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Annual Report 2009-2010

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1 Assam University (Accredited by NAAC with B Grade with a CGPA of 2.85) SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 Compiled & Edited by Dr. Niranjan Roy Director Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) Editorial Support Dr. Silajit Guha Assistant Professor Department of Mass Communication Silchar - 788 011 2 3 Assam university has added 3 more Departments namely Micro-Biology, Earth Sciences and Library Sciences in the meantime, while two more Departments are in the offing. We sincerely hope that the incorporation of these new Departments would usher in a new era in the study of scientific knowledge on the one hand, while on the other, these will prove to be the breathing grounds for innovative and futuristic research. I am particularly happy to inform you that the UGC has sanctioned 3 centers for advance study to our University which are as follows : i) The Center for manuscriptlogy, folkloristics and endangered languages of the North East. ii) Center for soft matters and iii) Center for studying Bio-Diversity We are confident that these would be operational very soon and thus add more glowing feathers to the already elevated cap of the University. The construction of a study center of the Indian Institute of Geo-Magnetism is nearing completion for which 3 acres of land in the University Campus have been allotted. Likewise the facilities of ST Rader are expected to be sanctioned to the steady march of the University towards more brilliance in the realm of science Education in general and the Study of Advance Physics in particular. Besides, the University has also entered into dialogue with the AIUCAA, Pune for establishing a small center for the study of Astro-physics in the University. The University Campus is now agog with several constructional projects. The Department of Mass Communication and Fine Arts have been shifted to their permanent building which has been named after Shilpacharya Abanindranath Tagore. On 21st February 2009, the International Mother Tongue Day, foundation stones have been laid ceremoniously for 17 new building projects by eminent educationists, social workers and literary personalities of the region. The Department of Social Work has been shifted to the building named after the great revolutionary, Masterda Surya Sen. The works have begun to add another floor to the Departments of Bio-Technology, Social Work and Computer Sciences, while another annex building is being added to the Departments of Business Administration and social Work. The Departments of Bengali, Sankrit, Hindi and Manipuri are going to be shifted to their permanent building complex very soon. Within a year or so, the permanent buildings for the Departments of English, Arabic, Linguistics and French (which will also accommodate the language laboratory) will be constructed. Likewise the University would construct a four storied building for he Departments of Political Science, History and Sociology which will also accommodate the University museum, while permanent buildings are scheduled for construction for the following Departments as well : Economic and Commerce, Central Instrumentation Laboratory, Law, Library Science, Earth Science and Micro-Biology. Besides, two more hostels (one each for boys and girls), warden complex and a few quarter for the teachers and Non-Teaching Employees are also under way. It may be mentioned here that during the last academic session 55 number of new teachers have joined the University. I am particularly delighted to inform you that three more Departments of the University namely Bengali, Fine Arts and Ecology have been granted the status of Departments under 4 special Assistance Programme (SAP) by the UGC which would help these Departments to further augment their academic progress in significant ways. The campus of the University at Diphu in the district of Karbi Anglong commenced its journey into eternity in July, 2007. Its progress is being registered slowly but steadily. In near future, the departments of Assamese and Anthropology would be added along with an advance center on Tribal Study. Undoubtedly, the University is now graduating into a maturer stage of growth and hence more commitment and motivation are expected from all segments of the University Community. The University has increased the students intake for all sources namely integrated, PG, M.Phil and PhD in order to respond positively to the National Policy of inclusive growth. Our Schools of Technology and Management have already made mark in the realm of academic world. For two consecutive years the University has successfully arranged Book Fair in the Campus. On the occasion of International Mother Tongue Day, (i.e 21st, February, 2009), The Bhasa Udyan has been inaugurated with a sculpture entitled, ‘ Bhasha Janani’. The