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Presidency University Self-Study RepoRt For Submission to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council Presidency University Kolkata 2016 (www.presiuniv.ac.in) Volume-1 Self-Study Report (Volume-1) Institutional Data Analysis 1 Presidency University 2 Self-Study Report (Volume-1) Self-Study RepoRt For Submission to the National Assessment and Accreditation Council Presidency University Kolkata 2016 (www.presiuniv.ac.in) Volume-1 (Institutional Data Analysis) Foreword I am delighted to present the Self-Study Report of Presidency University for the first cycle of accreditation by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. We were upgraded from Presidency College to Presidency University in 2010. The First Vice-Chancellor was appointed in 2011. The faculty were subsequently recruited from mid-2012. Our Statutes were published on July 7th 2014. The first batch of undergraduate students were admitted in July 2011 and they graduated in June 2014. The first batch of postgraduate students graduated in June 2013. We began our PhD programme in 2015. As Presidency College, we received a NAAC accreditation at the A+ level with an institutional score of 90.95. The history of our glorious institution extends from 1817 when we started as the Hindoo College. It has been a challenge, where we believe, we have succeeded in upgrading our infrastructure, facilities and curriculum for transforming this prestigious undergraduate college to a modern university at par with the best in the country within a short span of five years. While upgrading our teaching and research programmes to those of a modern university, we have incorporated the liberal arts and sciences in choice-based GenEd courses. From the very inception of the university, we started with a semester-based examination and a 7-point grading system with CGPA as the assessment index. We have a state of the art ICT network enabling complete wi-fi, modern research laboratories, and restored heritage buildings, in our old campus. We have recently added two new campuses for setting up advanced research and multi-disciplinary centers. All our administrative processes are online. In preparing the Self-Study Report (SSR), we took this opportunity to assess our strengths, shortfalls and challenges. The details are presented in the accompanying report. This SSR has several parts, as per the NAAC Guidelines. The first part is this volume, which gives an overview of the university and its activities. The second and third volumes focus on the departmental achievements of the faculties of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and Humanities and Social Sciences. We look forward to a positive response from the NAAC. Anuradha Lohia Vice-Chancellor Table of Contents Volume-1 Institutional Data Analysis Executive Summary 1 SWOC 1. Vice-Chancellor 9 2. Registrar 11 3. Finance Officer 12 4. Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences 15 5. Dean of Natural and Mathematical Sciences 16 6. Controller of Examinations 19 7. Dean of Students 21 Profile of the Institution 23 Criteria-wise Inputs Criterion I: Curricular Aspects 33 Criterion II: Teaching-Learning and Evaluation 41 Criterion III: Research, Consultancy and Extension 57 Criterion IV: Infrastructure and Learning Resources 90 Criterion V: Student Support and Progression 107 Criterion VI: Governance, Leadership and Management 124 Criterion VII: Innovations and Best Practices 141 Appendix 147 Glossary 171 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Presidency University CRITERION I: CURRICULAR ASPECTS Presidency University curricula are designed and implemented with the objective of the university’s mission and vision in mind. The aim of developing a secular and scientific spirit in the youth, which once inspired the setting up of the Hindoo/ Presidency College, is still relevant for this fledgling university. The course curricula have evolved from that of a traditional conservative education to a more liberal education since the inception of the university in 2011. The choice and introduction of new subjects at the postgraduate and undergraduate levels is need-based, keeping in mind the societal demands, research prospects, NET requirements, and employability factors. We strive to maintain quality assurance and the dynamic process of designing and revising the curricula is undertaken in consultation with all the major stake holders of the university. It is worthwhile to mention here that the departments enjoy full academic autonomy in designing and implementing their courses. Experts from various disciplines have been invited to offer their valuable suggestions and guidance for the planning and development of curricular aspects. Every proposed syllabus (and revision) is vetted by the Board of Studies of the department concerned and the respective Faculty Council before receiving the seal of approval from the Governing Board which is the highest decision-making body of the university. At present, two faculties – namely the Faculty of Natural and Mathematical Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences – have a total of 15 departments under their ambit, offering 15 undergraduate and 18 postgraduate courses. Presidency University has pioneered innovative courses like the postgraduate course in Performing Arts (to be introduced in the 2016-17 academic session) and the GenEd (or General Education) courses at the undergraduate level. The present curricular design promotes intensive learning of one Major subject, along with ten modules of GenEd subjects at the undergraduate level. Replacing the earlier system of taking ‘pass course’ subjects, the new GenEd programme at Presidency University introduces students to a broad range of subjects from across different disciplines. This programme is designed to teach them to transcend disciplinary boundaries and to ensure a more holistic liberal development that is in keeping with the academic tradition of the university and current international standards of research. The GenEd programme requires all undergraduate students to take ten courses over four semesters, where students of the Sciences have to take two compulsory Liberal Arts courses and vice versa. Admission to Presidency University has always been very competitive and rigorous. High academic standards are maintained by supplementing class lectures with lab work, field trips, tutorials, seminars, student paper presentation, public talks by specialists in the field, etc. Also, in keeping with the UGC guidelines, there is strict adherence to the rule of minimum 75% class attendance in order to qualify to sit for the End-Sem exams. Students are offered a Choice- Based Credit System (CBCS), in tune with global trends and UGC recommendations, and the university offers value added education by offering courses on Environmental Science, computer applications and foreign languages like French and German. Presidency University has also signed several MoUs, e.g. with Cambridge University, Trinity College, Dublin, SOAS, University of Groningen, etc., and the students can avail of the credit transfer system when taking up courses outside Presidency. Thus, the curricula at Presidency University are designed with the larger goal of making our students academically sound, competitive and employable. It offers the students an opportunity to both specialize in a field of their choice and also to acquire a broad-based culture which would serve them well in future. Therefore, the opinion of the students, popularly termed “students’ feedback”, is an integral and indispensable part of the entire process. The feedback of the students, on aspects of the curricula, is seriously taken into consideration and the syllabi are constantly revised and updated in keeping with evolving global trends. The curricula are periodically reviewed by DST (in the Sciences) and other funding agencies, and the intention is always to equip the student with the most comprehensive course content and the best teaching methods that we have the material and personnel resources to provide. Self-Study Report (Volume-1) 1 Presidency University CRITERION II: TEACHING-LEARNING AND EVALUATION Presidency University justifiably takes pride in the quality of students it produces. Hence, admission to Presidency University, for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, is strictly on the basis of ‘merit-cum-entrance test’, and it is highly competitive – in fact, for some subjects, the demand ratio is as high as 1:40. At formal meetings of the statutory Admission Committee, each department sets the cut-off mark in both aggregate and the subject concerned, and the minimum requirement to apply may vary from 60% in some departments to 80% (or higher) in some others. Minimum eligibility criteria, model / sample questions, exam schedule and venue, and all other relevant information, are published in the University website well in advance. The entire admission process, which is now being conducted by the state West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board for wider reach and efficiency, is transparent and fair. Right from the application form stage to the payment of admission fees by successful candidates, every step is conducted online. The entrance test, spread over the centres in the state specified by WBJEE, is based on an online MCQ pattern for some subjects (usually the Sciences), while other departments (mainly Humanities and Social Sciences) rely on conventional pen-and-paper exams of the subjective essay type. The results are published online and all national and state reservation policies are strictly adhered to. After
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