Presidency University, Kolkata: Courses, Facilities

Ravika Gaja

The 'Hindoo College’, established in 1817, was transformed into the ‘Presidency College of Bengal' in 1855. Hindoo College was the earliest institution of higher learning in the modern sense in Asia. The Presidency College introduced western education in the historical sense of the term and was originally a non-government college meant for the sons of the Hindu community alone. But the Centenary Volume (1955) notes: ‘The most striking feature of the Hindu College was its determined effort to impart secular education.’ In 1855 when the Hindoo College was renamed Presidency College, it became a government institution. The Hindoo-Presidency College, which aimed from the beginning at a liberal, scientific and secular education, stood on the side of the ‘Anglicists’ in the famous Anglicist-Orientalist debate. This meant that the college stood for modern, western education in the English medium. This, however, would not entail a neglect of Indian themes and subjects. This was borne out by the contribution of the students of the college to Bengali language and literature. The subjects taught at the outset were English, Bengali, Sanskrit, History, Geography, Chronology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Chemistry and some other science subjects. In addition, Law, Commerce and Engineering were taught for some time, but the teaching of these was discontinued later. Consequently, the college emerged as the most celebrated institution in India to impart a humanistic and scientific education.

Presidency University has a unique place in history. It was one of the first institutes of Western-type higher education in Asia. In 1817, a group of enlightened Indians and Englishmen set up the Hindoo College. This was taken over the British Government in 1855 as the College of the Bengal Presidency, and placed in 1857 under the newly founded Calcutta University. Over the next hundred years and more, Presidency College was Bengal’s pre-eminent centre of higher learning. Although a Constituent College of Calcutta University, it preserved a tradition of research matched by few universities in India. This gave a unique dimension to its undergraduate teaching. The Presidency University admission to done online through the official website of the university and the students seeking admission are required to sit for the entrance examination conducted by the university.

Like every State University in West Bengal, Presidency is headed by the ceremonial post of the Chancellor. The Governor of West Bengal is the Chancellor of every university in the state. Jagdeep Dhankhar is presently incumbent in this post. The Vice-chancellor is the academic and administrative head of the institution. The post of the Vice-chancellor replaced that of the Principal after the Presidency received University status. Professor Anuradha Lohia is the first permanent vice-chancellor of thal of 16 departments functions under the university. They are Bengali, English, Hindi, History, Performing Arts, Philosophy, political science, sociology, life sciences, chemistry, economics, geography, geology, mathematics, physics and statistics. Over the next hundred years and more, Presidency College was Bengal’s pre-eminent centre of higher learning. Although a Constituent College of Calcutta University, it preserved a tradition of research matched by few universities in India. This gave a unique dimension to its undergraduate teaching. The formal establishment of Presidency University in July 2010 allows it to refashion its venerable traditions and continuing strengths into a leading institution of the future.

Presidency University Quicklinks:

• Departments
• Courses
• Facilities
• Scholarships
• Eligibility Criteria
• Admission
• Cutoffs
• Hostel Details

Presidency University Highlights:

The University has been successful in promoting an ambience of liberal arts and sciences where students from different fields can study across disciplines through the GenEd which has replaced the pass courses where subjects allied to the honours courses only are taught. The University has been propagating a culture of research-based teaching right from the undergraduate level. It has developed exchange programmes with foreign universities through which selected students can spend a semester abroad. In order to encourage entrepreneurship, the University has launched an entrepreneurship development programme for aspiring students. The University has a state of the art ICT network enabling complete wi-fi, total online administrative processes, modern research laboratories, and restored heritage buildings in its old campus.

Presidency University Departments:

Presidency University has committed departments putting the learning experience more effective. The different department of the university act as the distinctive parts working together to bring up the university outcome more effective. Each department follows the strict norms provided by the university to make the students learning experience more effective and to maintain the effective student-teacher ratio. The departments of the Presidency University has always been a key factor for the social growth and growth by imparting the quality education for the students and each department of the university has an equal role on being worth and effective in imparting the quality education. The university brings with them bright ideas and the enthusiasm of the young and tirelessly encourage the students to strive for excellence.

• Bengali
• Life Sciences
• Chemistry
• Economics
• English
• Geography
• Geology
• Hindi
• History
• Mathematics
• Performing Arts
• Physics
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Statistics

 Presidency University Courses:

The Presidency University courses comprise of science and arts with the relevancy to the societal context and the modern requirements of the society. The universities cherish its illustrious past but tries every moment to enrich its present. With a bunch of fresh, inquisitive students and dedicated faculty, the department’s quest for quality and knowledge is unbound. And this quest goes beyond the formal syllabus, beyond the four walls of our classrooms. Students are encouraged to question and debate, and raise issues within and beyond the syllabus. They are encouraged to participate in students’ seminars and present papers.

Presidency University Facilities:

Presidency University with its quality education and with social moral values have always been the part of social development since its inception in 1817, the university provides facilities with the concern to the modern requirements and innovation.  The students are given sponsors research and other recreational facilities to embed the qualities required for their practical life. The university campus itself acts as a historic descent of the learning centre and the students encourage and provided with public speaking and other exchange programs to be more active and updated with the happening outside. The university provides modern laboratories and other modern facilities to make the academic learning experience worth. The students of the Presidency University gets the opportunity of growth and development inside the university campus itself with all the modern and innovation they brought to make the stay worth learning and experiencing.

