Vice Chancellor's Message
On March 19, 2025, I was on my way to Midnapore from Kolkata to join my new post as Vice-Chancellor of Vidyasagar University. The responsibility I was entrusted with filled me with a sense of challenge. Being a son of the soil, my pulses throbbed as I imagined the life and works of the legendary visionary reformer of the nineteenth century, Pandit Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, in whose memory the institution was betokened. Would I be able to do justice to the mighty spirit of the doyen of Indian Renaissance?
Once I entered the varsity portals and met my new family members – the university embraces the spirit of working like a family. I discovered the immense potential the institution had and how avid it was to make the fullest use of it.
It is my great pleasure and opportunity to welcome you to Vidyasagar University. Created as a State University in 1981, the fledgeling institution flourished rapidly. First of all, I would like to share my feelings that as the Vice-Chancellor of this University which was established in 1981 in the name of Pandit Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, I have received a very good academic ambience, state-of-the-art level infrastructure for Research & Development, enriched and well-equipped Faculty Members, dedicated Officers & Staff Members, sincere and obedient Students & Scholars at this University. All of them are really the ASSET of this University.
Pandit Iswarchandra Vidyasagar, a legendary figure in the 19th century, whose contribution to every aspect of human civilization, like Social Reform and Education for all with particular emphasis on Women’s Education, showed the way for upliftment of the society through quality education which is still relevant in every level from Nursery to University education. I am paying my deep sense of gratitude, regards and pronam to this divine soul on this platform.
Since its inception, the University has committed itself to the gamut of teaching and learning in higher education, with the prime objective of rendering value-based quality education and providing research and extracurricular activities in the best possible manner. All those efforts have been for spreading alongside the benefit of higher education in an environmentally challenged location (drought prone, lateritic soil, degraded forest and extreme climatic conditions) inhabited mostly by poor and marginalised peoples of the society but this place has a glorious history of playing a pivotal role in the freedom struggle of India. The University has registered its growth both qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of academic development, research outcomes and societal interactive process. Post-Graduate studies are conducted not only in 27 departments (14 Science subjects and 13 Arts & Commerce including 5 Language subjects) of the University but also in 21 general degree colleges, 05 autonomous colleges and in 10 private colleges/institutions, affiliated to Vidyasagar University, as well. The University also boasts of its 4 Inter-disciplinary Centres namely Centre for Adivasi Studies and Museum, Centre for Environmental Studies, Centre for Life Sciences and Centre for Women’s Studies. The number of affiliated general degree colleges is 56 out of which 10 colleges have been awarded ‘A’ Grade through NAAC accreditation. The subjects offered in the undergraduate colleges cover the traditional subjects as well as modern emerging ones. A few professional colleges providing courses in management and social work also belong to this University circuit.
The University has a mission to deliver quality education, knowledge and sustainable development in all aspects of human resource and employment generation through conventional and professional activities of life-long learning.
Situated in the historic city of Midnapore, Vidyasagar University has a beautiful sprawling and eco-friendly plastic-free campus which houses administrative departments, post-graduate departments for teaching, learning and research, a Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), expanding hostel buildings for both male and female students, residential accommodation for both teaching and administrative staffs, a play ground, a student amenity Centre and Extension Centres. The University now boasts of being one of the first smart campuses in West Bengal. In consonance with its vision to be a centre of excellence in the areas of teaching and research & development, Vidyasagar University’s academic structure and Aims & Objectives have been so designed to enhance students’ ability to become highly competent professionals and global players of the future.
The overall achievements of our University give us tremendous confidence and indicate that we are moving in the right direction in consonance with our Vision and Mission and obviously with a firm determination. Our University has been able to champion the spirit of progress in the academic circle of West Bengal and spread the message to other parts of the Country. But this is not the end, it is rather a beginning, and we have to work harder and harder as a team to achieve bigger and higher goals both in the fields of higher education and social reconstruction. We have to dedicate ourselves with absolute commitment to make Vidyasagar University as one of the pioneering Universities in the field of academic and administrative activities through innovative ideas in Teaching, Research & Development.
