Vidyasagar University

About Vidyasagar University

Vidyasagar University is a state-government administered, affiliating and research university located in Midnapore district of southern West Bengal, in India. The university was established on 29 September 1981 by the Vidyasagar University Act 1981 (West Bengal Act XVIII of 1981) of the state of West Bengal to commemorate Pandit Iswar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, also known as Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the great educationist and social worker of 19th century Bengal. The University Grants Commission accorded recognition to the university under Section 12 B on March 1, 1990.

The idea of founding a University in the district was mooted by the various organizations, notably by the Regional Education Association, Midnapore, headed by Professor A.K.Gayen of IIT, Kharagpur. The Ghani Committee appointed by the U.G.C. also suggested, among others, for the setting up of a University in Midnapore on the ground of its ‘having a compact area and a manageable number of colleges’ (at that time there were 36 colleges with an enrolment of about 42,000), and also of its ‘having the great advantage of co-operation of the IIT, Kharagpur. The Committee was also of the opinion that the new University would develop on the lines suited to the needs of this backward area.

The University presently houses 27 PG departments (apart from this course – MBA - being run under the Department of Commerce with Farm Management), 12 in Humanities and 15 in Science while 46 undergraduate colleges apart from 11 courses in yet 11 other colleges/institutes are affiliated to it. Fourteen vocational subjects and six other specialized courses are also offered at the UG level.

Departments

• Anthropology
• Aquaculture & Mgt. Technology
• Applied Mathematics with Oceanology
• & Computer Programming
• Biomedical Laboratory Science & Mgt
• Botany & Forestry
• Chemistry & Chemical Technology
• Computer Science
• Electronics
• Human Physiology with Community
• Health
• Microbiology
• Physics & Techno physics
• Zoology
• Bengali
• Commerce with Farm Mgt.
• Economics & Rural Development
• English
• Geography and Environment Mgt.
• History
• Master of Business Administration
• Library & Information Science
• Remote Sensing & GIS
• Philosophy & Life-World
• Political Science with Rural Admin
• Sanskrit
• Sociology

Facilities

• Directorate of Distance Education - M.A., M.Com, M.Sc., MBA. etc.are offered under DDE
• Hostel - There are 152 and 174 seats for girls and boys respectively. There is reservation of seats for SC (22%), ST (6%), and PH (1%)
• Computer Center - It is maintaining the Campus-Wide LAN (Optical Fiber-based GBIC) with 400 nodes throughout the campus and Providing the Internet Services and looking after the UGC-Infonet Programme.
• Library - It is housed in a separate building having four floors on a plinth area of 1000 sq. meters. The library has a collection of 75000 volumes which includes Text Books, Reference Books & Bound vols. of Journals, Standards etc. The Library subscribes to about 135 current Journals. Library operations have been automated with the help of an integrated library software package, SOUL The book database is accessible through OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue). 
• Medical Unit - The Unit in the University offers medical advice and help to the students, teachers, the administrative and non-teaching staff of the University when they feel sick. Both allopathy and homoeopathy medicines are given to the patients free of cost. A medical officer is in charge of the Unit.
• University Scientific Instrumentation Centre - Individual Science Department has its own instrumental facility sponsored by DST, UGC Govt. of India. 
• Placement Cell - The University has established a very substantial and fruitful linkage among various Institutions of National and International repute, NGOs Government Organization which helps immensely and potentially in promoting curricular development, on-the-job training, placement, research, consultancy etc.
• The Gandhian Studies Centre - It has been sanctioned by the University Grants Commission under the Ninth Plan programme, for a period of five years at the first instance
• Sports - The games and sports activities and the interest of students in games and sports have been growing continuously with the guidance and encouragement from University Sports Authority and Midnapore District Sports Development Academy. Sports events like Athletics, Football, Volleyball, Kho-Kho, Swimming, Kabadi, Cricket competition are organised regularly

Achievements
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) awarded Vidyasagar University with a 3-star status.