Vidyasagar University: Difference between revisions

| image = Vidyasagar University Logo.svg

| name = Vidyasagar University

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =  

| motto = {{lang|bn-Latn|Shiksha, gyan, pragati}}

| mottoeng = Education, knowledge, progress

| established = {{Start date and age|df=yes|br=yes|paren=yes|1981|09|29}}

| founder = [[Anil Kumar Gain]]

| type = [[Public Research University]]

| chancellor = [[Governor of West Bengal]]

| endowment   = {{INRConvert|38.5179|c}}<br />{{Small|(2021–22 est.)}}<ref>{{cite web|date=Feb 5, 2021 |title=Detailed Demands For Grants For 2021-22 |url=http://wbfin.nic.in/writereaddata/Budget_Publication/2021_bp3.pdf |access-date=Feb 6, 2021}}</ref>

| vice_chancellor = Professor (Dr.) Sibaji Pratim Basu

| state = [[West Bengal]]

| country = India

|academic_staff   = 160 ({{small|2022}})<ref name=nirf_stud/>

|students       = 4,344 ({{small|2022}})<ref name=nirf_stud>{{cite web |title=NIRF 2022 |url=http://www.vidyasagar.ac.in/Files/NIRF2022/1_Full_Report.pdf |publisher=Vidyasagar University}}</ref>

|undergrad       =  

|postgrad       = 3,675 ({{small|2022}})<ref name=nirf_stud/>

|doctoral       = 669 ({{small|2022}})<ref name=nirf_stud/>

|campus        = [[Urban areas|Urban]]<br />{{small|(138.78 acres)}}

| academic_affiliations    ={{hlist|[[University Grants Commission (India)|UGC]]|[[Association of Indian Universities|AIU]]|[[AICTE]]|[[Bar Council of India|BCI]]}}

|accreditation = [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council|NAAC]]<ref>http://www.vidyasagar.ac.in/files/naac2014/NAAC%20Accreditation%20Result.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

| website       = {{Official url}}

[[File:The main Entrance of Vidyasagar University.png|alt=The main Entrance of Vidyasagar University|thumb|The main entrance of Vidyasagar University]]

A short history of Vidyasagar University is written by a faculty of the Anthropology Department in Bengali which was published in January 2001 from Kolkata. In this book the author being one of the founder teachers of the university narrated the missions of the institution as well as the deviations and the future possibilities in the context of globalization.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/4165030|title=Nritatikayer Chokhe Vidyasagar Viswavidyalayer Uddeshya, Bicchutiye O Sambhabana|first=Abhijit |last=Guha|journal=A Book in Bengali by Abhijit Guha on His Own University Wher He Has Been Teaching Anthropology for 27 Years|date=January 2001}} (A book in Bengali by Abhijit Guha on his own university where he worked as a faculty in the Department of  Anthropology for 30 years.)</ref>

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 the Vidyasagar 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.)

Following the approval of UGC, the Government of West Bengal decided in 1978 to establish Vidyasagar University 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 in the State Legislative Assembly. Professor Bhupesh Chandra Mukherjee, a former teacher of History of the then Presidency College, Kolkata, joined as the first vice chancellor on 29 September 1981. Professor B.C. Mukherjee wrote an article in the ''Journal of Higher Education''(published by the UGC) in which he stated the mission and objectives of Vidyasagar University and mentioned the name of the founder of VU—Professor Anil Kumar Gain.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/6896647|title=Journal of Higher Education, vol. 13, nos.1-3, 1987-88|first=Abhijit |last=Guha}}</ref>

Academic activities started when through a Notification [no. 983-Edn (U), dated Calcutta 23 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) was laid on 18 July 1983 by the Hon’ble Chancellor of the university and governor of West Bengal, B.D. Pande. On 15 January 1986, it was inaugurated by Shri Jyoti Basu, the then chief minister of West Bengal.

On 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 houses 27 PG departments (apart from MBA which is 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 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 a three-star status.

The campus has a picturesque background within which afforestation programmes are being undertaken.

* Third plot: {{convert|43.97|acre|m2}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vidyasagar.ac.in/about_us/university_area.html?st=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121218234333/http://www.vidyasagar.ac.in/about_us/university_area.html?st=|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-18|title=Campus area of Vidyasagar University}}</ref> The third plotwhich was given by the district administration was taken back since the university could not use it for its purpose.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/3698486|title=Campus Anthropology: A Case Study from West Bengal, India 1|first=Guha|last=Abhijit|journal=Anthropological Forum|volume=23}}</ref>

The Vice-chancellor of Vidyasagar University is the chief executive officer of the university. In 2015 Ranjan Chakrabarti was appointed as Vice-chancellor of the university.

The professors of Vidyasagar University formed their association in 1986 with nine teachers of the six postgraduate departments. Gradually the organization developed into a viable entity. Apart from looking into the pure financial and promotional interests of the teachers, the association regularly organizes academic seminars and cultural programmes in which many students and other members of the university community participate. On 24 July 2013 VUTA celebrated its belated silver jubilee function and published a souvenir.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/4118204|title=Growing up at Vidyasagar University|first=Abhijit |last=Guha|journal=Souvenir, (Silver Jubilee Celebration) 24 July 2013. Edited by T.K.Banerjee. Vidyasagar University Teachers' Association. Midnapore.}}</ref> The organization got its registration in 2015. On 4 December 2015, and for the first time in the history of the association, a Professor in Anthropology wrote an open letter to the President of the association pointing out the anomalies in the study leave rules for the teachers.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/19475633|title=Open Letter to the President of Vidyasagar University Teachers' Association|first=Abhijit |last=Guha|journal=Academia.edu}}</ref>

The faculties of Vidyasagar University and its vice-chancellors have written and edited a books on subjects mainly by availing financial grant from the UGC Unassigned grant scheme.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vidyasagar.ac.in/university_faculty_publication/university_publication.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926163849/http://vidyasagar.ac.in/university_faculty_publication/university_publication.html |archive-date=26 September 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The academic departments have been publishing journals. There are two multidisciplinary journals: one published by the biological science departments and the other by the physical science departments.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vidyasagar.ac.in/journal/index.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=3 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606221021/http://vidyasagar.ac.in/journal/index.html |archive-date=6 June 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

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