropological Forum: A Journal of Social Anthropology and Comparative Sociology, 23:2,158-177 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00664677.2013.779230]
- ↑ Academic Departments of Vidyasagar University
- ↑ [http://vidyasagar.ac.in/admission/UG_programme.html/ Undergraduate Programmes of Vidyasagar University]
- ↑ Postgraduate Programems of Vidyasagar Universitydead link]
- ↑ Directorate of Distance Education, Vidyasagar University
- ↑ Distance Education Council
- ↑ Central Library of Vidyasagar University
- ↑ Computer Centre of Vidyasagar Universitydead link]
- ↑ Sports of Vidyasagar Universitydead link]
- ↑ "Institutions Accredited / Re-accredited by NAAC with validity" (PDF). National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vidyasagar University. |
- Vidyasagar University - Official website
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