University of Burdwan (also known as Burdwan University or B. U.) is a public state research university located in Bardhaman, also known as Burdwan, in West Bengal, India. It was established by the West Bengal Government as a teaching and affiliating university on 15 June 1960 with six postgraduate departments and 30 undergraduate colleges spread over three districts that come under the jurisdiction of the university. The university currently offers more than 30 undergraduate and 66 postgraduate courses. It has grown as the second largest state university in West Bengal after University of Calcutta. Over the years, the University has consistently performed in the NIRF ranking by securing rank within top 100 under 'University' Category and occupied the rank of 89, 92, 85 and 87 in the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
History
The University of Burdwan was established on 15 June 1960, under the state university category of Government of West Bengal with Sukumar Sen , an esteemed Indian Civil Services officer and the first Chief Election Commissioner of India, as its inaugural Vice-Chancellor. The university's foundation was significantly influenced by the abolition of the Zamindari system in the 1950s.Sir Uday Chand Mahtab Maharajadhiraja Bahadur, the last scion of the Burdwan Raj, exhibited extraordinary generosity by bequeathing almost the entirety of his ancestral estate to the state government. This, combined with the visionary efforts of the then Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, paved the way for the establishment of this prestigious institution. Today, administrative functions are primarily conducted at the Rajbati campus, the former palace of the Barddhaman Maharaja, while academic activities predominantly take place at the Golapbag campus.
In its nascent stage, the university commenced operations with a focus on the humanities. A year later, the science faculties were introduced, aligning with the university's original vision of fostering a bias towards science and technology to meet the industrial demands of the time. This vision was further realised with the establishment of the Burdwan Medical College and the Regional Engineering College in Durgapur. Presently, the university boasts around 22 postgraduate departments across various disciplines. Notably, the University Institute of Technology (UIT), recently established under the university's direct control, has received approval from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), after the establishment of National Institute of Technology, Durgapur replacing the REC Durgapur.
The university offers a diverse array of courses, including those in physical education, B.Ed., foreign languages, computer applications, and population education. Additionally, the university is home to an Adult Continuing Education Centre and an Academic Staff College. Rajbati, the university's administrative centre, houses a museum and art gallery, showcasing artefacts that include pottery from prehistoric times.
The university's Distance Education wing offers postgraduate education in various subjects and professional undergraduate courses. With a strong sense of social responsibility, the university has actively supported the establishment of the Meghnad Saha Planetarium and a Science Centre. Moreover, the university has founded a Rural Technology Centre, named after Shri Binoy Krishna Choudhury, a former West Bengal government minister, to provide vocational training and create self-employment opportunities for rural youth. Future plans include the development of a centre for creative arts.
Campuses The University of Burdwan has multiple campuses spread across Bardhaman. These campuses house various academic departments, research centers, and administrative offices.
Golapbag Campus
The Golapbag Campus is the university's primary academic hub, spread across a vast area with lush greenery. It houses various science, humanities, engineering, and technology departments. Several research laboratories and academic buildings are located here. The University Institute of Technology, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs in engineering, is situated within this campus.
Rajbati Campus
The Rajbati Campus is the administrative headquarters of the university. It is located near the Bardhaman Railway Station. This campus includes the Vice-Chancellor's Secretariat, the Registrar's Office, and central administrative units. It also houses the University Central Library and several research centers. The campus features heritage buildings from the colonial era.
Tara Bag Campus The Tara Bag Campus primarily focuses on business and management studies. It accommodates the School of Management along with seminar and conference halls. The campus has girls hostels and quarters of the teaching and non teaching staff. Here also has a university guest house.
Facilities The university provides various facilities for students and staff. The University Health Centre offers medical services. The Central Library has an extensive collection of books, journals, and digital resources. The Sports Complex includes facilities for athletics and student recreation.
