KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

History

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Deemed to have come into existence on February 24th 1971 by the Act 33 of 1971 of the Kerala State Legislature, entitled 'The Agricultural University Act, 1971', the Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) became operational since February 1st 1972 when the then existing two educational and 21 research institutions administered by the Departments of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry of the Government of Kerala, were brought under one umbrella for facilitating the sustainable and accelerated development of agriculture in the State.

Territorial Jurisdiction and Location

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The University under the KAU Act is bestowed with responsibility and vested with jurisdiction extending to the entire geographic territory of the State in fulfilling its designated mandate. Located almost in the middle of the state at Vellanikkara in the Thrissur District on the National Highway (NH47) at about 13 km from the Thrissur Railway Station and 50 km from the International Airport, Kochi, the headquarters of KAU is easily accessible by road, rail and air.

KAU Institutions / Stations

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Teaching Institutions

• College of Agriculture, Vellayani P.O., Thiruvananthapuram- 695 522
  Head of Office : Dean.
  Phone : 0471-2381002 , 2381915
  Email : deanagri@kau.in, coavellayani@kau.in
• College of Horticulture, KAU P.O., Thrissur-680 656
  Head of Office : Associate Dean.
  Phone : 0487-2438301, 2370790, 2370822
  Email : adhort@kau.in, cohvka@kau.in
• College of Agriculture, Padannakkad P.O., Kasaragod - 671 328
  Head of Office : Associate Dean.
  Phone : 0467-2280616, 2282699
  Email : adpad@kau.in, coapad@kau.in
• College of Forestry, KAU P.O., Thrissur-680 656
  Head of Office : Associate Dean.
  Phone : 0487-2438401, 2370050
  Email : adforestry@kau.in, cofvka@kau.in
• College of Co-Operation, Banking & Management, KAU. P.O., Thrissur-680 656
  Head of Office : Associate Dean.
  Phone : 0487-2438501, 2370367
  Email : adccbm@kau.in, ccbm@kau.in
• Kelappaji College of Agrl. Engineering & Technology, Tavanur, Malappuram- 679 573 
  Head of Office : Dean.
  Phone : 0494-2686009, 2686214
  Email: deanengg@kau.in, kcaet@kau.in

Research Stations

Northern Zone

• Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode P.O., Kasaragod- 670 353
  Head of Office : Associate Director.
  Phone : 0467-2260632, 2260450
  E-mail: adrpil@kau.in, rarspil@kau.in
• Pepper Research Station, Panniyur, Kanhirangad P.O., Kannur  - 670 142
  Head of Office : Professor.
  Phone : 0460 - 2227287
  Email: prspanniyur@kau.in 

High Range Zone

• Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ambalavayal, Wayanad - 673 593
  Head of Office : Associate Director.
  Phone : 04936-260421, 260777
  Email : adramb@kau.in, rarsamb@kau.in
• Cardamom Research Station, Pampadumpara, Idukki -685 556
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 04868-236263
  Email : crspam@kau.in

Central Zone

• Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi, Mele Pattambi P.O., Palakkad-679 306
  Head of Office : Associate Director.
  Phone : 0466-2212228, 2212275
  Email: adrptb@kau.in, rarsptb@kau.in
• Banana Research Station, Kannara, Marakkal, Thrissur -680 652
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2699087
  Email : brskannara@kau.in
• Agronomic Research Station, Chalakudy P.O., Thrissur- 680 307
  Head of Office : Professor.
  Phone : 0480-2702116
  Email : arschalakudy@kau.in
• Cashew Research Station, Madakkathara, Thrissur- 680656
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2370339
  Email : crsmadakkathara@kau.in
• Agricultural Research Station , Anakkayam P.O., Malappuram-676 516
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone :  0483-2864739
  Email : crsanakkayam@kau.in
• Aromatic & Medicinal Plants Research Station, Odakkali, Asamannoor P.O., Ernakulam- 683 549
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0484-2658221
  Email : amprs@kau.in
• Pineapple Research Station, Vazhakulam, Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam -686 670
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0485-2260832
  Email : prsvazhakulam@kau.in
• Agricultural Research Station, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur- 680 651
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2370726
  Email : arsmannuthy@kau.in
• Plant Propagation & Nursery Management Unit, KAU P.O., Thrissur-680 656
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2438620, 2371599
  Email : centnursery@kau.in

Special Zone of Problem Areas

• Regional Agricultural Research Station, Kumarakom P.O., Kottayam-686 566
  Head of Office : Associate Director.
  Phone : 0481-2524421
  Email : adrkum@kau.in, rarskum@kau.in
• Rice Research Station, Vyttila, Kochi -682 019
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0484-2809963
  Email : rrsvyttila@kau.in
• Rice Research Station , Moncompu, Thekkekara P.O., Alappuzha-688 503
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0477-2702245
  Email : rrsmoncompu@kau.in
• Agricultural Research Station, Kallungal P.O., Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta - 689102
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0469-2604181
  Email : srsthiruvalla@kau.in

Onattukara Zone

• Onattukara Regional Agricultural Research Station , Kayamkulam P.O., Alappuzha - 690 502
  Head of Office : Project Director.
  Phone : 0479-2443192
  Email : orars@kau.in

