Annual Report 2014-2015
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ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 - 15 Tripura University (A Central University) Suryamaninagar - 799022 1 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 From the Desk of the Vice-Chancellor Tripura University (a Central university) continued its journey towards excellence in the academic year 2014-1. Some of the important achievements and events are highlighted below: 1. Construction of two multi-storied buildings was completed and many offices and departments got new space to move in. The relocation eased space problems of several years. Many departments were able to expand their facilities. For example the Department of Botany was able to set up new laboratories. 2. Several new constructions were started. These include a 200 seated girl‟s hostel, an academic building for OBCs, School of Education and Distance Education, and a multistoried automobile parking lot, an international-standard football ground, and a new access road. 3. All buildings were made friendlier for differently abled persons. Ramps were constructed and washrooms are now properly equipped in most buildings for differently abled persons. Most of the buildings in the campus were cleaned and painted. About 100 washrooms were refurbished and improved in almost all buildings of the campus. 4. The guest house was also spruced up. A couple of executive suites were added to the guest house for guests with spouses. 5. New seminar rooms were created in several buildings for conducting meetings and seminars or workshops in parallel. Ninety two seminars/workshops/symposia were conducted in Tripura University during this academic year by the faculty members of thirty four Departments. 6. The University Campus is connected with a rapidly expanding LAN Internet and Wi-Fi. In this academic year a total about 1000 LAN nodes was installed connecting almost all the buildings. Along with LAN Wi-Fi zones were also established starting with the Central Library. Total area covered under Wi-Fi network access in the University campus was about 7000 square meters during this period. 7. Up-gradation of curricula and syllabi of all UG and PG courses in all Departments started in this academic year after a gap of five years. 8. Tripura University introduced semester based and choice based curriculum for undergraduate (UG) courses in its affiliated General Degree Colleges from the Academic Session 2014-15. Tripura University adopted the Choice-based Credit System (CBCS) as recommended by the University Grants Commission. Basic rules and regulations for CBCS were developed for the core, elective and foundation courses in all Departments. CBCS would be started for all PG and UG programmes in the main campus from the next academic session. 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 9. For the first time in its history, Tripura University conducted admission tests in three cities outside Tripura, Kolkata, Guwahati and Silchar, for benefit of the students of Assam and West Bengal. 10. Rules for admission of foreign students were also created and a few students from the neighbouring country of Bangladesh enrolled in Tripura University. 11. Enthusiastic about National Mission of Skill Development in the youth of India Tripura University designed Bachelor of Vocational studies (B. Voc.) programs in two areas: Rubber Technology and Film and Video studies. Rubber technology skills are urgently needed in the State of Tripura, a hub of cultivation of natural rubber. The B. Voc. classes would start in 2015-16. 12. Tripura University also planned for a Community College to start three skill-based programmes from the Academic Session 2016-17: Travel & Tour Management, Mushroom Cultivation, and Website designing & Maintenance. 13. To fulfill the aspirations of the people of Tripura, the University planned and designed a Master‟s programme in Kokborok, the language of indigenous people of Tripura. The University already offers a six-month certificate course and a one-year PG diploma course in Kokborok. 14. The University felt that a familiarity of various languages of our multilingual and multicultural country can help national integration. Thus, six-month certificate courses on functional Hindi, Mizo and Garo were planned for the next academic year. 15. The University meticulously fulfilled all the required conditions of AICTE and received its affiliation for the PG programs of the Departments of Electric Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Business Management and Pharmacy for the next five years. 16. During this academic year Tripura University completed preparations for accreditation by NAAC. Preparations are also in progress for a visit of the NCTE team in future. 17. Five-year Integrated Masters Degree (IMD) programme is redesigned. The curriculum is strengthened by introducing group project courses in the freshman and sophomore years for enhancing creative and writing skills. The IMD was also expanded introducing the study of Statistics and Mathematics in IMD program. 18. Discussion sessions were organized with National experts to plan all the major aspects such as the focus, curriculum, and initial infrastructure for each of the upcoming new Departments of Electronics and Communications Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, 3 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 Chemical and Polymer Engineering, Library and Information Sciences, Linguistics and Tribal Languages, and the School of Education. 19. Women‟s study Centre was rejuvenated. The Centre carried several research projects and conducted several workshops. 20. Research and Innovation policy was developed. New PhD regulations were put in place. 21. University wide focus on research helped the faculty to publish 21 books and 313 journal papers in International and National journals in this academic year. Number of PhD students enrolled soared to 445 from 318 in the 2013-14. 22. E-Classroom software and system were installed in the University. This system would be invaluable for developing of online and e-courses in future years. 23. Development of online courses (MOOCs) was started in about 6 topics. 24. About 31,000 E-books procured by the Central Library in 2013-14 gained popularity with about 85,000 downloads. Library hours were extended. 25. The University started to publish a newsletter bringing all the important events. 26. Publishing of books and research papers gained popularity in the University community of scholars. A successful week-long workshop on book publishing was conducted by NBT workshop. Three workshops on publishing were conducted by Elsevier, Springer Verlag and Oxford University Press. 27. The Innovation Club of the University had been established in the year 2013 by the Hon‟ble President of India and the Visitor of the University. An exhibition of inventions and innovations by students and grass root innovators of the State in March 2015 was successful. 28. Faculty members spent several months teaching and doing research in China and USA. Eminent scholars from Canada delivered several lectures in the Department of Sociology. One faculty member went to Antarctica for research training. 29. Under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, Tripura University adopted the following six villages situated in the vicinity of the University campus: Shrinagar (S.T. populated area), Mahesh Khola (S.C. populated area), Pandavpur (minority populated area), Ballavpur (OBC populated area), Suryamaninagar (Rural area), and Bagmara (Rural area). Two Village health camps attended by hundreds of villagers were organized by Tripura University Women‟s Organization along with Departments of Human Physiology and Computer Science and Engineering. 30. A student festival, UDBHAAS 2014 was held in November 2014 with intercollege and interdepartmental competitions. Several famous music groups from the State of Tripura and 4 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15 from Kolkata visited the campus and enthralled the University community with their performances. 31. In Sports Tripura University secured the Runners-up position in 8th Inter college Football (Men) Competition and 3rd position in East Zone Inter University Cricket Competition. 32. A custom-designed financial software was installed to perform all the operations of purchase, payments etc. under new accounting standards using on accrual based methods. Custom- designed software was used to automate the application process for the recruitment of a large number of group B and C nonteaching posts. 33. Tripura University participated enthusiastically is the Swachh Bharat Program by cleaning the campus and the buildings. This list is a partial glimpse of the efforts the University has undertaken in 2014-15. The pace of development was slow in this year owing to vacancies in the Academic and Executive Councils of the University during this entire year. The University is looking forward with great enthusiasm for further developments in Skill programs, Industrial and International Collaborations, Digitization and Modernization, Innovation and on improving its national and international Ranking. It is committed to automation, faculty and staff recruitment, infrastructure development and social outreach in 2015-16. In the following pages the details of the scholarly activities of each of the Departments and Centres are presented in tabular form. The details of work done by Central Library, Sports Board and other bodies are also presented. Main financial details are also presented in a tabular form. A few pictures taken during various activities/seminars/functions organized by Tripura University throughout the year 2014-15 are also attached.