University is now contemplating to modernize the Administration through complete computerization and integrate the academic departments with the greater world of knowledge through internet connectivity. Our University is one of the foremost Central Universities to introduce the new system of PhD research in accordance with the newly adopted national policy of advance researches. The new academic session is expected to usher in more eagerness and perseverance on the part of researchers and students who seem to be enthusiastic like never before. Let me quote Robert Frost once again, ‘ we have promises to keep, we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep, miles to go before we sleep’. (Prof. Tapodhir Bhattacharjee) 5 Highlights of Events and Activities of the year 2009-10 Publications : · The university faculty members published a total of 508 research papers in reputed journals and edited volumes apart from several other popular articles, poems and translations. · The faculty members presented 464 papers in seminars and conferences. Seminar / Conference / Symposium organized : · Workshop on ‘Current trends in Wildlife research in N. E. India’ organised by Dept. of Ecology & Environmental Science on September, 4, 2009. · Workshop cum Training on Aquaculture, organised by Dept. of Ecology & Environmental Science during November 25-26, 2009. · National Seminar on Biodiversity Conservation, Dept. of Ecology & Environmental Science during March 4 - 5, 2009. · Symposium on Media, Market and Morality, organised by Dept. of Mass Communication on February 10, 2010. · National Seminar on Swaraj, Culture and Education held on 7-9, January, 2010 organized by the Department of Philosophy in collaboration with the Dept. of Education, sponsored by ICPR, ICSSR-NERC. · National Seminar on Indigenous art of North East India: Crisis and Resurgence, organised by Dept. of Fine Arts during 3-4, December, 2009. · Seminar on International Philosophy Day on Dialogue among Civilizations, organised by Dept. of Philosophy on 25 th November, 2009. · Workshop on “Bangla Karmasala “ in collaboration with Pachim Banga Bangla Academy, Kolkata, organised by Dept. of Bengali during 14-15 September, 2009. · International Seminar on “Contemporary Bengali Narrative : Language of Identity and Identity of Language, sponsored by ICSSR-NERC, SAP and Assam University, 17-18, November 2009. · Organized two days the National Seminar on “Celebrating 150 years Tagore : Literature. Culture and Society” organized by Department of Bengali, Assam University, during 30-31, March, 2010. · National Seminar cum Workshop on Endangered and Indigenous Languages of India: A Philosophico-Anthropological Investigation with special reference to North-East India, organised by Dept. of Linguistics, sponsored by ICSSR-NERC during 15-17, February, 2010. · Workshop on DNA barcode of Life, organised by Dept. of Biotechnology on 7 th April, 2009. · Workshop on Pharmacoinformatics and Drug Designing sponsored by DBT, Govt. of India, 14-20, September, 2009. · Workshop on Application of Statistical Packages in Social Science Research, organised by Dept. of Business Administration, 3- 5, April, 2009. · Workshop on Application of Statistical Packages in Social Science Research, organised by Dept. of Business Administration, 4-6, July, 2009. · National seminar on Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development-Issues, Challenges and Opportunities in the Globalised Economy, organised by Dept. of Commerce during 5-6, March, 2010. 6 · National conference on “Current Trends in Computer Science” organised by Dept. of Computer Science, 22-24, Feb 2010. · Five days Training Programme Jute Entrepreneurs of Barak Valley of Assam, organised by Dept. of Social Work in collaboration with DSYS Silchar and JMDC Kolkata during 24-29, October, 2009 · Two days national Seminar on “Sustainable Livelihood Development through Fruits and Vegetables Processing in the North Eastern India” sponsored by Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Govt. of India, organised by Dept. of Agricultural Engineering, 8-9, March, 2010. Special Lecture Delivered: · Dr. S.K. Dey Memorial Lecture Delivered by Prof. Khagendra Singh, Retired Professor, Department of English, Manipur University and a member of the Executive Board of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 29 th July, 2009. · “Approaches in Linguistics and the Study of Literature” a special lecture delivered by Prof. P. Pandey, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, September 15, 2009, Department of English. · “Shakespeare in Translation: An Overview” special lecture delivered by Prof. Benoy Kumar Bhattacharjee, Delhi University, 18 th February, 2010. · “The Indian Epic Tradition” a special lecture delivered by Prof. Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, September 12, 2009, Department
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