Southern Zone

• NARP(SR), Vellayani P.O., Thiruvananthapuram - 695 522
  Head of Office : Associate Director.
  Phone : 0471-2383239
  E-mail: adrvellayani@kau.in
• Cropping Systems Research Centre, Karamana, Thiruvananthapuram - 695 002
  Head of Office : Professor.
  Phone : 0471-2343586
  Email : csrc@kau.in
• Coconut Research Station, Balaramapuram P.O., Thiruvananthapuram - 695 509
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0471-2400621
  Email : crsbalaram@kau.in
• Farming Systems Research Station, Sadananthapuram, Kottarakkara -691 550
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0474-2663535
  Email : fsrskottarakkara@kau.in

Training & Extension Centres

• Communication Centre, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur-680651
  Head of Office : Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2370773
  Email : ccmannuthy@kau.in
• Central Training Institute, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur-680651
  Head of Office : Associate Professor.
  Phone : 0487-2371104
  Email: cti@kau.in
• Agricultural Technology Information Centre, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur - 680651
  Head of Office : Associate Professor & Special Officer.
  Phone : 0487-2371340
  Email : atic@kau.in
• Information and Sales Centre, Mannuthy P.O., Thrissur - 680651
  Head of Office : Officer on Special Duty.
  Phone : 0487-2370540
  Email : atic@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sadananthapuram P.O., Kottarakkara-691 550
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0474-2454853
  Email : kvkkollam@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Pattambi, Mele Pattambi P.O., Palakkad- 679 306
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0466-2212279
  Email : kvkpalakkad@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ambalavayal P.O., Wayanad- 673 593
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 04936-260411
  Email : kvkwayanad@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, KAU P.O., Thrissur - 680 656
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0487 - 2375855
  Email : kvkthrissur@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kumarakom P.O, Kottayam - 686 566
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0481 - 2529631
  Email : kvkkottayam@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra,  Panniyur, Kanhirangad P.O., Kannur- 670 142
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0460 - 2226087
  Email : kvkkannur@kau.in
• Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Tavanur P.O., Malappuram - 679 573
  Head of Office : Program Co-ordinator.
  Phone : 0494 - 2686329
  Email : kvkmalappuram@kau.in

The Vision

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• Kerala Agricultural University is well poised to meet the challenges ahead that transforms agriculture sector into the engine of growth of Kerala's economy by providing the human resources, and skills and technology for the sustainable development of state's agriculture, all economic activities put to the production of biomass based land and water including crop production (agriculture), animal husbandry, forestry and fishery.
• Realisation of this objective renders imperative; on the one hand, the fostering the natural strengths and advantages emanating from resource endowments such as abundant rainfall, and sun shine and tropical year round biomass production capability as well as the literate and well informed human population; and on the other hand sharpening the competitive edge of Kerala's agriculture through a package of appropriate strategies, public policies, programmes technology services and investment support.
• In the specific context of Kerala's highly heterogeneous resource base and societal values, for ensuring livelihood security of the dependent population a paradigm shift in optimisation of the biophysical resource base for agriculture development is called for from the maximisation of production of specific commodities in contrast, to the maximisation of income and employment on a sustainable basis.
• The Kerala Agricultural University would strive to fulfill its commitment by reorienting and restructuring its programmes. In education at the graduate level, professionalism would be strengthened with entrepreneurship; and at the post graduate level, training would be imparted in emerging areas integrating relevant disciplines such as biotechnology, natural resource management, environment, IPR and biodiversity, WTO and global trade to mention a few.
• Research would be reoriented on pursuing a system approach to technology generation systems rather than specific commodities and focused on integrated agro-silvi-pastoral-aqua production systems and resource based livestock production; emphasis would be on product conversion and value addition rather than ending production alone.
• Extension and technology transfer would focus on group approach and area approach, and technology for production systems rather than commodities; training for entreprenuership rather than adding skills; and support services to be rendered by the single window.

Cochin University of Science and Technology(CUSAT)

The establishment of the erstwhile University of Cochin in 1971 was a commitment from the Government of Kerala towards the new scientific policy resolution adopted by the Central Government on 4th March 1958.  The birth of the new University was with the specific purpose of “development of higher education with particular emphasis on post-graduate studies and research in applied science, technology, industry and commerce”. The University of Cochin was later reorganized as Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) in February 1986.

The University’s basic philosophy and goals find eloquent expression in its Coat of Arms emblazoning the motto ‘Tejaswinavadhitamastu’ which in essence means ‘may learning illumine us both’ (the teacher and the taught). Starting from 1996-97, cusat became international in student admissions and faculty exchanges. It is strengthening contacts and collaborative tie-ups with international universities and institutions and is in the path of growth as a global centre for generation of new knowledge in frontier areas of learning. CUSAT has entered into academic collaborations and exchange programmes with many notable institutions across the USA, Europe, Russia, Japan, France, Korea etc.

Syndicate, Academic Council, Senate and the Boards of Studies in different Faculties are the Principal Authorities of the university. Syndicate is the Chief Executive Body which meets every month. The academic structure comprises of nine Faculties viz. Engineering, Environmental Studies, Humanities, Law, Marine Sciences, Medical Sciences and Technology, Science, Social Sciences and Technology. A Sophisticated Test and Instrumentation Centre (STIC) was established in 1996 in collaboration with the Government of Kerala. Centres also exist for Interdisciplinary Studies, Microprocessor Research, National Manpower Information, Rural Development & Appropriate Technology, Ocean Electronics Science in Society, Information Resource Management, Neuro Science, Creative Writing, Comparative Literature, Population Studies, Aquatic Animal Health, Monsoon Studies, Economic Policy and Analysis & Adult and Extension education.

