RSS
Home | University | University of Mysore
|
|
|
It was founded by the then Maharaja of Mysore, His Highness Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and his Dewan, the renowned engineer-statesman Sir M.Visvesvarayya, on July 27, 1916. The Maharaja of Mysore became its first chancellor. The University came into existence on the basis of a report on educational progress in the United States and Australia, submitted by Messrs Thomas Denham and C.R.Reddy who visited these countries respectively. The University of Mysore became the first University outside the domain of the English administration in India, the sixth University in India as a whole, and the first ever University in Karnataka. It is a state University of the affiliating type, and became autonomous on March 3, 1956, when it gained recognition from the University Grants Commission. The main campus of the University, created in 1960, lies at the western end of the Kukkarahalli Lake. The University headquarters, the Crawford Hall, is located across the lake on the eastern end. This setting for the campus was nicknamed "Manasagangotri" (fountainhead of the Ganges of the Mind) by the poet-laureate, Dr. K.V.Puttappa (Kuvempu). Two satellite campuses have since been set up in response to the demands of postgraduate education from semi-urban/rural areas: Sir M.Visveswaraya Postgraduate Centre at Tubinakere in Mandya, and the Mysore University Postgraduate Centre at Hemagangotri in Hassan. At the University of Mysore's founding, the entire princely state of Mysore came under its jurisdiction. Now this is confined to the Mysore, Mandya, Hassan, and Chamarajanagar districts with the remaining areas falling under the remit of Bangalore University (1886), Mangalore University (1980), and Kuvempu University (1987). In 1996 The Institute for Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education in the Manasagangotri campus was separated from the University of Mysore to form a separate institution, the Karnataka State Open University. The University encompasses 122 affiliated colleges and 5 constituent colleges (forming an aggregate of 53,000 students). In addition, the University has 37 postgraduate departments, 8 specialised research & training centres and 2 postgraduate centres that together offer about 55 regular academic programmes to 3,500 students. It also runs a number of employment-oriented diploma courses and certificate programmes. The Mysore University Library comprises over 800,000 books, 2,400 journal titles and 100,000 volumes of journals. The main campus features an amphitheatre, an auditorium, a swimming pool, and hostel accommodation for men and women. The University collaborates internationally for the purposes of academic, technical and cultural exchange. The Emblem The University emblem is adapted from the royal emblem of Mysore. It depicts the bird Gandabherunda flanked on either side by the lion-elephant Sharabha (mythical creature believed to be stronger than the lion and the elephant, and upholder of righteousness), surmounted by a lion. The University’s motto “Na Hi Jnanena Sadrusham” (Nothing compares with knowledge), taken from the Bhagavadhgita, is written in Devanagari script on the top of the emblem. At the bottom of the emblem is the Sanskrit saying “Sathyamevoddharamyaham”(I uphold only the truth). The university has been giving paramount importance to research in different disciplines since its inception. Proper research environment has been created by appointing eminent scholars, establishing research laboratories, deputing scholars under cultural exchange programme, awarding teacher fellowships, sanctioning research funds and instituting special awards and prizes for original research. In order to promote research, the university has recognized 48 national level institutions for undertaking research in different disciplines. In all 1112 candidates are registered for Ph.D. of which 479 are with fellowships. For monitoring the research activities, the university convenes the meeting of the Post Graduate Council periodically. In the preceding 5 years, the university completed 99 Major Research Projects and 66 Minor Research Projects amounting to Rs. 390 million. The research funding was obtained from government sources and agencies like Advant India Ltd., AICTE, CSIR, DAM Hampi, DAT, DANIDA, DBT, DST, EEC, ICAR, UGC, Canadian International Development Agency, ICSSR, ICMR, and Ford Foundation. University has earmarked Rs. one million per year for funding research by junior faculty. For quality research, facilities have been created like National Single Crystal Diffractometer Facility � in Physics, National Facility for Drosophila Genetic Stocks � in Zoology, Electron Probe Micro Analyzer � in Geology, Seed Pathology lab � in Applied Botany, National Centre for History of Science, Oriental Research Institute, Multimedia laboratory in Kannada Studies and Digitization of the Library. There is a provision for limited number of Junior Research Fellowships for pursuing M.Phil/Research Degree. The university has instituted 30 research fellowships every year to SC/ST students and faculty improvement fellowship to some SC/ST teachers. Many university departments are involved in collaborative research at national level and have international collaborations also. During the last 6 years, the staff members have received 193 awards. Since the first accreditation in 1999, the university faculty have published 1280 papers in international journals and 1343 in national journals. The number of books and edited volumes is 313 and 148 respectively. A large number of general articles, novels, abstracts, etc. were also published. University Industry Interaction Center established as a center for extending consultancy services, functions as a bridge between industry and the university. The Center caters to the requirements of the industry and ensures an effective interface with the appropriate departments of the University to help them in meeting their requirements. Most of the faculty members are involved in consultancy services with reputed companies like DUPONT, ISRO, BARC, NCL, IIT-Chennai, etc. For creating awareness about the facilities and expertise available, the university has been conducting awareness programmes nameed, ‘Know Your Academic Campus’ in which people of surrounding areas are invited. Important areas in which the university has the expertise for providing consultancy include Applied Botany, Sericulture, Micromet Data Generation, Product Analysis and Quality Control, Geology, Biochemistry, Food Science And Nutrition, Psychology, Software Development, etc. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council, an autonomous body of the University Grants Commission (UGC) had accorded the university five-star status. It has recently been reaccredited as A+, the first one to be accorded that status in India. In addition, the Eighth Plan Review Committee of the UGC has recommended to the State and Central governments that it be upgraded to a `National Centre for Excellence'. |
