Journey for Excellence in Education – Brief Journey of Aliah University in last four years 2013 – 17

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Aliah University Rajarhat Campus
Aliah University Rajarhat Campus
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Brief Journey of Aliah University in last four years (From October 2013 To August 2017)

Author: Faruque Ahamed

Aliah University was established by the West Bengal Act XXVII of 2007 as The Aliah University Act 2007 passed by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and it was first published in the Kolkata Gazette, Extraordinary, of 20th February 2008. Presently it is under the Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education previously known as Minorities’ Development & Welfare and Madrasah Education Department, Government of West Bengal and it started its journey from late 2008 in the premises of the Calcutta Madrasah College, erstwhile Madrasah-i-Aliah.

Between 2008 to end of 2014, the academic and administrative sections of the University functioned from rented buildings such as DN-41, DN-47, EN-68, EN-69, EN-34, DN-18, DN-20, respectively in Sector-V of Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700 091 and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Bhawan, Salt Lake, Kolkata-64. There was no internet connection and telephone facility between one building to another and it was fully dependent on Data Card. However, there was a sole internet facility available at Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Bhawan.

Hostel facilities were also provided to the students in rented premises without administrative approval of MA & ME Department in and around Salt Lake area. Commutation between the Campuses and workshops located at Park Circus was always a problem for teachers and students. To ease their difficulty private buses were hired on rental basis. Academic Programmes like MBA, MCA, M. Sc. in Computer Science and Media Sciences were introduced in collaboration with Techno India Group in Sector V, by making an agreement for a period of ten years from 2009, as there was no proper infrastructure. For arranging teaching programmes for Aliah University students, (to be imparted by Techno India College of Engineering and Management), the University had to bear expenditures. Of course, the entire amount was solely borne by the Government of West Bengal since most of the students were reluctant to pay their fees.

The University also invested a huge sum of money for wooden partitions in the rented premises and electrical fittings to shape them into classrooms, laboratories, staff rooms and administrative sections even without having administrative approval from MA & ME Department. Such was the state of affairs that the entire system of the university functioned in a filthy and shabby manner, much worse than a State-aided College and perhaps even a High School.

Professor A T Khan, Vice-Chancellor, Aliah University
Professor A T Khan, Vice-Chancellor, Aliah University

On 1st October 2013, Prof. Abu Taleb Khan, from Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, took charge as the Vice-Chancellor of Aliah University on deputation after the completion of the tenure of the Prof. Syed Samsul Alam ( from17.06.2008 to 30.09.2013). 

On 3rd October 2013, the new Vice-Chancellor was ‘gheraoed’. Students demanded his resignation unless the B. Ed. Programme was introduced from 2014-2015 academic session. 

Immediately after taking charge, Prof. Khan, focused on the infrastructural and instructional development of the University as a huge sum of money was being spent each month towards providing such facilities on a hired basis. 

During the last three years and eleven months, modern and impressive infrastructural facilities have been created with generous financial assistance and all kinds of support (as and when required) from Mamata Banerjee, Hon’ble Chief Minister and Minister In-Charge, Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Department, Government of West Bengal. Now, apart from the heritage premises of Calcutta Madrasah College, Aliah University has one sprawling 20-acre campus at New Town and another one at Park Circus, at the heart of City, which are interconnected with LAN, internet and EPBAX facilities.

Aliah University Rajarhat Campus
Aliah University Rajarhat Campus

The New Town Campus, with its total built-up area of 58,923 sqm/634,242sq ft, houses the Engineering, Science and Management Departments. During the year 2016-17, the University has succeeded in providing state-of-the-art facilities to all the laboratories and mechanical workshops. It has 108 classrooms, each with a seating capacity of 60 students and 36 classrooms of 120-capacity each. A few of these are going to be converted into smart classrooms very soon. 

Books - Friend for Life
Books – Friend for Life

During this period, the 3-storeyed Central Library has been made operational with fully system automated structures like self-check-in and check-out facility through Kiosk and RFID. The Digital Library will be functioning soon in both campuses to access e-resources of books and journals. The entire building is Wi-Fi enabled. The 5-year Integrated B.Sc. – M.Sc. Programme in Biological Sciences has also been introduced in the academic session 2016-17. This Campus has also 2239 sqm of Administrative area with all modern facilities and 5000 sqm of car parking space at the basement. The State Government has been kind enough to sanction Rs. 257 Crore for Academic, Administrative and Library Building of New Town Campus. 

Library and computer facilities at the New Town Campus
Library and computer facilities at the New Town Campus

The State Government has also sanctioned a grant of Rs 115 Crore for the Phase-I construction of 830-capacity Girls’ Hostel, 1260-capacity Boys’ Hostel and a Student Amenity Centre. The G+13 storey Girls’ Hostel with Library Room, Gym, TV Room, spacious Dining Hall and a kitchen with all modern cooking facilities, has been completed. The Phase-I of the Boys’ Hostel is expected to be ready for accommodation of the students from October 2017 onwards. 