The UGC has selected cusat as a centre for Excellence in the field of Lasers and Opto-electronic sciences for which a new Centre, CELOS has been established. The Union Ministry of HRD has acknowledged School of Legal Studies as a Depository of Intellectual Property Rights and an IPR chair has been introduced. Another prestigious chair instituted by the Ministry of HRD is Rajiv Gandhi Chair on Sustainable Development. By giving recognition to several well-established premier research institutions in the country and the Southern Naval Command of Indian Navy, the University has brought within its reach the resources available in these institutions for the use of the academic community. Specialisations are available in almost all Faculties/Departments for higher studies and research.

The Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India has adjudged CUSAT as an institution to be upgraded to the level of IIT. The first installment of the development aid has been received by the University during April 2006 and the modification works to upgrade CUSAT as the new breed Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) are going in full swing. The university has a 180 acre campus at Thrikkakara and a Lakeside campus at Kochi besides an Engineering College campus at Pulinkunnu, Alappuzha, the ‘rice bowl’ of Kerala. The Lakeside campus located in Ernakulam houses the Schools of Marine Sciences, Industrial Fisheries and a Men’s hostel. Located 15 km. north of Ernakulam city, the main campus at Thrikkakara houses Teaching and Research Departments, Auxiliary Institutions, Hostels, Guest houses, Visiting Faculty Complex, Coffee house, centre for Information Resource Management, University library, Post office, Bank, Health centre, Playgrounds, Courts and a Gymnasium besides the main Administrative Building that reminds of the traditional Kerala architecture.

Kerala University

The Founder Chancellor along with Pro-Chancellor, VC, PVC and Registrar

A Brief History of the University

One of the first 16 Universities in India, the University of Kerala was founded as the University of Travancore in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore (now southern part of Kerala and some neighbouring parts of state of Tamilnadu) in 1937. During the 7 decades since the University of Kerala grew and shrunk physically and transformed itself in many ways. It is difficult to summarise what the Kerala University is in a brief space.

The earliest origins of the University may be traced back to two institutions of modern learning in Kerala, the University College, Thiruvananthapuram and the Trivandrum Observatory. The University College was initially founded as the Maharaja’s Free School by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal in 1834, with Mr John Roberts. A Christian Missonary as Headmaster, and soon grew into a college in 1866, affiliated to the Madras University. When the University of Travancore was founded, the Departments of the college became the University Departments, only to switch back again when the transformation to University of Kerala happened in 1957. The University College still retains its connection with the University as an affiliated college. The Trivandrum Observatory was founded in 1838 and had an internationally reputed scientist, John Caldecott FRS as its first Director. It became a part of the Travancore University, but for some time was administered as a independent government institution. It is now the oldest institution under the Kerala University.

The University of Travancore was established in 1937 by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who was also the first Chancellor of the University. Sir C. P Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan (Prime minister) of the State was the first Vice-Chancellor. He was an eminent scholar and an able administrator.  It is said the Government made an unsuccessful attempt to invite Albert Einstein to be the first Vice-Chancellor. The University was modelled after the best Universities of the United Kingdom, and even today retains some of these features. The affiliating system of the University however evolved to be different from the college system in British Universities.

Campuses 

Only ten colleges within the State of Travancore, which were at that time affiliated to the Madras University, became the affiliated colleges of the University of Travancore. In 1954, the unified state of Kerala came into being with most of Travancore and whole of state of Cochin and Malabar area of Madras presidency becoming part of it. The Kerala University Act (Act 14 of 1957) was brought into force and the University of Travancore was renamed University of Kerala. The University had three campuses located in three different parts of the State viz. Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode. The number of affiliated colleges grew phenomenally. However, in 1968, the University Centre at Kozhikode became a full-fledged University, the University of Calicut, affiliating the colleges located in Thrissur, Palakkad, Kozhikode and Kannur districts of Kerala and transforming the Kozhikkode Centre into University Departments. The Cochin University of Science and Technology – CUSAT -- (1971), Kerala Agricultural University (1971) and Mahatma Gandhi University (1983) were subsequently established, with CUSAT taking over the University’s centre at Cochin. These developments have shrunk the jurisdiction of the University of Kerala to Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha Districts and some parts of Pathanamthitta District.

At present, the University has sixteen faculties and forty one departments of teaching and research in addition to study centres and other departments. Teaching, Research and Knowledge extension are the mandate of the Departments. They primarily focus on post-graduate (masters) programmes, MPhil programmes (1-year research degree) and doctoral research. In 2007, the University awarded over 100 PhDs. (University’s research activities are also going on in select affiliated colleges and other recognised research centres in and outside the state). The University has had in its faculties eminent scholars who were trained under legendary figures (Sir C V Raman’s student in Dept of Physics, Prof S R Ranganathan’s student in Library Science and Prof Benjamin Bloom’s student in Dept of Education). Some of the faculty members themselves were legends, such as famous poet K Ayyappa Panciker, Oriental scholar T Ganapathi Sasthri etc. The total number of full-time students in the University Departments is above 2000 including research students and a modest number of foreign students.  The Institute of Distance Education offers a number of under-graduate and post graduate programmes which cater to more than 7000 students, all over the country and abroad.

