VIDYASAGAR COLLEGE ACCREDITED BY NAAC A STAR COLLEGE (DBT, Government of India) 39 Sankar Ghosh Lane Kolkata – 700006 PROSPECTUS 20133 PROSPECTUS 2013 ACCREDITED BY NAAC VIDYASAGAR COLLEGE 39 SANKAR GHOSH LANE KOLKATA-700006 VIDYASAGAR COLLEGE CONTENT Welcome …. Admission Process …. About the College …. Attendance …. Schedule of College Test and Examination …. Teachers’ Council …. Siksha Karmi Union …. Vidyasagar College Students' Union …. Academic Activities …. Laboratories …. Remedial & Coaching Classes for Entry-in-Service Students Aid Fund College Library …. Library Rules Seminars …. Counseling Cell …. Grievance Redressal Cell …. Medical and Health Services …. College Computer Centre …. Students' Cheap Store & Canteen …. Ongoing Developmental Activities …. Extra-Curricular Activities …. National Service Scheme …. Sports and Games …. Social and Cultural Activities …. College Magazine …. General Information …. College Governing Body …. Prizes and Awards …. Faculty Members and Staff …. List of Holidays 2012-13 …. Academic Calender …. Student Declaration …. 3 PROSPECTUS 20133 Welcome Vidyasagar College was at the forefront of ushering in a revolution in the field of education in British India. The college, known for its rich, glorious legacy and its immense contribution to the field of education in the country, has its origin in the Metropolitan Training School - later renamed as Calcutta Training School - which was set up by Thakurdas Chakraborty at 1 Arpuly Lane in 1859. In 1860, Vidyasagar became the President of the managing committee of the Training School. In 1864, he was entrusted with the complete charge of its administration and in the same year, he renamed the school as Metropolitan Institution. Vidyasagar sought collegiate affiliation from Calcutta University and the Institution was granted affiliation for First Arts on 1st January, 1872. This day is celebrated as the Foundation Day of Vidyasagar College. Later in 1879, the Institution was declared a first grade college with BA affiliation. In due course affiliation for the BL course was granted. In 1882 postgraduate courses were introduced and a record number of students passed with flying colours. In 1917, the Metropolitan Institution was renamed as Vidyasagar College. It can be regarded as the first truly secular educational institution in the pre-independence era as the college was entirely run by Indian academicians. As part of the expansion plans, an evening section devoted to the teaching of Commerce was opened in 1922. In 1931, a morning section - the women's department of the college - was established. In 1960, the two sections developed into independent colleges known as Vidyasagar Evening College and Vidyasagar College for Women respectively. During World War II, two branches of the college were set up in Nabadwip and Suri which later became known as Nabadwip Vidyasagar College and Suri Vidyasagar College respectively. The Dawn Society (1902), precursor of the National Council of Education, that later came to be known as Jadavpur University, began functioning from Vidyasagar College. Several eminent personalities have been associated with Vidyasagar College in various ways - Rashtraguru Surendranath Banerjee, Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, Professor Sisir Kumar Bhaduri, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, Acharya Jadunath Sarkar, G.D. Birla, Ram Manohar Lohia and Babu Jagjiban Ram, to name a few. The Institution offers flexible programmes at the undergraduate and post- graduate levels (under autonomous status). It has, at present 20 Honours courses, 21 General subjects and two postgraduate courses in Zoology and Geography. It is the aim of the institution to open more post-graduate courses, job-oriented courses and also to inculcate research aspiration in students. The Governing Body provides efficient and effective leadership in improving the academic, administrative and financial aspects of the college. VIDYASAGAR COLLEGE Admission to the college is based strictly on merit of the total number of students 43.1% are female, 14% are from the SC/ST category and 40% are from the rural, urban and backward areas of West Bengal. The average percentage of success of graduating students is 90-95%, while that for post graduation is 100%. The academic subcommittee deals with the attendance of the students strictly and regular parent-teacher meetings are held. Periodical tests are also held to ensure that the syllabi are properly covered and that the students improve their academic performance. The college library has a vast collection of books - curriculum based text books, reference books and rare and old books including some used by the founder himself. Several departments have well-stocked seminar libraries, too. With a view to supplementing the curriculum, seminars, workshops and popular lectures on various topics of academic and social interests are organized. The teachers counsel students on academic and personal issues and a grievance redressal mechanism has also become operative. A health-care unit has been set up to cater to students as well as the staff. Sports, social and cultural functions, science club, cine club and N.S.S are some of the student activities which deserve special mention. Apart from prizes, scholarships and endowments, free studentship and assistance from the Students Aid Fund are offered to financially handicapped but meritorious students. There is also an SC/ST cell providing statutory educational and financial facilities to SC/ST students. A placement cell has been constituted and is operative. Vidyasagar College Computer Centre is accredited to the Department of Electronics, Government of India, to conduct CCC, 'O’ level and ‘A’ level courses. The college is proud of the fact that the first phase of construction of its third campus, situated in CL Block of Bidhannagar, is complete. Currently, two Post Graduate programmes in Zoology and Geography are run from that campus. Efforts are on to introduce more technology based and job-oriented courses. This campus will also boast of a Girls’ Hostel in compliance with a long standing demand from the students. All in all, with its wide range of academic programmes and excellent educational facilities, the College, whose motto is ‘Wisdom, Sacrifice and Service', is set to take on the challenges in the field of education in the twenty-first century. The college has been accredited by NAAC in January 2009. Department of Zoology of the college has been supported by DBT Sponsored Star College Scheme, under Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, for its excellent academic performance. 5 PROSPECTUS 20133 Admission Process Admission to different honours and general courses are conducted by the college in a very transparent matter. We advertise in the leading dailies and also on our website about distribution of forms. A detailed merit list of all the candidates in each stream is prepared meticulously. Thereafter, counseling and admission are done with the help of teachers and non-teaching staffs. In each stage all notices and announcements are clearly and regularly posted on our website well ahead of commencement of the process. The rules of the University of Calcutta are strictly adhered to in the entire process. About the College Attendance Attendance at classes should be above 75% in each subject separately and in no case should be below 60% in each subject separately. Students with lower percentage of attendance are not eligible to appear at the Calcutta University examinations. Only those students, with the requisite percentage of attendance to be decided upon and notified by the college, are allowed to sit in the college examinations and the decision of the college in this regard is final. Admission of students who fail to attend 75% of lectures delivered in all subjects separately in fifteen teaching days from the commencement of classes is liable to be cancelled. Names of the students, who will be absent from College for more than fifteen consecutive teaching days without any written intimation, are liable to be struck off the rolls and such students may not be readmitted. Schedule of college tests and examinations All college tests and examinations as per latest C.U. notification will be communicated to students in due course. Teachers’ Council Teachers' Council (TC) is the most important non-administrative body of the College which ensures smooth functioning of day to day activities. The council is presided over by the Principal (as president) with the assistance of the secretary, selected from the council members through election, though in case of a unanimously chosen candidate the electoral procedure can be avoided. The secretary, after being elected, forms different subcommittees with the help from the President and the TC members. These subcommittees take care of the numerous college activities. Names of the members of each sub-committee are eventually ratified by the Governing Body. Alongside TC representatives, most of the subcommittees, barring those which deal exclusively with Teachers' Council issues, have representatives from the non- VIDYASAGAR COLLEGE teaching staffs and the student community to facilitate the smooth functioning of the College. The academic subcommittee takes care of all the academic issues, overviews the general performance of the college students in the internal as well as the University examinations, discusses possible future improvements, introduces new courses, implements new regulations