Recently developed workshop facilities and chemistry laboratory for undergraduate students at the New Town Campus
Recently developed workshop facilities and chemistry laboratory for undergraduate students at the New Town Campus

The Training and Placement Cell of the University has achieved major success during 2016-17, with On Campus, Pool Campus and Off Campus drive conducted by reputed companies like Deloitte, Amazon, IBM, ITC, Cognizant, Berger Paints, Lumino Industries, Taurus Powertronics etc. 

Recently developed workshop facilities and chemistry laboratory for undergraduate students at the New Town Campus - 2
Recently developed workshop facilities and chemistry laboratory for undergraduate students at the New Town Campus – 2

The Centre for Vocational Studies (CVS) has organized vocational training courses in various trades for school and college drop-out young people from underprivileged sections of the society.  Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India, has sanctioned Rs.100 Crore to the CVS to impart Skill Development Training to 54900 drop-out students out of which 36800 students have been trained under MSDP project so far.

Girls’ and Boys’ hostel facilities at the New Town campus. Boys’ hostel is yet to handed over to the University and is expected to accommodate students from October 2017
Girls’ and Boys’ hostel facilities at the New Town campus. Boys’ hostel is yet to handed over to the University and is expected to accommodate students from October 2017

The Government of West Bengal also provides funds to the University to run a free, residential Coaching Centre for minority students who wish to appear for the West Bengal Civil Services (WBCS) Examinations. During 2016-17, 63 candidates appeared for the WBCS (Mains) Exam and about 100 students appeared for the WBCS (Prelims). Six (6) Candidates qualified for Group A and twenty-five (25) candidates for Group C examination. Out of six group A Candidates, one has been selected for job as WBCS officer in category A.

The Park Circus Campus is set-up on a 148 katha / 6.43 acre of land. Its G+9 storey building accommodates all the Humanities and Social Sciences Departments of the University with requisite infrastructural amenities. For instance, classrooms with seating capacity of 100, 80 and 40 students number 16, 32 and 14, respectively. There are 110 well-furnished faculty rooms, two fully equipped auditoriums, as well as modern The Park Circus Campus

The Park Circus Campuslaboratories for the Geography, Journalism and Mass Communication, and B. Sc. Nursing (Hons) Programmes. It may be mentioned here that in 2016-17, the University introduced the B.Sc. Nursing (Hons) Programme with the approval of both Indian Nursing Council and West Bengal Nursing Council with 60 intake capacity. One Professor, two Associate Professors, four Assistant Professors and five Tutors have so far been appointed for this Department. The process of setting up a Digital Library, a Computer Centre and Language Laboratories has been initiated. A Hostel (within this campus) capable of accommodating 216 girl students will be ready by October 2017.The Government of West Bengal has generously sanctioned Rs 75 crore for Academic, 

The renovation of the Heritage Building at the old Aliah Madrasah Campus (established in 1780) and the construction of a new G+4 Annex Building adjacent to it, undertaken in mid-2016, are expected to be complete by the end of the year 2018.  

The Heritage Campus at Taltala.
The Heritage Campus at Taltala.

Aliah University is yet to be included by UGC under Section 12B of the UGC Act, although some other universities in West Bengal founded in the same year or even later, have been included under the same. So far, only the State Government has provided financial support for its developmental and academic activities. The AICTE has already granted recognition for 5 B. Tech and M. Tech. Programmes of this University, with 60 seats and 18 seats each, respectively. The University has already received approval for B. Ed. Programme from NCTE with 100 intake capacity from the academic session 2014-15 onwards.  At present, with its impressive infrastructure in place, this University now hopes to be included under Section 12B by UGC.Presently, the University offers 39 different academic programmes at the Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate levels. The University with its 116 faculty members, and 08 Officers, 17 Technical Assistants Grade-I, 34 non-faculty members and 49 contractual employees are committed to all round development of its students and for the University. The present total intake capacity in Under-graduate programmes and Post-graduate programmes is 723 and 1382 respectively. This University has a unique feature of having 11 Senior Madrasahs as its Study Centres to impart Under-graduate education in Theology/Kamil (General & Honours) with an intake capacity of 1810. Out of the 11 Senior Madrasahs, 3 Senior Madrasahs including Aliah University also offer M. A. in Theology/ (M. M.) with intake capacity of 440. A good number of students every year qualify for NET-LS and NET-JRF in various disciplines. 