The University has also a number of study centres in specialised areas such as Nano-technology, Kerala Studies, Bioinformatics, Womens Studies, Learning Difficulties, Sree Narayana Studies, Gandhian Studies etc. Some of these centres have taught programmes (Certificate/Diploma/Masters/Mphil) and many offer PhD programmes. The University has also established 10 University College of Teacher Education (UTEC) and 8 University Institute of Technologies (UIT) both of which offer under-graduate programmes (BEd in UTECs and BSc Computer Science/IT, Electronics/BBA in UITs), although masters programmes are available in select UITs. The University College of Engineering at Karyavattom offers Engineering Education at Undergraduate level. These institutions together have student strength of more than 5000.

The University has over 150 affiliated colleges. The role of the University is in prescribing courses of study and conducting examinations and issuing certificates. The day-to-day administration of these institutions is not under the purview of the University. However, these institutions form a major part of the University. Of these 60 are Arts and Science colleges. There are 2 Law colleges, 17 Engineering Colleges, 9 MBA/MCA Colleges, 37 Teacher Training Colleges, 4 Medical Colleges, 4 Ayurveda colleges, 2 Homeopathy Colleges, one Siddha Medical College, 3 Dental colleges, 10 Nursing Colleges, 4 Pharmacy Colleges, 2 Fine Arts Colleges, and a Music College. The University also has a National College of Physical Education affiliated to it.  The total number of students in these colleges crosses 84,000.

The University follows the Choice based credit and semester system for all post-graduate (masters) programmes and is in the process of introducing this at under-graduate (bachelors) level. Semesters typically fall during the months of Aug-January and February-July.

The University has a very democratic system of functioning. Its supreme bodies – Senate and Academic Council have large number of elected members and students are represented in both. The executive body of the University, the Syndicate also has a student representative in it (for the first time in Indian Universities, in 1977). The University policies are aimed at student empowerment in every field. The University Union is an active presence in the University life since 1939. To serve the students who are away from the head-quarters at Trivandrum, University Study Centres have been set up with UGC assistance, at Kollam, Alappuzha and Pandalam. Besides these, there are 13 Taluk Information Centres. The University also supplies information to students through the Help-desks in affiliated colleges. The Co-ordinator of the National Service Scheme Programme and the Director of the Student Services organize youth welfare activities with the active co-operation of the University Students’ Union. The University bagged the Indira Gandhi National Award for the best NSS activities in 2005. Department of Physical Education of the University nurtures sports among students. It has gifted to the country outstanding sportsmen and women. The University stadium in the heart of the city has a world-class synthetic track. The University has a Main Library built in ………….style near its city campus and caters to all students, staff and public. In addition to this Karyavattom campus has a Campus Library. Department libraries and College libraries complete the information service to students.

In addition to Depts, Centres and Affiliated colleges, the University has a number of other institutions under it. The Academic Staff College set up with aid of the University Grants Commission, offers in-service courses to teachers in higher education and has trained over 15,000 teachers all over the country. It has been repeatedly rated as the best in the country. The Centre for Adult & Continuing Education (CACEE) aims at ‘further education of the educated’ for which it received UNESCO- NLM award for literacy in 2005. The Department of Publications, one of the oldest Departments of the University, has brought out several noteworthy publications including Saraswathi Kantabharanam, a treatise on Sanskrit Grammar, the five volume Kerala Sahitya Charithram  by Mahakavi Ulloor S. Parameswara Ayyar and Sahithya Nayakanmar (Men of Letters) Series, Chitra Ramayana, based on palm-leaf manuscripts and the recent  English and Malayalam translations of Hortus Malabaricus, the classical treatise on the plant wealth of Asia and the tropics. A massive Malayalam Lexicon is attempted by the Lexicon Dept. Seven volumes of the proposed eleven-volume Malayalam Lexicon have been released so far and the editing work of the remaining four volumes is progressing.  The University Computer Centre, which has a long history (back to the use of a Czech made Electro-Mechanical Computer Arithma in 1950s and Core-Memory based IBMs and Indian made TDC in 1970s), today spearheads the University’s e-Governance initiatives. Computing support for research is no longer centralised, with the advent of affordable desk-top computing power.  The University’s main campus in Karyavattom is firmly connected to the cyber highway with broad-band connection flowing into hundreds of computers. The university web site has also evolved since 2000 to become an indispensable cyber forum that connects the university community and serves information to all stake holders.

