Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Habra-Prafullanagar, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal 743268 Affiliated to West Bengal State University Website:sreechaitanyacollege.in E-mail: [email protected] Reaccreditation-2nd Cycle Self Study Report (SSR) Submitted to National Assessment & Accreditation Council Bangalore 2015 1 Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra CONTENTS Sections Page No. A) Preface 3 B) Executive Summary 4-11 C) Profile of the College 12-25 D) Criterion wise Evaluative Report I: Curricular Aspects 26-37 II: Teaching-Learning and Evaluation 38-58 III: Research, Consultancy and Extension 59-76 IV: Infrastructure and Learning Resources 77-87 V: Student Support and Progression 88-96 VI: Governance and Leadership 97-105 VII: Innovative Practices 106-110 F) Profile of the Department Anthropology 111-129 Bengali 130-142 Botany 143- 157 Chemistry 158-179 Defence Studies 180-185 Economics 186-191 English 192-204 Geography 205-219 History 220-230 Journalism and Mass Communication 231-235 Mathematics 236-249 Philosophy 250-256 Physics 257-274 Political Science 275-290 Sanskrit 291-295 Zoology 296-310 G) Annexure and Enclosure 311-317 H) Declaration by the Head of the Institution 318 I)Certificate of Compliance 319 2 Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Preface Sree Chaitanya College, Habra, registered under 2f & 12B of the UGC Act, is submitting the Self Study report for Re-assessment and Re-accreditation for the second cycle. The College has undergone its assessment and accreditation by NAAC in October 2005, and was awarded ‘B++’ in February 2006. The NAAC visit gave our College a new vista and impetus to undertake a march towards a new height. During the past years we have given best to develop our institution in all respects with the support of all the stakeholders of the college. We can say with great joy that during this period the College has grown into a great abode of learning that has not only sheltered thousands of youngsters but has also moulded them into great personalities, now spread across the country. During the preparation of the Self Study Report we have found full cooperation and assistance from all the stakeholders. We most gratefully acknowledge their unflinching support. Without such cooperation it would not be possible for us to be only the second college in the state to submit ourselves to the second cycle of the Re-accreditation process. Published by: The Principal, Sree Chaitanya College, Habra SSR Prepared by: Joint Coordinators, NAAC Steering Committee, Sree Chaitanya College, Habra 3 Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Executive Summary At this moment of presenting our Self Study Report (SSR) to National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) in connection with the Reaccreditation of Sree Chaitanya College, Habra, 24 Parganas (North), West Bengal in the Second Cycle, we would like to undertake a short-tour: from the history to the present of our College, which would surely reveal the future roadmap of all-comprehensive development of this great institution. I The Legacy Sree Chaitanya College, Habra occupies a very distinguished status in the higher education map of the district of North 24 Parganas as well as of the state of West Bengal. The institution with its imposing building-structures amid a lush green of more than 20 acres of land, overlooking Jessore Road (NH 35), is about 40 km from Kolkata. The college was established in 1956, primarily to cater the need of the thousands of hapless youth who, owing to partition of the country were forced to settle almost as paupers in this part of the state but had nourished deep in their hearts an inextinguishable urge to pursue higher education to overcome their present miseries. But their dream would have never been realised without the initiative of the Habra Siksha Parishad and kind patronage of Government of West Bengal under the legendary Chief Minister, the late Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy. However, the project was given a proper shape by the youngest Minister in the Roy-Cabinet, the late Tarun Kanti Ghosh, who was also an MLA from Habra. The College began its journey in the premises of Habra High School; then shifted to site of Bangiya Christian Council; and finally to its present premises on October 5, 1958. It is a matter of prestige that in October 1958, the Government of India recognised the institution as a Degree College on sponsored basis, dedicated mainly to the education of the displaced students from the erstwhile East Pakistan, in the Intermediate and Bachelor Degree in Arts and Science, with affiliation from University of Calcutta, with effect from the academic session 1958-59. As time rolled on, the College grew into a giant academic institution with Honours Departments in Arts and Science subjects. The College has always been blessed with a bunch of gifted teachers, with brilliant academic career, and a band of dedicated non-teaching staff, including librarians. The hard work of the whole of the College staff has helped produce generations of excellent students with very good academic results, many of whom have become university-toppers. Many of our former students have been very successful in life as school/college/university teachers; researchers in renowned institutions in India and abroad; bureaucrats and technocrats in government services or business corporations; journalists, authors and theatre personalities of repute. 