• Hostels.
• Library.
• Modern Research Laboratories.
• Online Administrative System.
• Computer Lab.
• Well-equipped halls.
• Games & Sports Facility.
• Smart classrooms.
• wifi-enabled campus.
• Transportation.

Presidency University Scholarships:

Presidency University with hundreds of years of contributions towards the nation and the society to be particularly to the young and enthusiastic students making the approach to the society with lots of ideas and innovation. The university offers assistance to the students to fill the particular scholarships from the among schemes of scholarship offered by the respective states and central schemes available for 

• Swami Vivekananda Merit cum Means Scholarships.
• National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education for ST Students.
• Minority Scholarships.
• Priyamvada Birla Scholarship.
• Sambhava Foundation Scholarship.
• Harsh & Payal Hada Foundation.
• Kanyasharee Scholarship

Top Presidency Institutions in India:

• Presidency University Bangalore.
• PU School of Engineering Bangalore.
• Presidency College Chennai.
• Presidency College of Hotel Management Bangalore.

Top trending Institutions in India:

• IIM
• Institute of Engineering and Management
• Jadavpur University
• JD Birla Institute

Presidency University Eligibility Criteria:

Its distinguished alumni have left their impressive mark in academia and all walks of life across the country and in different parts of the world. The bicentenary provides the occasion for the rejuvenation of the Presidency University through a new concerted civic initiative enabling it to play a role in the global transformation of university education in the twenty-first century. With the concern to the quality of the students and the contribution to the social moral aspects, the university set up the criteria so that they get the quality students and give out the best for the society and the nation and with home to a galaxy of dedicated scholar-teachers and brilliant students, Presidency University maintained its status as India’s premier institution of higher education in the early decades after independence.

Presidency University Admission:

The candidates applying for admission at Presidency University can obtain the concerned application form by downloading from the official website of the university. The candidate should check the application before filling up the application form must read all the terms and conditions carefully. All the news and updates related admission are available online on the official website of the university and the candidates are requested to adhere to the dates and submit the applications with all the necessary details and documents attached to the application. The merit candidates will be given admission on the first basis and follow by the others. An Admission Application fee for PUMDET: Rs. 350/- + Rs. 10 as bank charges should be given by the students beforehand through their convenient payment method.

The candidates for admission at Presidency University should log on to the university website and follow the following steps:

1. Register with necessary details and remember the self-created log-in ID and password for future login.
2. Fill the admission application form with the required details.
3. Upload the scanned copy of a recent passport-sized coloured photograph of the candidate, Full signature of the candidate, Age proof (Admit Card of 10^th standard examination) or birth certificate, Mark sheet/grade card of B.A./B.Sc. (for PUMDET).
4. Pay the admission application fee either online (by net banking, debit/credit cards) or offline (by e-challan)  payment modes.
5. Upon successful completion of the application, the system will generate a confirmation page containing all the details entered by the candidate.
6. The candidates for admission in Presidency University must keep the Xerox copy of the completed admission applications for subsequent use.

The candidate should bring the following important documents in original and their photocopies positively for verification during counselling:

1. Transfer Certificate.   
2. Community Certificate (For OC candidates community certificate not required).   
3. Certificates for Special categories, if required.     
4. Nativity Certificate if required.   
5. Date of Birth Certificate (SSC / ICSE / CBSE).
6. Medical certificate.
7. Admit Card of PUMDET -2016.
8. PUMDET rank card.
9. Admit card of 10th standard examination/ Birth certificate.
10. Mark sheet and certificate of 10th standard Board examination.
11. Mark sheet and certificate (if available) of 10+2 standard Board examination.
12. Mark sheet and certificate (if available) of B. A. /B. Sc. examination.

Presidency University Cutoffs:

The cut-offs set by the university are altered every year and the cut-off scores are dependent on various factors like:

• The number of applicants for the specific course.
• The competency in the specific course.
• The number of vacant seats.
• Based on merit.
• Based on other requirements for specific courses.

Following are the cutoff scores for specific courses.

• The candidate will be eligible for the admission only if he/she has a score beyond the cut-offs set by the Institute.
• For the subject economics -  The aggregate has gone up to 70% this year.
• For the subject zoology  - A student has to score 75% in the subject to get a form.
• For Commerce - Though candidates with 60% have been allowed to apply, the final cut-off has been as high as 92.2% for ISC candidates and 84.5% for HS candidates.

Presidency University Hostel Details:

The University provides with hostel accommodations to both boys and girls and it is divided into six wards and the houses two hundred and seventy-four borders including both undergraduates and postgraduate students. The hostel environment is safe and the university is committed to safeguarding the rights of every students and safety. Presidency University facilities are well maintained and updated to match the modern requirements of the students and to make the stay worth learning and experiencing. The hostels also provide opportunities for students personal growth in other activities other than academic and excel in all aspects. 

•  Recreational facilities.
• Games & Sports Facilities.
• The hostel has its own well-stocked library.
• There are separate Hostels for both boys and girls.-
• There is a food court.
• The Hostel wings are separate for boys and girls with single occupancy rooms.
• The students get access to the internet in their rooms.
• The mess food provides with three meals a day.
• The food provided is hygienic.
• The food is excellent both, quality and quantity-wise.
• There is a variety of food available every day of the week.
• The hostel rooms are spacious and well furnished.
• The hostel has open space around with greenery and plantation.
• Students working through Wi-Fi Internet connectivity.
• Presidency University facilities are well maintained and furnished.