Here are some of the unique facts about the University of Kerala:

• The University has been publishing since 1946 the Journal of Indian History, a prominent publication in the area. The International Journal of Kerala Studies is also similarly an established Journal.
• The Manuscript Library of the University is a treasure trove of Indian culture. The library has over 65,000 works in 30,000 copies mainly of palm leaf manuscripts. In addition, some paper manuscripts, a few copper plates, writings on Bhurjapatra (birch bark), Agarutvak (the bark of Amyris agallocha) and textiles are also found in the collection. The manuscript collection also includes those belonging to other different Indian states and nations such as Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Nepal etc. About eighty per cent of the collections are in Sanskrit. The initial moulds of scripts of modern Indian languages like Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Oriya, Assamese and Burmese are also found.
• The Centre for Adult & Continuing Education (CACEE) received the UNESCO- NLM award for literacy in 2005.
• The first world Malayalam Conference was organised by the University of Kerala in 1977.
• The University has honoured many scholars, scientists and technologists, artists and  thought leaders with honorary degrees. Amartya Sen,  K. J. Yesudas, Laurie Baker, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, Bharatha Rathna M S Subbalakshmi, Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer, Harikesanallur Muthaiha Bhagavathar, O N V Kurup, G Madhavan Nair, Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Ilya Prigogine are among the recepients.
• The University Grants Commission has identified the University as one of the 26 institutions selected for promotion of India Studies by foreign students.
• The University Degree Certificates with Hologram and over 112 security features to prevent counter-feiting.
• The National Assessment and Accreditation Committee has placed the University at the B++ grade.
• University’s supreme bodies – Senate and Academic Council and the executive body of the University, the Syndicate, also has student representation in it (for the first time in Indian Universities, in 1977). The University Union is an active presence in the University life since 1939 .

Mahatma Gandhi University

Mahatma Gandhi University, one of the four affiliating universities in Kerala, is the premier educational institution that strives to fulfil the higher educational needs of the people of Central Kerala. Set on the sprawling 110-acre campus called Priyadarshini Hills at Athirampuzha, 13 kms off Kottayam, the University also has seven satellite campuses in parts of Kottayam and the neighbouring districts. The University was established on 2 October 1983 and has jurisdiction over the revenue districts of Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki and parts of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. It is a University that conducts a range of programmes at the undergraduate, postgraduate, M Phil and doctoral levels through its 16 University Departments, 7 Self-Financing Departments, 82 Aided AffiliatedColleges (of which 8 are Colleges with Potential for Excellence), 158 Unaided Affiliated Colleges and 73 Recognized Research Institutes. It imparts education in the conventional disciplines of science, social science and the humanities as well as in the professional disciplines of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, engineering, technology, pedagogy and legal studies. The University has also made its educational presence felt outside its territorial jurisdiction through the Off-campus Centres of the Schoolof Distance Education.

         From its inception and through the last two decades Mahatma Gandhi University has taken immense strides in the fields of inter-disciplinary teaching and research in the areas of pure and applied sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The teaching programmes conducted under the Credit and Semester System (CSS) in the statutory departments of teaching and research, organized as interdisciplinary Schools, are marked by their innovative curricula and their learner-oriented approaches. CSS is a student-friendly system that fosters interactive acquisition of knowledge in a multi-disciplinary context. The students are made familiar with the latest developments in their subjects of study. The University has always promoted the healthy practice of designing and revising its curricula and syllabi through discussions and deliberations carried out in a democratic way among the members of the academic community. The faculty of the University comprise outstanding scholars, many of whom have made original contributions in their respective fields of specialization. The faculty and research scholars of several departments have gained widespread recognition for the commendable quality of their research publications. The research journals published by some of the Schools have garnered international recognition.

         The University’s adoption of interdisciplinarity as the basic conceptual plank for the organization of individual departments is prompted by the understanding that interdisciplinary knowledge is path-breaking, far reaching and non-linear in its effect, compared to what conventional forms of knowledge are capable of doing within the confines of discrete disciplines. Appreciating the trend of several non-conventional areas of knowledge emerging across physical, natural and social sciences, the University has chosen to organize its academic departments as interdisciplinary schools where multiple disciplines co-exist and interact with one another. Teaching and research in the interfaces of conventional disciplines has been an idea promoted by the UGC too. Nevertheless, the overall academic practice of a majority of our universities is still structured by the dominance of discipline-based teaching and research. It is true that the disciplinary paradigm continues to maintain its hegemony over the University system all over the world and that it does this through its various institutionalized forms and practices. The organizational practice of creating institutions of interdisciplinary knowledge itself has been a great learning experience for the academics in Mahatma Gandhi University. One has to come to terms with the emergence of micro areas of knowledge that turn themselves into sub-disciplines, each of which in turn, aided by such factors as institutions, laboratories and journals, transform into a new discipline. As part of our effort to overcome this stalemate, we have initiated the constitution of Centres of Convergence around integrated knowledge areas. Knowledge generated beyond disciplines and across interfaces is strikingly fresh, regenerative and convergent. The convergence, however fast the process may be, is yet to throw up identifiable institutions of transaction and channels of communication commensurate with the needs of the academia. However, a good deal of the research output from Mahatma Gandhi University bears the stamp of non-conventional knowledge produced in the interface of conventional disciplines.

         At present Mahatma Gandhi University offers research programmes in over forty disciplines through its own Schools as well as through its approved research centres. The University has close collaboration for academic, research and extension programmes with a number of national agencies and institutions including the UGC, FIST, DRS, ISRO, COSIT, CSIR, DAAD, STEC, ICMR, BARC, MOEF, ICCR, ICHR, IED, IIFT, Institute of Chinese Studies and the Sahitya Akademi. The University is also involved in active collaboration with research institutions of international reputation such as the Max Planck Institute of Technology, Germany, Brown University, USA,University of Nantes, France, California Institute of Technology, USA, University of Toronto, Canada, Catholic University, Belgium,Heidelberg University, Germany, and the Institute of Political Studies, Rennes, France. Some of the members of the faculty have proved to be frontrunners in the development of indigenous technologies and are holders of as many as twenty patents, including four USpatents. A considerable percentage of the alumni of the University are comfortably placed in the country and abroad as academics, scientists and professionals.