Organisation and administration Governance Burdwan University is an autonomous state university, with the Governor of West Bengal serving as its Chancellor. The daily administration of the university is overseen by the Vice-Chancellor, who is appointed by the Governor based on the recommendations of the state government. The Vice-Chancellor is supported in this role by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, typically a senior faculty member and also for the Faculty of Engineering and Technology. +Administrative Council of Burdwan University Rank Position Current office holder(s)1 Chancellor R. N. Ravi2Vice ChancellorSankar Kumar Nath3Pro-Vice ChancellorVacant4RegistrarDr. Arijit Chatterjee5Controller of ExaminationDr. Anindya Jyoti Pal6Financial OfficerDr. Sougata Chakrabarti7Dean (Engineering & Technology)Abhijit Mazumdar8Dean (Science)9Dean (Arts, Commerce, Law, MBA, Fine Arts & Music)Partha Pratim Das10The President of WBCHSEMosiur Rahaman11The President of WBBSEVacant12The President of WBBMEMd. Fazle Rabbi13The Chairperson of UGCVineet Joshi, IAS14The Chairperson of NCTEPankaj Arora15AICTE NominatedV. R. Desai, IIT-KGP16Principal of UIT17Head of the Departments (HoD)Various18Principal of Affiliated CollegesVarious
List of All Vice-Chancellors No. Name 1.Sukumar Sen, ICS2.Braja Kanta Guha, ICS3.Dr. Dhirendra Mohan Sen4.Param Nath Bhaduri5.Ramaranjan Mukherji6.Shashi Bhusan Choudhury7.Ramaranjan Mukherjee8.Birendra Nath Goswami9.Shankari Prosad Banerjee10.Mohit Bhattacharya11.Dilip Kumar Basu12.Amit Kumar Mallik13.Subrata Pal14.Dr. Shoroshimohan Dan15.Smriti Kumar Sarkar16.Nimai Chandra Saha17.Biswajit Ghosh18.Goutam Chandra19.Sankar Kumar Nath (Incumbent)
Faculties and departments The University of Burdwan has 39 departments(considering UIT as FET or a separate department of engineering which is governed independently) organized into two faculty councils. + Departments Faculty Departments Faculty Council of Arts, Law & Commerce Faculty of Engineering & Technology Faculty Council of Science
Centre List of Centre of University of Burdwan University Science & Instrumentation Centre Centre for Distance and Online Learning Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre Swami Vivekananda Advance Research Centre Binoy Krishna Choudhury Rural Technology Centre Lifelong Learning Centre Sports Board National Service Scheme (NSS)
University Institute of Technology (UIT)
University Institute of Technology, The University of Burdwan (abbr. UITBU) represents the Faculty of Engineering & Technology (FET), constituent to The University of Burdwan, located in Burdwan, West Bengal. It is the only Government Engineering Public Technical Institute located in Purba Bardhaman. Earlier it represented the faculty of Engineering that was at National Institute of Technology, Durgapur since its inception. This college building was inaugurated in 2001 by the then chief minister of West Bengal Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.
Jurisdictions Burdwan University now serves as an academic hub for over 74 affiliated colleges, with its jurisdiction extending across Birbhum district, Purba Bardhaman district and Hooghly district (except the Srirampore subdivision) The university's affiliation ensures that these institutions adhere to a high standard of education, offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses in various disciplines. Through its affiliation, Burdwan University provides academic guidance, curriculum development, and examination services, ensuring that the quality of education remains consistent and rigorous across all its colleges. This extensive network not only supports the educational needs of the region but also contributes significantly to the cultural and intellectual fabric of Radh Bengal. Some of the colleges are listed below:
Aghorekamini Prakashchandra Mahavidyalaya Arambagh Girls' College Burdwan Raj College Bejoy Narayan Mahavidyalaya Birbhum Mahavidyalaya Bolpur College Galsi Mahavidyalaya Government General Degree College, Mangalkote Gushkara Mahavidyalaya Hooghly Mohsin College Hooghly Women's College Kabi Joydeb Mahavidyalaya Kalna College Katwa College Maharajadhiraj Uday Chand Women's College Mankar College Memari College Netaji Mahavidyalaya Purni Devi Chaudhuri Girls' College Syamsundar College Tarakeswar Degree College Vivekananda Mahavidyalaya Kandra Radha Kanta Kundu Mahavidyalaya Purbasthali College
Academics Admission
For admission into the Undergraduate courses of Faculty Council of Arts, Law & Commerce & Faculty Council of Science, one has to apply in the affiliated colleges which will provide B.A., B.Com., L.L.B., B.Sc. degrees for which Higher Secondary Examination marks is considered for selection. For Postgraduate admission, the general eligibility criteria is to secure a minimum marks for admission to the unreserved seats in all M.A./M.Sc./M.Com./L.L.M. course of studies under Faculty Councils of Science & Arts is 50% at the Honours level in the concerned/relevant subject.
For admissions to the Engineering courses at the undergraduate level of Faculty of Engineering & Technology, students are admitted through the WBJEE, an entrance examination open to students from all over India. Unlike in a large number of states, there is no domicile quota in BU (or for other engineering colleges admitting students through the WBJEE). Postgraduate students in engineering are admitted through GATE exam.
To apply for Ph.D. admission at Burdwan University, candidates must have one of the following qualifications: a 1-year/2-semester master's degree after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor's degree; a 2-year/4-semester master's degree after a 3-year bachelor's degree; or a professional degree equivalent to a master's degree. Candidates must have at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade in the relevant subject. For those applying after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor's degree with research, a minimum of 75% marks is required. Degrees from foreign institutions must be accredited by an authorized agency in the home country. Also a candidate must pass a 100-mark written entrance test covering Research Methodology and their specific subject, with a minimum score of 50% required to qualify for the final viva voce. A 5% relaxation is available for reserved categories. Candidates with an M.Phil. degree (with coursework) or those who have cleared national-level tests like UGC–NET are exempt from the entrance test. Qualified candidates or those exempt must then attend a 30-mark interview conducted by the university's Doctoral Committee.
National rankings