Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology

About Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology formerly known as West Bengal University of Technology came into existence on August 5, 2000. The University primarily provides education in the multidisciplinary fields of science, technology and management. It is popularly known as WBUT. or UTech. It started functioning with the assumption of office of the first Vice Chancellor on January 15, 2001 as a sequel to the promulgation of the West Bengal University of Technology Act 2000; under the West Bengal Act XV of 2000 passed by the West Bengal Legislature and published in the Calcutta Gazette (Extraordinary) vide Publication dated july 20, 2000. The Act contemplates a General Council (GC), an Executive Council (EC), an Academic Council (AC), Finance Committee and an Advisory Council as its regulatory and advisory bodies. His Excellency, the Governor of the state of West Bengal would be the ex-officio Chancellor of the University. The Government of West Bengal set up an expert Committee on December 31, 1998, to explore the necessity and scope for the establishment of a district Engineering and Technology University in the state of West Bengal. Following an in depth review of the status and issues of technical education at the degree and higher level in the country and in the state of West Bengal, a separate Technological University in the state of West Bengal was required. Thus it's origin lies in this Committee. Currently, the University is functioning through an Advisory Committee constituted by the Chancellor under the advice of the Government of West Bengal, as per necessary transitory provisions of the Act.

Funded at the initial stages of its formation by the Government of West Bengal, the UTECH is set to become a Centre of Excellence in multidisciplinary science and technology areas of topical importance, in studies and research, in addition to providing adequate facilities for the pursuit of degree and advanced-level course in management, paramedical and other professional areas through its affiliated institutions. The University has been accorded the affiliating University status with its jurisdiction encompassing the entire state of West Bengal. The University, which began operating from the West Bengal State Archives Building located at 43, Shakespeare Sarani, Kolkata 700 017, has been allotted a 3-Storied building as a campus at BF-142, Sector II ,Salt Lake City (formerly the premises of the Bidhannagar Govt. College), with an area of 45,000 sq.ft. The process of shifting the academic programs and administrative functions of the University to this campus is currently under way. The University would have a permanent main campus of approximately 100 acres of continuous area, which would be provided by the Govt. of West Bengal. As a part of the main campus, it has presently been allotted 40 acres of land on the NH-34 at Haringhata near Kalyani. The Boundary wall for the allotted land has been taken up in the first stage of construction and the University is in the process of appointing an architect consultant for the master plan and other associated development of the site. The date for laying the foundation stone for the main campus is tentatively slated for the month of January 2002.

The University commenced its academy programs through affiliated Institutions in July 2001. The classes for the first batch of students for the year 2001-2002 commenced from August 27. The first semester exams of the University started from January 2, 2002 and classes for the 2nd semester would commerce from January 11, 2002. Altogether, the University has offered 21 courses in the current academic session. The University plans to introduce Post-Graduate Degree and Diploma courses in the following areas with effect from July 2002, subject to the creation of adequate infrastructural facilities. The University has 131 colleges and institutes affiliated to it spread throughout West Bengal.

Facilities

WBUT Library - The UTech Library is a well stocked library. The recent establishment of a comprehensive Library Portal for its affiliated colleges to provide a single window access to a gamut of library services. The portal presents an online catalogue of all the available periodicals and books of the library. The Optical Media Server is an outstanding idea for providing simultaneous access of CDs and DVDs to number of users. The WBUT Library organizes seminars and symposia for open source initiative for academic libraries. The recent seminar organized in February 2007 was a resounding success.

The E-Learning Initiative - The UTech has tied up with IBM to encourage e-learning in West Bengal. The MoU was signed with IBM to promote IT learning through cost effective open standard technology platforms. The University, International Institute of Information Technology, Kolkata and IBM shall participate to develop an e-learning portal and online content. The IBM Centre of Excellence shall be established at IIIT campus to facilitate access and adopt industry standard practices for the development of open source software. IBM has promised full support to the e-learning initiative of UTech with free IBM software product licenses for DB2, Web-sphere Application Developer and the Web-Sphere Server. This is a major milestone in Public-Private participation for the UTech.