Murshidabad University trying to bring modern, global education to the West Bengal district

NEW DELHI: Till 2021, when Krishnath College in Berhampore, Murshidabad, West Bengal was upgraded to Murshidabad University, its graduates had to go to Kalyani or Malda to pursue postgraduate studies. Kalyani is close to 150 km away and Malda, around 125.

“The formation of Murshidabad University (MU) is a boon for the students of Murshidabad district. It was very difficult for them to go to Kalyani or Malda for further education. This was much needed,” said Krishna Nandi, teacher of physiology at Murshidabad University. Earlier, for students of Krishnath College and other Murshidabad institutions, the options were the University of Gour Banga in Malda or Kalyani University.

Murshidabad University is yet to recruit any permanent staff. Krishnath College teachers are serving as guest teachers; they will be appointed as permanent staff once the transition is complete. Also, starting operations in 2021 while the covid pandemic was at its peak, it started teaching online almost instantly. The university’s offline classes began only in 2023. But now it’s hurtling ahead, planning new departments, centres, research programmes – many set to launch this year.

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Krishnath college

Established in 1853, Krishnath College, or KN College, was affiliated with Kalyani University until the college was upgraded to a university, the Murshidabad University, by a state law in 2018. However, the change was implemented only in 2021.

For 168 years, the college has taught students of four West Bengal districts, Murshidabad, Nadia, Malda and Birbhum. In its final avatar before the upgrade, it was offering 31 undergraduate programmes and teaching three postgraduate programmes in the arts and science streams.

“With this upgrade, all resources, staff and assets including library, laboratories, sports grounds and other facilities are now upgraded to that of Murshidabad University,” said Rup Kumar Barman, vice-chancellor, Murshidabad University. Before joining MU in March 2023, Barman was professor of history at Jadavpur University.

Board showing Murshidabad University's land

Murshidabad University courses, syllabus

Murshidabad University will offer a four-year undergraduate degree programme as per the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, starting from the forthcoming academic session. The programme has been structured as per university grants commission (UGC) guidelines. “The curriculum has been framed by the course restructuring committee at MU. We are fully prepared to offer the four-year degree programme as suggested in the new education policy,” said Barman.

The curriculum for the postgraduate programme that the university started offering in 2022 was also developed by the course restructuring committee.

The major issue MU is now facing is that of infrastructure. The administration could successfully secure government support and the university got the sanction for buildings, said Barman.

The university presently offers MA in Arabic, Bengali, education, English, history, philosophy, political science and Sanskrit. In the sciences, it offers MSc in botany, geography, mathematics, physiology, physics and sericulture. It also offers an LLM degree with two specializations, criminal law and civil law.

The university has added one undergraduate programme, BA in Santali, to the existing 31 undergraduate programmes that were already being offered in the erstwhile Krishnath College. Three new departments – chemistry, zoology and economics – will start functioning this year. MU has also submitted proposals for several more departments including ones for management and tourism management.

Rup Kumar Barman, vice-chancellor, Murshidabad University

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Murshidabad University recruitment, research

Around 70 teachers of Krishnath College will be promoted to the Murshidabad University system.

“It is the teachers of the KN college who were teaching the postgraduate students for the past two years in the university as they are already deemed to be fit as per the Act. They have already been promoted to the Murshidabad University,” said Barman adding, “It was affiliated to the University of Kalyani. Presently, it is in the transitional phase. For the whole process to be completed, it will take another one to two months.”

The appointment of teachers will be complete by the end of this academic year. But it is in the appointment of deans that the university is facing a problem. “These are the statutory organs of the university and the statute is yet to be approved by the chancellor. So we are not being able to formally appoint a dean. But the activities of the dean are being completed by some teacher or the other,” added Barman.

The university will also offer doctoral programmes and is tentatively scheduled to launch them within two months.

“We will be able to guide students in doctoral programmes but we are waiting for the formation of the executive council of MU,” said Nandi.

Krishna Nandi, teacher, physiology, Murshidabad University

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Murshidabad University: New centres

MU is now working on introducing new departments and centres. Once the new buildings become ready over the next two years, admission to the new departments and centres will take off.

The university will soon start a Centre for Lifelong Learning. It will offer both online and offline programmes within the next two or three months. The centre will be training those who could not access formal education with the assistance of self-help groups. They are hoping for support from the United Nations.

“I had personally made a presentation to the consultants of the United Nations. It is a success for Murshidabad University that the United Nations and its representatives are aware of its existence,” said Barman. He is trying to “increase communication with the international community” and also “reach out to the common man who needs education”.

The university is also working on setting up 10 centres including ones for border and strategic studies; Dalit and minority studies; Buddhist studies; river and water body studies; and a centre for biological science and allied studies.

“We are also coming up with a Centre for Journalism and Mass Communication. We will initially start with a diploma course and then upgrade to a full-fledged degree programme,” he said adding, “We will also introduce social work and sociology.”

Barman further said that professional programmes in library science and law, certificate and diploma courses which will directly help students get jobs, will also be introduced soon.

To give international exposure to students and teachers, the university has started conducting webinars with teachers, students and experts from universities across the globe.

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Each department will be involved in a webinar and this will be conducted regularly.

“Murshidabad University is a very new university. We require financial support. Because of that, we have adopted the policy of online programmes. This was done to organise proper international-level programmes. We started the journey last week. In June we will organise programmes with experts from the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia,” said Barman.

Barman, who assumed the post of VC after Sujata Bagchi Banerjee and Mita Banerjee, said the university is at a very nascent stage and needs “immediate and aggressive work”. The webinars boost the morale of the students and teachers and keep them updated about recent developments in specific subjects across the globe. “That is why we are trying to build relationships with the best of the universities in the world. We have already initiated and we are seeing success,” he said.