Highlight on some of the difficulties faced by the University till December 2014 
(1) The cost for functioning from rented premises in the vicinity of Salt Lake between 2008 to November 2014 was approximately Rs.6 crores towards rent annually. The former Registrar, Dr. Anowar Hossain Dafadar, had made agreements with the owners of the  rented buildings with  approval from former Vice-Chancellor till 2016, assuming that the University’s own campuses at New Town and Park Circus will not be ready before 2017.

(2) The construction work at New Town and Park Circus Campus was not being monitored properly till September 2013 and therefore the progress of construction work was very slow.

(3) A. P. Building at 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square constructed in 2010 was lying unused, under lock and key.  

(4) The ground floor of the Main Building at 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square was occupied by A.P. School and only the first floor was under the possession of Aliah University. It was insufficient for conducting classes for the Departments of Arabic and Islamic Theology.   

(5) The University did not have AICTE’s approval for its 5 Engineering programmes and thereby Training & Placement activity was almost negligible.  

(6) Classes for MBA, MCA, M. Sc. in Computer Sc. and Media Science students of Aliah University were conducted at Techno India, vide an agreement effective from 2009 to 2019. The University had to pay Rs. 7.70 crore to the TIG for the period from 2009 to 2015.

(7) Hostels ran so far in hired premises at various locations in Naya Patty, Mahish Bathan and Chingrighata. 

(8) Hostel fees charged from the students was Rs. 1000 per month and therefore most of the students did not pay their hostel fees since all of them came from families belonging to lower income groups. 

(9) Workshop classes for Engineering Departments were held at Park Circus Campus.

(10) Two buses were hired to facilitate the students to commute between the two campuses. The financial impact till July 2014 was Rs.21,79,224/-. 

(11) MBA & MCA fees are very high and therefore students are not able to pay fees regularly.

(12) No internet facility and poor University Website.

(13) WBCS Coaching centre since 2012 was being held at WBMDFC’s Office at “Amber” Building on rental basis.   

(14) Postgraduate Programmes in History and Law were started without any sanctioned teaching post.

(15) Chemistry and Physics students obtained their postgraduate degrees without practical classes.

(16) The Departments of Theology and Arabic in 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square, do not have sufficient number of classrooms. Theology, Boys and Girls section including Arabic Departments are at present functioning based on 70 capacity- 3 classrooms and 30 capacity- 2 class rooms. Both the Departments have more than 1500 hundred enrolled students.

Highlight on the achievements from October 2013 to August 2017
(1) Termination of rent agreements for premises at DN-18, DN-20 and EN-34 and shifting to University’s New Town and Park Circus campuses during the months of November 2014 and January 2015 respectively. 

(2) Completion of Administration cum Academic building of New Town campus and its inauguration on 11th November 2014 on National Education Day by Hon’ble Chief Minister and Hon’ble Minister In-Charge of Minority Affairs & Madrasah Education.

(3) Completion of Phase-I of the Boys’ (G+19) & Girls’ (G+13) storied Hostel Buildings at New Town Campus

(4) The University has created Computer laboratory facility with 1000 terminals where students can work at a time.

(5) A Digital Lab is set up with 165 and 60 terminals at New Town and Park Circus Campuses, respectively.

(6) Construction and inauguration of the Park Circus Campus at 17, Gorachand Road Kolkata-14. 

(7) Construction of a 216 capacity Girls’ Hostel at 17, Gorachand Road which is almost on the verge of completion. The State Government has been generous to give Rs. 75 crores for this project.

(8) Renovation work at Heritage building at 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square, Kolkata -16.

(9) Demolition of library & construction of G+4 building in its place at the above campus.

(10) Proposal for remodeling of the Playground at Park Circus.

(11) Opening of five (5) new Departments: B. Ed. Urdu, Biological Science, Nursing and Islamic Study.

(12) Approval of Eight (8) Study Centers for imparting B.A. in Islamic Theology to minimize dropout of girl students who are passing FAZIL examinations from Senior Madrasahs.

(13) Research Scholarships and Teaching Assistantships to Ph.D. and M.Tech. students  

(14) Reduction in application fee at the time of admission, for girl students.

(15) Sanction of additional 28 nos. Officers and 57 nos. Non-teaching posts. 

(16) Sanction of 29 teaching posts for the Department of History, Law and Urdu.

(17) Recruitment of 51 teachers including promotion to higher position.

(18) Recruitment of 5 Officers (Registrar-1, Training & Placement Officer-1 and Assistant Librarian-3).

(19) Filling up 17 Technical Assistant Grade-I required for 10 Departments.

(20) Recruitment of 12 Non-Teaching staffs (Junior Superintendent-3, Senior Assistant-5 and Junior Assistant-4

(21) Networking, internet and EPBAX facilities and interconnection between New Town and Park Circus campuses

(22) Modern Chemistry Laboratory facilities were developed, where more than 200 students can take their practical classes at a time.