         The University has been able to make these gains thanks to the healthy environment of academic interaction that exists on the campus. The students will vouch for the atmosphere of cordiality and fellowship that marks the campus life here. All components of the teaching-learning system contribute toward making the process of learning a memorable experience. Though the rural, tribal and underprivileged background from which a good majority of the students come might pose some initial hurdles before some of the students, they smoothly overcome the hurdles and catch up with the environment. This is due mainly to the student support and other services available on the campus. The web-enabled University Library with its large collection of books, journals and e-journals, the online Theses Digital Library that provides open access to its enviable collection of digitized Ph D dissertations, the publishing unit which has brought out hundreds of titles in Malayalam, English and Hindi, the facilities available at the School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for developing physical culture, the ecologically sensitive extension programmes initiated by the University Departments and the National Service Scheme, the Students’ Web Centre that provides round-the-clock web-support to the campus community, the coaching and placement services provided by the Department of Student Services and the University Employment Information and Guidance Bureau, and the general administrative support that the academic community receive from the University administration – all these work in tandem with the academic business transacted in the University Departments and make the learning experience a holistic one.

         Mahatma Gandhi University is one of the earliest among the universities in Kerala to move towards a degree of financial sustainability by starting in a big way self-financing departments that, while answering the need of the society for quality education in the professional sector, would also take the University out of the crisis that it had found itself in the context of the state’s severe resource crunch. The University has been conducting a number of innovative and vocational courses in the professional disciplines of technology, applied sciences and paramedical sciences that has also to some degree satisfied the society’s increasing demand for new and competitive courses and degrees that can be acquired at moderate rates of fee.

         In doing all this, Mahatma Gandhi University is moving forward with a clear vision of its educational objectives.

Calicut University A BRIEF HISTORY

Established in 1968, Calicut University has become a veritable lighthouse beckoning and directing millions of young men and women towards meaningful education. Today, it has emerged the largest University in Kerala with 25 Departments of postgraduate studies and research, under its direct control and 191 affiliated colleges spread across the five northern districts of Kerala–Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad – serving about 2.75 lakh students every year.

Genesis

The University of Calicut came into being as a result of the foresightedness of the visionary leards like C.H. Mohammed Koya, C. Achutha Menon, and K.P. Kesava Monon who are no more with us now. They realised that the Kerala University centres at Cochin and Calicut were inadequate for a balanced growth of the higher education in Kerala. They wanted new universities, in particular, a full fledged University which could open the doors of higher education to the youth of northern Kerala. At this juncture, matters took a turn for the better. The late C.H. Mohammed Koya, for whom setting up Calicut University was more than a cherished dream, became the Kerala Education Minister.

	Soon, with the encouragement of the then Kerala Chief Minister, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, he constituted a 22–member committee of experts to examine the question of establishing new universities in the State. The Committee headed by Prof. Samuel Mathai, the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala University, consisted of eminent educationists and public figures such as late K.P. Kesava Menon, late P.P. Hassan Koya, late P.K. Abdul Gafoor, P. Govinda Pillai and late K.C. Chacko. After several rounds of meetings at Calicut , Cochin and Trivandrum , the Committee in its report unanimously recommended the immediate establishment of a University in Calicut to organise post-graduate departments of studies and research and to affiliate all colleges in the northern districts.Formation of a federal university at Trikakkara, Cochin was another recommendation of the Committee. Armed with these recommendations, C.H. swung into action and appointed K.C. Chacko, Director of Technical Education as the Special Officer and M. Abdul Rahim, Municipal Commissioner, as Administrative Officer for the formation of the University at Calicut .
In the meantime, at the behest of the Kerala Government, the UGC’s special commission headed by Dr. P.S. Reddi, the Vice-Chancellor of Osamania University, visited the State to examine its proposal for new universities. Based on the Reddi Commission report, the UGC on July 3, 1968 gave concurrence for the creation of a University at Calicut. C.H, a man of quick action, could not wait for the convening of the State Legislative Assembly to pass a legislation for the formation of Calicut University . On July 23, 1968 he got an Ordinance issued creating the University. Thus came into being the University of Calicut . Several other actions followed in quick succession: K.C. Chacko, Special Officer, was appointed the first Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University; the University was formally inaugurated at a public function on August 12, 1968; the Calicut University Bill was passed by the State Legislative Assembly on August 29, 1968; and statutory bodies such as the Senate, Syndicate, Academic Council, Faculties and Boards of Studies were constituted. This was just the beginning. Much more has to be done – developing the University campus with all the infrastructure such as, buildings for teaching departments and administration, hostels for students, recruiting manpower and more importantly, designing and launching new academic programmes. To carry out these tasks, the need was for a Vice-Chancellor who could guide, develop and lay a firm foundation for the growth of the University. The search led to the most suitable person, Dr. M.M. Ghani, Director, Regional Institute of English, Bangalore . He assumed office as the first Vice-Chancellor on May 31, 1969.   While C.H. founded the University, the first Vice-Chancellor Dr. Ghani, an academic administrator par-excellence, devoted every moment of his six year long tenure in giving it a strong foundation, a prerequisite to achieve the goal of spreading higher education in northern Kerala. In his endeavour, he had the wholehearted support of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and the 15-member nominated Syndicate.
Dr. Ghani Era It was during the tenure of this team that a master plan for campus development was drawn to meet the most immediate and long term needs. The immediate requirements of buildings for the university offices, teaching departments and hostels were met speedily. The Vice-Chancellor’s office temporarily located at the Government Polytechnic, Kozhikode was shifted to the campus in October 1969. By June 1970, the four teaching departments of Botany, Chemistry, History and Zoology were shifted to the campus. In that year, quite a few of the teachers, students and administrative staff took up residence on the campus. Their presence on the campus added momentum to the development of infrastructure, much of which was completed in a record time of about three years. These included various types of quarters for staff, guest house, hostels, teachers’ hostel, health centre, library, campus roads, indoor stadium and water supply system.
By 1974, work on the construction of permanent buildings for each of the science departments, a block for four language departments and the administration building was under progress. When Dr. Ghani laid down the office at the beginning of the Fifth Plan period in 1975, the University had made considerable progress. The number of departments had increased from 4 to 11, UGC sanction had been obtained for starting seven more departments during the fifth plan period, the University Centre at Tellicherry had been established and the Trichur Centre was being readied. Besides offering post-graduate courses, the Departments had begun to take up research projects with financial assistance from external agencies. Doctoral programmes in a few disciplines got stabilized. There was significant progress in the constituent colleges too. Their number had risen from 54 in 1968 to 70 at the end of 1975. Quite a few of these colleges had begun new courses. Matching the impressive growth, there were several concerted efforts to bring about qualitative changes in the teaching and learning process at the graduate and post-graduate levels. Two of the most salient attempts in this direction were: a series of orientation and short-term courses organised to upgrade the knowledge and skills of teachers and the Examination Reforms Programme, a unique experiment that has served as a model to several universities in the country. In the subsequent years of the Fifth, Sixth Seventh and the Eight Plan periods, the University made commendable progress on all fronts under the leadership of its successive Vice-Chancellors – Dr. Noor Muhammad, Prof. K.A. Jaleel, Dr. T.N. Jayachandran, Prof. T.K. Raveendran and Dr. A.N.P. Ummerkutty, Prof. K.K.N. Kurup and Prof. Syed Iqbal Hasnain.

