University of Kalyani

Kalyani as a satellite township under the long-term perspective plan of Calcutta Urban Agglomeration was the brainchild of our former Chief Minister Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. A Master Plan designed for the development of this township emphasized the ne the development of this township emphasized the need for education and health infrastructures. The University of Kalyani was established in 1960 with the objective of fulfilling one aspect of this need. Initially a unitary university with the faculties of Arts, Science, Education, and Agriculture, it has grown to have 62 affiliated colleges under its aegis in the districts of Nadia and Murshidabad. Since its inception, the University has attracted students of the region and beyond, as can be seen in the glorious alumni list of the University, comprising of eminent scientists, scholars, artists, sportspersons, and people’s representatives. In its early stage of growth, the University was bifurcated in the year 1975, with the Faculty of Agriculture turning into an independent Agricultural University, the Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya in Mohanpur, Nadia. Post bifurcation, the University of Kalyani continued with the initially introduced teaching departments namely Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Zoology under the Faculty of Science, and the departments of Education, Economics, Physical Education, and Sociology under the Faculty of Arts and Commerce. By the end of the 70s, the University had introduced four more departments, namely Bengali, History, Political Science, and Commerce under the Faculty of Arts, which was subsequently named the Faculty of Arts and Commerce, and Statistics under the Faculty of Science. The 80s saw the coming into effect of The Kalyani University Act, 1981, but the University had kept growing with and without it. During the last ten years, the University has established the School of Interdisciplinary Studies with 3 new departments – Data Science, Genome Science and Nano Science. It also introduced the department of Food & Nutrition under the Faculty of Science, and departments of Hindi, Sanskrit, and Philosophy under the Faculty of Arts and Commerce. 2 existing centres got upgraded to Departments namely the Department of Engineering and Technological Studies, and Life-Long Learning & Extension and an existing course was reintroduced under the Department of Ecological Studies. The Department of Open and Distance Learning started offering 4 PG courses under the science stream – Botany, Geography, Mathematics and Zoology. A new UG course on Vocational Studies B.Voc. was also initiated. Research centres such as ENVIS, Centre for Bengali Diaspora, Centre for Woman Studies, Rabindra Adhyan Centre, and Centre for Cultural Studies were established. Besides the teaching and research departments, the University has also affiliated with several institutes which are providing extension-related services through several certificate courses and diplomas. With the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Hub within the campus in planning, the University has introduced 43 Certificate Courses aiming at entrepreneurship development under the aegis of the RUSA grant received by the University.