Political Science Department, Utkal University

The Post Graduate Department of Political Science was established in 1958 in the Ravenshaw College, Cuttack and was shifted to its present campus in 1962. At present the Department of Political Science has 64 seats in M.A and 10 seats in M. Phil. It e has 64 seats in M.A and 10 seats in M. Phil. It also offers PhD. D programme. D.Lit. degree is offered as part time. In 1996, the Department of Public Administration was carved out of the Department of Political Science having strength of 32. In the Department, M.A. in Women Studies, P.G. Diploma in Chinese Studies and Development Journalism and Electronic Communication were instituted, subsequently they have become independent departments after due recognition by the U.G.C. Dr. K.V Rao was the first head of the Department and was succeeded by Prof. Shreeram Chandra Dash in 1963. The Department owes a deep sense of gratitude to late lamented Prof. Dash, a legendary figure and doyen in the field of Political Science. The Department has instituted the Shreeram Chandra Dash Memorial Foundation in whose name it conducts the Annual Memorial lecture programme since 1995 every year and on the same day annual alumni meet is also held in the Department. The Memorial Foundation has instituted two Cash Prize of Rs. 10,000/ each (Rs. 20, 000) to the Meritorious Students (one boy and a girl) under Shreeram Chandra Dash Pratibha Sanman of the Department every year. Besides, late Dr. Manindra Kumar Mohapatra, Professor of Political Science and Director, Center for Governmental Services, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, United States of America has instituted two endowments i.e. Urmila Foundation for American Studies and Urmila Foundation for Orissa Policy Studies in the Department. Under this, two seminars are conducted annually both at International and National levels on different themes since 2000. Considering the Department’s academic output, the UGC had identified and inducted Department of Political Science into the UGC- SAP (DRS-I) (2004-09) and after assessment of performances of DRS-I the UGC was pleased to grant us DRS-II (2011-16). The UGC assistance has helped the Department in organizing Seminars/ Conferences, invited lecturers by renowned personalities, Field-Study Tours every year for faculty and bringing out publications. For the academic enrichment of the Department, scholars of international and national repute have been invited for deliberations on different occasions. The Department of Political Science is the first and the only Political Science Department in the state to get inducted into UGC- DRS-II. The Department is grateful to the UGC for recognizing it as DRS under SAP. However, our mission is to be identified as Centre for Advance Study in Political Science in future. To develop the Department into a Centre for Excellence in Political Studies. To create new frontiers of knowledg in the field of Political Science. To develop collaborative research programmes with Government and other research institutions of International and National repute. To make the subject inclusive and to adopt and apply beyond the boundary approach in research and teaching, focusing on Public Policy research, Environmental Governance & Green Politics, New Social Movements, Gender politics, Political Economy & Geo-Politics. To upgrade the Department into a Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS), focusing on teaching, research, innovation and extension activities. ...view more