Expansion Phase

The Fifth Plan period in particular, remains an important phase in the development history of Calicut University . Despite severe stress and strain it made significant progress by expanding academic programmes, improving the quality of education and by creating infrastructure to provide adequate support for on-going and future programmes. A major development in this period was the establishment of nine new Departments, seven with UGC assistance and two with the University’s resources. These were: the Departments of Economics (at Thrissur), Mathematics, Psychology, Philosophy, Mass Communication and Russian in 1976; the Department of Sanskrit and the School of Drama (at Thrissur) in 1977; and the Departments of Library and Information Sciences, and Life Sciences in 1978. The second most important development was the launching of M.Phil courses in Hindi, Malayalam and History in 1976, Arabic in 1977 and Physics in 1980. The first M. Phil programme to be launched by the University was English, in 1975.

The third major activity during the Fifth Plan was the commencement of the UGC sponsored College Science Improvement Programme at the Department of Physics under the University Leadership Project. The programme's objectives included compilation of a data bank on teaching of Physics in colleges, training of colleges teachers and assisting colleges in setting up small workshops/laboratories with UGC assistance. The academic-support infrastructure created during this period consisted of a Botanical Garden with a green house, a Radiation Laboratory in the Department of Physics and a Central Workshop and Instrumentation Laboratory, later named University Science Instrumentation Centre.  By the end of 1980, the administrative office and the Science departments of Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Zoology had been moved into permanent buildings. The language departments’ building had neared completion. Yet another major facility that neared completion was the construction of a filter plant on the campus. With its commissioning in 1982, the University fulfilled the long-felt need for uncontaminated water supply on the campus. During the Sixth and Seventh Plan periods spanning the 80s, the University in consonance with its policy focused primarily on consolidation and strengthening of on-going teaching and research programmes of the University Departments and constituent colleges. In pursuance of this policy, curricula of most of the courses were revised and some courses restructured on an experimental basis. To complement these objectives, the teaching Departments, particularly the under staffed ones were provided with additional faculty and, the laboratories equipped with new equipment utilizing UGC’s equipment grant. With these initiatives, the University by the end of the Seventh Plan, had come to achieve the objective of uplifting the Departments to a higher level on the development scale. While the Department of Botany attained the developed status, four other departments- chemistry, Hindi, History and Zoology reached the threshold of the developed category. The other departments, though remaining in the developing category, launched news courses – post-graduate and pre-doctoral by some and job-oriented diploma and certificate courses by some others.   The University opened two new departments during the Seventh Plan period. The first one was the Department of Anthropology at Tellicherry in 1986 and the Department of Statistics in 1988 by bifurcating the Department of Mathematics.   Besides these, the University was chosen by the UGC to implement two major schemes – the Academic Staff College which was set up in 1987, and the University Leadership programme in History at the Department of History in 1988. To mitigate the problems of students in acquiring reasonably priced and good quality text books, the University set up a Publication Division in 1989. In addition to the text books for degree students, the Division has published over 40 research publications as non-text books. It also publishes five research journals.  In the Eighth Plan period the University was geared to further strengthen and bring about overall qualitative changes in the academic programmes so as to meet the challenges set before it by new social, economic, academic and technology imperatives. During this period, the University established two departments funded by external agencies. The first one was the Department of Biotechnology set up in 1995 with financial assistance of the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, to conduct teaching and research programmes in Biotechnology at the post graduate level. The second was the Audio Visual Research Centre with cent percent funding of the UGC. The Centre produces educational video programmes for broadcast on DD Network – DD1, Vyas, The Higher educational Channel, DD Bharathi and Gyandarshan.   