(23) Launching of new and updated University Website

(24) Establishment of a fully automated Central Library at New Town Campus with seating arrangement of 550 students can study at a time.

(25) Sanction of 2 Crore Research Project Grant from Department of Science & Technology for the Department of Chemistry and Physics.

(26) ERP system for the Examinations section.

(27) Improvising the Training and Placement Cell.(28) Procurement of equipments for laboratories and books, journals etc for University libraries.

(29) To impart Skill Development Training to 54900 students, Rs.100 Crore was sanctioned and given by Ministry of Minority Affairs, Govt. of India for the aforesaid project, out of which 36800 students have been trained under MSDP project so far.

(30) Purchase of two nos. 40-seater buses

(31) Transfer of A.P. Building to A.P School and taking over the entire Main Building for Islamic Theology Department at Haji Md. Mohsin Square.

(32) Through WBCS Coaching programme, 17 students secured jobs in WBCS (Group A-  4, Group B- 2 and Group C – 11 till 2015. In 2016, 6 candidates had appeared for Group-A, out of whom 1 has secured a job in Group A and 25 shall appear for interview for Group C, this month. A number of students after WBCS coaching have secured jobs in PSUs also. 

(33) Implementation of Career Advancement Scheme for teachers(34) 378 girls benefitted through Kanyashree Prakalpa

(35) Organized a training programme on Financial Management and Hospitality Management for Self-Help Groups, entrusted with Patha Sathis (North 24 Parganas).

(36) Aliah University’s auditorium at Park Circus Campus has been used free of cost by various NGOs for promotion and awareness programmes for minority development

(37) Training Programme on Retail Management for owners of the shops allotted in markets constructed by NKDA(38) Registration under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) for availing custom duty exemption while importing laboratory equipments.

Auditorium
Auditorium

Statutory Approvals
(1) Further Statutes 2016 of Aliah University was approved by the State Government and Hon’ble Chancellor and published in book form.

(2) The State Government has constituted the Aliah University Court and Executive Council

(3) AICTE’s Approval for 5 B. Tech.& M. Tech. programmes

(4) INC’s & WBNC’s approval for 4-year B.Sc. programme in Nursing with 60 intake capacity. WBNC has given further approval for admission of B. Sc. Nursing students for the session 2017-18.

(5) Renewal of NCTE’s Approval for B.Ed. programmes with 100 intake capacity.

(6) Implementation of CAS benefits for teachers

(7) Provident Fund Account was opened for the employees of the University

(8) Death cum Retirement Benefit (DCRB) for employees

Well-equipped training facilities provided through ATDC, Kolkata for imparting vocational training
Well-equipped training facilities provided through ATDC, Kolkata for imparting vocational training

Issues which require immediate attention
(1) UGC’s 12 B approval

(2) First Convocation

(3) Application submitted for opening new B.Ed. section with 50 intake capacity for girls. Inspection will be conducted soon for getting its approval.

(4) Proposal for Aliah University’s Employees Housing Complex

(5) Career Advancement Scheme for Officers and Non-Teaching staff

(6) Implementation of Swasthasathi Scheme facility for the employees

Requirement for Future Expansion
(1) Request for allotment of additional 20 acres of Land at New Town area to set up a Medical College and Hospital like Aligarh Muslim University under Aliah University. 4-Year B.Sc. in Nursing has been introduced from the session 2016-17 with 60 female students. The practical training is conducted at Calcutta National Medical Hospital. As per the norms of Indian Nursing Council, a self-independent medical college is mandatory to run a Nursing programme. Moreover, the programme is fully residential and within two years time there will be acute crisis of hostel accommodation. Therefore, procuring this additional land is very necessary at this stage.   

(2) Girls’ Hostel at 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square

(3) Boys Hostel at Park Circus Campus and 21, Haji Md. Mohsin Square at the allotted plot at 33A, Gora Chand Road, Kolkata-14.

(4) New Academic Programmes in Humanities & Social Sciences and Library Science

(5) New Academic Programmes in Engineering & Science 

(6) Creation of Teaching & Non-teaching position

(7) Strengthen Skill Development Programme in an organized manner

(8) Distance Education under Aliah University

(9) Construction of Phase-II of the Hostel Buildings at New Town Campus

(10) Requests from many more Senior Madrasahs have been received for allowing them to offer B.A. in Islamic Theology like the other 8 Study Centers.

 

About Post Author

Editor Desk

Antara Tripathy M.Sc., B.Ed. by qualification and bring 15 years of media reporting experience.. Coverred many illustarted events like, G20, ICC,MCCI,British High Commission, Bangladesh etc. She took over from the founder Editor of IBG NEWS Suman Munshi (15/Mar/2012- 09/Aug/2018 and October 2020 to 13 June 2023).
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