Prabhu Jagatbandhu College,
generally popular as Andul College, is situated on the bank
of once famous river, The Saraswati. Nearly five decades ago
on 15th August 1964 this college was founded only as result
of a long-cherished aspiration of thousands of education conscious
people of very old and culturally rich localities of Jhorehat,
Andul and Mouri. This college has been named after Sri Sri Prabhu
Jagatbandhu, a saint in the true sense of the term. Even today
there are a great number of his devotees. One of the devotees,
Dr. Tinkari Ghosh,MBBS gifted some of his land and a building
to start the college. This self-effacing man ensured that no
hint of his generosity should be publicized. An organizing committee
comprising Principal Bijoy Krishna Bhattacharyya, Prof. Bipin
Krishna Ghosh, Sri Bijoyananda Chatterjee, Dr. Renu Bhusan Chatterjee
and Sri Harigopal Bhattacharyya (Secretary) was set up to run
the College.
 The
dream of the college could not have culminated into reality
but for the voluntary donation by the education loving people
of the locality, raised by the untiring, selfless benevolent
group under the name of ‘Karmi Sangha’. Later on
the Science Building was constructed with the money and materials
donated by generous Surath Mohan Paul. Dr. T. K. Ghosh made
a gift to the college some of his landed property and Surath
Mohan also executed a trust deed between N. C. Paul (Bricks)
Pvt. Ltd. and the college making in a perennial source of income-of-the-college.
Decades later, on the western side of the campus, the building
was constructed under the scheme of MPLAD fund of Hon'ble M.P.
Mr. Swadesh Ranjan Chakraborty . Mr. Chakraborty further allotted
Rs. Ten lakhs from the same fund for setting up computer facilities
in the college.
The first President, founder secretary and the first Principal
of the college were Mr. Saila Kumar Mukherjee, Ex-Finance Minister,
Govt. of West Bengal, Harigopal Bhattacharyya, an eminent scholar
of the locality and Prof. Banibhusan Dasgupta, respectively.
The entire process of establishing this much needed college
in a semi-urban, scheduled caste constituency was executed with
the blessings of Prof. Bijoy Krishna Bhattacharyya, an eminent
educationist on 31st December, 1963. The second principal of
the college was Dr. Biswanath Ghosh, who successfully guided
the college up to December, 1993. From January 1994 to July
1997 in the absence of a regular principal, the college was
run under the able guidance of two teachers-in-charge Dr. Shyamal
Kumar Sengupta, (January to August 1994), and Dr. Santosh Kumar
Chakraborty, (September to July 1997). Prof. Kalachand Saha
took over as the third principal of the college in August ‘97.
During his tenure( till November 2006) the college prospered
under his leadership. After him the college was run under the
able guidance of Dr. Prajna Maitra as Teacher in charge from
whom Dr. Ajit Kumar Bera took the charge of the college as Principal
for the period 11.02.2009 to 15.01.2010. From then onwards in
absence of a Principal, Dr. Prajna Moitra (till July 2010),
Dr.Asok Kr. Das (August 2010 to January 2011), Prof. Mukul Saha
(February to October 2011) and Prof. Aparna Dutta Basu (November
2011 to August 2012) have steered the college successfully to
the best of their abilities as Teachers-in-charge. Presently,
Dr. Sarada Mandal is at the helm as Teacher-in-charge.
Though this co-educational college was started in the humble
way, it withstood all the difficulties and has now become one
of the leading colleges in Howrah District. All credit goes
to the students, teaching and non-teaching staff of the college.
From the very inception of this college, a unique tradition
of cordial relationship among students, teaching and non-teaching
staff still exists which very few colleges can boast of.
The college has an attractive campus view with four buildings
forming an almost rectangular structural pattern around a lush
green ground surrounded by a concrete road. Adequate infrastructure
facilities are available for the current load, and its growth
has kept pace with academic expansion. Enough well-ventilated
classrooms, separate common rooms for the teaching and non-teaching
staffs as well as for boys and girls, sufficient restrooms,
a health care centre, and a subsidized canteen all in concert
with a large play-ground create a wonderful campus in an impoverished,
rural setting. The intercom system ensures convenient communication.
A computerized financial and admission system constitute best
practices in administration. Everything finds optimum utilization
for a 2300 strong student population.
Our admission process is thoroughly transparent. Although
the basic selection is strictly on merit, students of backward
communities are privileged to find reserved quotas set aside
for them. They also enjoy financial support, as do students
from poor families, from the Student Aid Fund of the college
to partake of the gifts of higher education.
The College has introduced eleven Honours subjects: Mathematics,
Physics, Computer Science, Bengali, History, Philosophy, Geography,
Political Science, English, Economics and Accounting &
Finance together with General courses in Bengali, English,
Philosophy, Political Science, Economics, History, Geography,
Physical Education, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Computer
Science, Electronics and Botany.
Teachers interact with students and parents tirelessly,
whether to help the slow learners or to offer academic guidance,
in addition to tutorials and remedial classes. Our academic
calendar and modularized syllabi promote maximum success,
as do the open access library system and the departmental
libraries. Interactive sessions after regular classes help
to enhance the learning process. All the Science Departments
have well-equipped laboratories as the fundamental unit of
the curriculum. Field trips, though limited to only a few
courses, are also effective. Excursions to chosen sites open
new doors of experience for the generally deprived students,
while access to the internet encourages them to experience
the world and beyond. A variety of seminars broaden their
perspective, even as group activities foster team spirit and
sharpen social skills. The college has been able to maintain
its own identity and a good academic standard as reflected
in teaching and University Examination results. Most of the
students who come to study in this college have been able
to establish themselves in different spheres of life.
The College encourages the students to participate in sports
(both indoor and outdoor) by providing all sorts of equipments
for sports and games activities. 16 station Gym has been installed
in the college for the development of physical strength of
the general students at a nominal charge. We take great pride
in our extension activities which are mainly executed through
the NSS and NCC programmes. Many are done in partnership with
other organizations. During the last three years, 100 student
volunteers have rendered their service by building roads,
working on health awareness campaigns, planting fruit bearing
trees etc, in neighbouring village Kalitala, Alampur. Local
communities are happy to be involved since the benefits reaped
by such activities enrich both the college and its rural neighbours.
A Placement Cell and a Women’s Cell have become operational.
Our Alumni Association is also doing well for several years.
Since 2004 our institution has been a dynamic study centre
for Netaji Subhas Open University promoting advanced education
among a large non-regular student body.
By creating a friendly atmosphere, the Governing Body has
been a most effective tool in the college activities. Thanks
to transparent governance, the leadership has fostered active
participation in a decentralized administrative governance,
the leadership has fostered active participation in a decentralized
administrative system, all of which results in a college whose
success goes far beyond its very real limitations and impediments.
It is matter of pride for us that the UGC NAAC Peer Team
visited our college-on-March-2008 and accredited us (CGPA-2.74/4,
B-Grade). Thereafter, Annual Quality Assessment Reports had
been sent every year to-the-NAAC. Recently, a letter of intent
(LOI) has been sent asking for the next scheduled NAAC visit
for reaccreditation.
|