In the latter part of the 90s, the University launched a variety of cost-based courses to meet the demand for trained personnel in the areas of computer application and engineering, food technology, fashion design. The University also set up 11 teacher Education Centres to conduct the Bachelor of Education programme (B.Ed) course. In 1997, the Kunhali Marakkar Centre for West Asian Studies was setup at Vatakara to conduct teaching and research programmes with focus on West Asian Studies. In 1999, the Centre for Folklore studies was established at Vatakara. The Centre besides conducting a Master course in Folklore studies, conducts research and document the folklore tradition of Kerala.   The Colleges Scenario The University to a large extent has succeeded in realizing the objective of making college education accessible to millions of young men and women of northern Kerala. The 54 constituent colleges with which the University embarked on its journey were more than inadequate to carry it further toward its goal. More colleges had to be set up. In the first decade of its history (1968-’77), the growth in the number of colleges was slow with only 20 colleges being added. The next five years (1978-’82) however, remains an important phase in which as many as 19 colleges were established, keeping in view the sudden surge in student population seeking admission for college level courses. With this, the strength of colleges rose to 93. Eight more colleges were opened in the decade 1983-’92, raising the strength of affiliated colleges to 101. This decade, though not important from the viewpoint of numerical growth, stands out for the expansion and diversification of courses in the colleges. While some introduced graduate courses, some others launched postgraduate programmes. In the latter part of the decade in particular, 14 junior colleges started graduate courses and thereby elevated themselves to the status of first grade colleges. As over 85 per cent of the student population receives education in colleges, the UGC felt the need for proper planning and integrated development of colleges in the University. Accordingly, the University in 1988 set up the College Development Council headed by a Director. In the subsequent decade (1993-2002), there was an impressive numerical growth. As many as 37 new colleges came into being taking the tally from 101 at the end of 1992 to 138 at the end of 2002. Today, the University has 191 affiliated colleges. Of these, 95 are arts/science/IHRDcolleges, 22 engineering colleges, 20 Arabic colleges, 20 training colleges, 12 nursing colleges, 8 pharmacy colleges besides 5 medical colleges, 4 Ayurveda colleges, 2 Dental colleges, 2 law colleges and 1 Homeo College. The distribution of these colleges in fairly even in the five districts which are under the jurisdiction of the University. The district wise break up is: Kozhikode – 52 colleges, Thrissur – 52 colleges, Malappuram – 53 colleges, Palakkad – 29 colleges and Wayanad – 5 colleges. The impressive scenario of colleges owes much to the enthusiasm of private educational organizations, which own over 150 colleges. The remaining are run by the State Government. These 191 colleges have an annual sanctioned intake-capacity of nearly 31,000.   The student enrolment for regular courses in colleges has also registered a many-fold growth. In 1968, the University Departments and colleges together had about 44,000 students. The slow but steady growth in the first decade (1968-’77) registered a sudden surge in 1980 when the growth rate touched a high of 23.7 per cent taking the enrolment strength to 86,000 from about 65,000 in 1979. The enrolment crossed the one lakh mark in 1983 and touched a high of 1.24 lakh in 1991. In 1992 the total strength had declined slightly to a little over 1.12 lakh. An equally large number enroll as private students, especially for the pre-degree courses.   The Unviersity’s effort in giving a fillip to the development of sports and games by setting up a Department of Physical Education has paid rich dividends. In several track and field events, the University teams have come to establish their supremacy in regional and national meets. P.T.Usha, Shiny Wilson, Anju Bobby George are just a few athletes of the University who have made the nation proud through their stellar performance in international meets.  Colleges in Calicut university  As many as 304 colleges are affiliated to the University. Of these, 83 are located in Kozhikode district, 72 in Thrissur, 82 in Malappuram, 50 in Palakkad and 10 in Wayanad district. The breakup in terms for the subjects of study is: 123 Arts and Science Colleges, 61 Training Colleges, 30 Engineering/Technical Colleges, 7 Medical Colleges, 3 Para Medical College, 6 Ayurveda Colleges, 2 Law Colleges,   23 Atabic/Oriental Title Colleges, 11 I. H. R. D. centres, 4 Management Studies Colleges, 1 Music College, 1 Fine Arts College, 1 College of Physical Education,20 Nursing colleges, 7 Dental Colleges, 9 Pharmacy colleges, 1 Homoeopathy college and 2 colleges for  Hotel Management. As many as 88 colleges, offer both graduate and post graduate courses in various subjects. The impressive scenario of colleges owes much to the enthusiasm of private educational organizations, which own over 182 colleges. The remaining are run by the State Government. These 297 colleges have an annual sanctioned intake-capacity of nearly 70,000.