Gujarat Vidyapith

About Gujarat Vidyapith

Gujarat Vidyapith was founded by Mahatma Gandhi on 18th October, 1920. Gujarat Vidyapith is a deemed university since 1963. Gujarat Vidyapith is funded by the U.G.C. (University Grants Commission) for higher education programs. It was started as Rashtriya Vidyapith (National Institute of University Education) and was the wake of the Non-cooperative Movement. Mahatma Gandhi remained its life-long Kulpati (Chancellor). The Institute imparts higher education with an integrated system of education teaching from the Nursery to the Doctorate level. It provides education, from Nursery & Basic Schools to Higher Secondary and from Bachelors to Master, M. Phil. & Doctorate level degree in various disciplines. The main campus, called the Mahatma Gandhi Parisar in Ahmedabad, is spread over 21 acres of land. Gujarat Vidyapith include regular participation in community work, residential life, social service, community prayers, simple and self reliant living, study tours and field studies, Hand spinning and training in Craft Work. The program of education has been linked with the national needs of rural uplift with a view to promote education conductive to the grass - root levels of the society. The chief concern of the Gujarat Vidyapith is to conduct experiments in various fields of education with a view to develop the application of Gandhian thought and way in all aspects of education.

Gujarat Vidyapith was founded by Mahatma Gandhi to liberate the Indian youths from the shackles of British colonial rule. As against the British colonial education system, propounded by Lord Macaulay, that produced human resources for the oppressive British Empire , Gandhi wanted his Vidyapith to prepare the youths for the task of national reconstruction and usher in 'Hind Swaraj', the India of his dream. Gujarat Vidyapith was established as a national university without a government charter. Gandhiji was its life-long chancellor. Professor A T Gidwani was its founder vice-chancellor. Later, many more institutions, colleges and schools were affiliated to the Vidyapith. In 1923, the total number of students in these institutions stood at 30,000. After Gandhiji, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Morarji Desai adorned the post of chancellor of the Vidyapith.

University Campuses - Besides the Parisar, the Vidyapeeth has campuses in:

1. Kocharab, Shahibag and Memnagar in Ahmedabad.
2. Sadara and Randheja in Gandhinagar.
3. Dethali, Bhalada and Bamangam in Kheda.
4. Bochasan and Bhalel in Anand.
5. Ambheti in Valsad.

University Colleges:

• Mahadev Desai Samajseva Mahavidyalaya (Mahadev Desai College Of Social Work), Ahmedabad.

• Mahadev Desai Gramseva Mahavidyalaya (Mahadev Desai College Of Social Work), Sadra.             

• Mahadev Desai Shareerik Shkshan Mahavidyalaya (Mahadev Desai College of Education), Sadra.

• Mahadev Desai Gramseva Mahavidyalaya (Mahadev Desai College Of Social Work), Randheja.  

• College of Education (Shikshan Mahavidyalaya).

• Hindi Teachers Training College {Hindi Shikshak Mahavidyalaya).                                               

University Centres:

Praudh Shikshan (State Resource Centre for Adult Education).

Tribal Research & Training Institute.

Nirantar Shikshan (Continuous Education).

Gramvyavasthapan Kendra (Rural Managment Centre).

Biogas Research & Microbiology Centre.

Bhartiy Bhasa Sanskriti Sansthan.

I. T, I., Shahibaug, Ahmedabad.

Krushi Vigyan Kendra (K.V.K.), Dethali.

Krushi Vigyan Kendra (K.V.K.), Randheja.

Krushi Vigyan Kendra (K.V.K.), Ambheti.

Kocharab Ashram, Ahmedabad.

University Schools:

1. Gujarat Kumar Vinay Mandir, Ahmedabad
2. Gramseva Kendra, Dethali
3. Gramseva Kendra, Bhalada
4. Gramseva Kendra, Bochasan
5. Gramseva Kendra, Bharel
6. Gramseva Kendra, Ambheti

Location - The main campus of Gujarat Vidyapith is located on the Ashram Road, Ahmedabad. Spread over 21 acres of land, the main campus, known as "The Mahatma Gandhi Parisar".

Facilities

Central Library - The central library has 5,31,331 books, 598 journals, 33 newspapers, 691 manuscripts, 179 audio cassettes, 255 audio-visual discs, 209 microfilms, 1911 slides, 360 film-strips, 828 maps and charts, 47 records, 162 photographs and 154 CR-ROMs. Details about the titles, authors and subjects of all the books are contained in a searchable computerized database. The library has facilities for photocopying and reading of microfilms. The Central Library of the Vidyapith is the statutory referral library of the state for the purpose of copyright. The copyright section has 1,08,635 books as in the year 2005. The library comprises of the main book storage facility, reference section, copyright section, a separate hall for Gandhian studies, the magazine and journal section, a reading hall and a children's section.

University Science Instrumentation Centre - Set up under the 'Establishment of University Services Instrumentation Centre' scheme of the UGC in 1991, the Centre imparts short-term training and conducts post-graduate diploma courses in electronic and mechanical instrumentation as well as computer hardware. With a view to taking technology to villages, the Vidyapith also has a mobile unit, which camps in surrounding villages to conduct one-month courses for the rural youths.

Ramlal Parikh Bharatiya Bhasha Sansthan - With the objective of expediting national integration and spreading mutual understanding among various linguistic groups of the country, the Institute of Languages conducts short-term courses in 12 Indian and four foreign languages. There are foundation courses and advanced courses leading to certification. During 2004-05, 202 students undertook foundation courses and 50 others took advanced certification courses. The Indian languages taught here are: Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Gujarati, Sanskrit, Urdu, Telugu, Sindhi and Hindi. Foreign language courses are available for French, German, Russian and Arabic. The Institute also conducts cultural programmes and workshops on literature.

Shikshan Mahavidyala.

Hindi Shikshak Mahavidyala.

Gujarat Kumar Vinay Mandir.

Computer Centre / Department of Computer Science.

Hindi Bhavan.

Gram Vigyan Vistran Kendra.

Jamnalal Bajaj Ahimsa Shodh Bhavan.

Ramlal Parikh Bharatiya Bhasha Sansthan.

Antarrashtriya Jain Vidya Adhyayan Kendra.

State Resource Centre for Adult Education and Research.

Hostels.

Sports Complex.

Medical Centre.

Staff Qtrs.

Guest House.