Our faculty members have put in outstanding efforts in blending quality research with pedagogic skills. They have made full use of the smart class rooms and have pulled in a substantial amount of research funding throughout the year. Faculties of several departments were felicitated with awards in recognition of their contribution to teaching and research. Their research endeavours have attracted significant grants from funding agencies for the development of pedagogic and research infrastructure in the campus. Our teachers have travelled far and wide on their academic tours in India and abroad. Conferral of the award of D Lit and D Sc on a regular mode has started.
In concurrence with the recommendations of the Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal, Vidyasagar University has successfully implemented new Curriculum and Credit Framework for Undergraduate Programmes (CCFUP) in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) from the academic session 2023-‘24. With positive participation and cooperation of the stakeholders, especially the affiliated Colleges, the University has been able to introduce 4-Year Undergraduate programmes from this academic session to facilitate the students at par with other parts of the country. The faculties of the respective subjects are reforming and restructuring the syllabus in accordance with the new Undergraduate Curriculum to strengthen the learning as well as job skill enhancement which is one of the key focus of the new education policy of the Government of India.
Vidyasagar University has been adjudged as the ‘Best Public University for rendering Holistic Education’ and has been conferred with the Award for Education Eminence 2022 by the News 18 Bangla electronic media. This accomplishment belongs to all members of this University community who have really toiled hard with utmost efficiency to achieve this unique distinction. Apart from this, the NSS Cell of Vidyasagar University has received the State NSS Award from the Government of West Bengal for the 2019-’20 academic session for outstanding performance in the field of community service. Vidyasagar University has featured within 101 to 150 top ranking institutions in the country, in the University Category, as per “National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) – India Ranking 2023” by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is worth mentioning that Vidyasagar University participated in the India Today Best Universities Ranking for the year 2021-’22 and has secured 31st rank in the ‘All-over Institutes’ category. Apart from these, Vidyasagar University has celebrated the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ (75 Years of Indian Independence) through various academic, social and cultural events throughout the year to commemorate this very significant occasion. Another feather in the cap of Vidyasagar University is the installation of a Sensor Based Continuous Air Quality & Real-time Noise Level Monitoring machine by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board, the first to have been installed by them in West Bengal.
It has been decided to celebrate 26th September as Vidyasagar Divas each year. Starting from 2021, the Vidyasagar Purashkar has been conferred to different distinguished personalities widely recognized in their respective fields. The University has also celebrated 75 years of Indian Independence through various year-long programmes.
up to 20-00 hrs. on all weekdays while on Saturdays and Sundays these are kept open up to 17-30 hrs. The circulation desk remains open from 10-00 hrs. to 17-30 hrs. on all weekdays (excluding University holidays).
The Vidyasagar University Alumni Association (VUAA) is working in close partnership with the University and aims to link the alumni to the institution, develop strategic plans to support the University to achieve its vision, and to enable the institute to add value to all its stakeholders.
In the course of these developments, however, we have not allowed our ecological concerns to slacken for a moment. New green shuttles have started plying varsity stakeholders in and around the campus. Physical transportation has not only become fast but also comfortable. We continue the practice of observing a monthly No-AC day on campus to cut down on the emission rate as an essential step in preserving fresh air levels in the environment. We are waiting for the meteorological station in the campus to report significant changes in the quality of campus air. We have tried our best to support the academic and psychological needs of our students during the stressful times of the Covid-19 pandemic. We have also participated in the disaster management programme of the State Government in the wake of the ravages left behind by the devastating cyclones.
Smt. Mamata Banerjee, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of West Bengal, has been pleased to sanction a Mini Indoor Games/Recreation Complex for the students ofVidyasagar University which has already been commissioned and named as “P K Banerjee Indoor Games Complex”.
As a Vice-Chancellor of this University I shall try my best to enlighten the young students and motivate them properly to promote the academic environment in all respects for the benefit and upliftment of the society. It would be my utmost effort to provide the state-of-the-art level facilities to all Faculty Members, Officers, Staff Members, Scholars, Students, and all other Stake Holders of this University within an inspiring academic ambience. Finally, the creation of a new intellectual value and the cultivation of outstanding human resources will be my ultimate goal.
Professor Dipak Kumar Kar
Vice-Chancellor