Utkal University - Evolution of The Post Graduate Departments

Evolution of The Post Graduate Departments

The initial "Utkal University Act - 1943" did not specify clearly the territorial jurisdiction of the University. However its jurisdiction was extended to include the princely states in Orissa by an agreement between the rulers of these princely states and the Government of Orissa. According to the agreement adequate representation of the princely states in the administrative and academic bodies of the university (15 members in the Senate, one member each in the syndicate and the Academic Council) was granted. The Utkal University Act 1943 was accordingly amended in 1947 defining the territorial jurisdiction of the University which was subsequently extended further to the whole State of Orissa in 1950.

Prana Krushna Parija, principal of Ravenshaw College, Cuttack was the first vice-chancellor of the university. V. V. John, the assistant professor of English in Ravenshaw College was the first registrar. The university, to start with, functioned mainly as an affiliating body. In 1949, it took over the management of the undergraduate Department of Law from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack and established its first constituent college now known as Madhusudan Law College, Cuttack.

In 1956, the second phase of its expansion began with the opening of the post-graduate Department of Geology in Ravenshaw College Campus and the University College of Engineering, Burla, Sambalpur. A research Department of Rural Economics and Sociology was started the same year with a generous grant from the Ford Foundation. In 1957, two new post graduate departments in Philosophy and Sanskrit were established on the premises of the Burdwan House at Cuttack. That year the university office was shifted to the Circuit House at Cuttack. The University in the initial phases provided new facilities for post-graduate studies only in those subjects which did not exist in Ravenshaw College at that time.

In 1958, the post-grad departments of Psychology, Statistics, Political Science and Anthropology were established. While the first three departments were housed on the premises of Ravenshaw College, the Department of Anthropology was accommodated in a rented house at Bhubaneswar. The University took over the Post-graduate Department of History from Ravenshaw College in 1959. Post-Graduate studies in Zoology and Commerce were introduced in 1960 and 1962 respectively. The Research Department of Rural Economics and Sociology was established in 1956 and started Post-Graduate courses in Applied Economics in 1963. It was subsequently renamed as the Department of Analytical and Applied Economics. Around that time, a movement for the creation of regional universities started in different parts of Orissa. Accordingly, the Government of Orissa appointed the State University Committee in 1962 with Dr. P Parija, the then Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University as the Chairman.

On the recommendation of the Committee, two more universities were created; one at Sambalpur and the other at Berhampur. The Utkal University Act - 1943 was, in consequence, suitably amended to meet the new situation. The two new Universities at Sambalpur and Berhampur came into existence with effect from 1 January 1967; the date from which the new Utkal University Act came into force. The jurisdiction of Utkal University, which earlier covered the whole State of Orissa, was redefined in the new legislation. After the establishment of the two new Universities, the management of the Evening Colleges at Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and Berhampur were taken over by the State Government. The Engineering College at Burla was handed over to Sambalpur University. Utkal University, in its new campus at Vani Vihar, opened few other Post-Graduate Departments such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Oriya and English during the years 1966-69. The Department of Sociology and Labour Welfare was started in 1970, which in 1974 was split into the Department of Sociology and the Department of Labour Welfare (now renamed as the Department of Personnel Management and Industrial Relations). The Department of Geography was opened in 1970. The Post-Graduate Department of Law (L.L.M.) was started in 1973.

The Department of Geology, which was accommodated earlier in Ravenshaw College was shifted to Vani Vihar in 1977. Then the Department of Library and Information Science and that of and Political Science Departments respectively, besides the 27 regular Post Graduate Programmes, along with Business Administration were opened in 1981 and in 1984. A Computer Centre was established initially with different departments of the University. IBM- 1130 computers were donated by the University Grants Commission in the year 1970 which has subsequently been placed by the WIPRO LANDMARK system at a cost of Rs.16 lakh provided later by the UGC. The Computer Centre, while facilitating research work undertaken by various departments of the University earlier offered a Post-Graduate Diploma Course (DCA) on Computer Application from 1980 to 1997. In 1990 the University opened the Department of Computer Science and Applications.

In 1999, the University came up with Integrated MCA course, which is a 5yr post-graduation course after 12th. This course went to become a huge hit after the students got placed in all the multi-nationals.

In 2001, the M.Sc. Computer Science course started up which was based on entrance selection based and enroll student must having prior computer bachelor degree such as B.Sc. Computer Science. This course become hugely successful with good student back ground, contemporary course structure and excellent placement record.

The Post Graduate Department of Biotechnology was started in 2002, and offers M.Sc. in Biotechnology which is sponsored by The Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, New Delhi. The Department was established by the valuable efforts of Prof. G.B. N. Chainy, the former Head of Dept. of Zoology and Biotechnology, Utkal University. Besides the contribution of the teachers from the other Departments of Utkal and other reputed Universities and Institutes of Orissa state, the guests faculties, the Department is able to run. The unconditional efforts of Prof. Chainy, the founder of the Department and Prof. S.P. Adhikary who is now acting as The Head, Department of Biotechnology, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, Kolkata are gratefully acknowledged. Dr J. Dandapat is now heading the Department. This Department has a very productive laboratory with noticeable publication out puts every year in different applied and basic areas of Biological Sciences. Most of the Modern Biochemical and Molecular instrumentation facilities are available here to support the research works. This Department offers Ph.D. and M.Sc. courses in different subject areas of Biotechnology.