4 Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra The College Now From 2008, with the founding of the West Bengal State University (WBSU), the College came to be affiliated to it, with effect from the academic session 2008-09. We offer 14 courses in Honours subjects and 16 courses in General subjects according to syllabi framed by respective Boards of Studies (BOS) of WBSU. Although, the College does not enjoy autonomy to frame syllabi/curricula at the Undergraduate (UG) level, a few teachers, in the capacity of being the members of the UG-BOS of their respective subjects, take part in syllabus-framing. Here, it would be appropriate to mention that for last few years, we have also introduced Post Graduate (PG) Courses in Anthropology, Chemistry and Bengali, with huge response from the students’ community. In these Courses, the College has its own PG- BOS, which frame their own respective syllabus, and thus contribute to the development of higher education. Beside regular courses, we also offer distance education courses both at the UG and PG levels as a unit of Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU). The regular UG Courses are of three years, which a student must complete within a maximum span of five years as per University regulations. Students enjoy freedom to switch over to a new subject or stream within three months from the date of admission, according to Merit List and subject to vacancy. They are admitted to Honours Courses purely on the basis of results in the Higher Secondary and equivalent examinations. Seats are reserved for the students from SC/ST/OBC background as per rule. The College has a huge treasure of valuable reference as well as text books, kept in the Main Library and Departmental Libraries. The science departments are equipped with most up-to- date laboratories and scientific instruments. Most of the departments have their computers with internet facilities; some science departments have computer laboratories. The students also enjoy the facilities of ICT classrooms. Some departments have ICT classrooms of their own, some departments avail this facility jointly. A detailed academic calendar, showing the allotment and workload, time frame and internal examinations schedule, is made at the beginning of each session. Class-room teaching is supplemented by (i) occasional holding of seminar-lectures on particular topics; (ii) arrangement of lectures by students; (iii) publication of departmental journals as well as wall- magazines;(iv) educational tours; and (v) special lectures by eminent teachers of universities and other colleges. The College also follows the RTI Act, and has set up a Public Information Cell. Some other Cells that need special mentioning are: a) Anti-sexual harassment Cell; b) Anti-ragging Cell; c) Career Guidance Cell; d) Women’s Cell and e) Research and Development (R&D) Cell. Recently, a Campus Film Society came into being with affiliation from Federation of Film Societies of India (this National Body was founded in 1959, with the legendary master Satyajit Ray as the President, and at times, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Minister of 5 Self Study Report: Sree Chaitanya College, Habra Information and Broadcasting, had been the Vice-President) to inculcate the value of cinematic appreciation of feature as well as documentary masterpieces. In West Bengal, only two ‘Campus’ Film Societies exist till now: one at Visva Bharati Kala Bhavan and the second is our institution. In short, our idea of academic excellence is holistic. This means that we ask ourselves continually what comprises excellence in education. We do not limit ourselves to covering the prescribed syllabus, though no latitude is entertained in this respect. But, looking beyond the boundaries of the syllabi, we also continually ask what education in a holistic sense should involve and how best to attain it. Finally, we firmly believe in an all-round development of our students. We encourage them to seriously take up co-curricular and extracurricular activities along with academic pursuits. We have more than one play grounds, an open-air theatre and one auditorium. Besides, there are separate well-equipped gymnasiums for boys and girls. We also provide separate indoor games facilities for boys and girls. The elected Students’ Union organises, with the guidance of teachers and staff of the College, annual sports, cultural programmes and various social welfare activities, and helps to develop and maintain ideal and healthy student-teacher- administration relations.