Introduction
Puducherry is a Union Territory with one of
the highest levels of quality of life in the country with
excellent physical infrastructure and almost a hundred per
cent literacy level. It is also the place where Sri Aurobindo
and the Mother chose to stay and their writings remain a
tremendous source of spiritual awakening that emphasizes
the progress of humanity and its spiritual brotherhood.
A unique experimental city, Auroville, the brainchild of
the Mother, whose inhabitants are drawn from all parts of
the world, is situated on the outskirts of the city. Puducherry,
which still carries several marks of French culture and
heritage, was also the place where the national poet Shri
Subramania Bharathiar wrote several of his masterpieces
that fanned the flames of freedom and also enriched modern
Tamil literature. Bharathidasan, a staunch disciple of Subramania
Bharathiar, whose poems stressed social revolution and emancipation
of women, was also an eminent son of Puducherry. Therefore,
it is, indeed, in the fitness of things that this city with
such an illustrious history should also have the distinction
of housing a Central University that would meet the needs
of the people of the Southern states of India in general
and those of Puducherry in particular, for higher education.
Establishment and Role
Pondicherry University is outstanding among
the central universities in India. Teaching and research
are its primary functions as in other Central Universities.
In addition, it has also affiliated colleges located in
Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam and the Union Territory
of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The Union Territory of Lakshadweep
is also expected to have a college affiliated to Pondicherry
University in the near future. The Pondicherry University
Act, 1985 which has several unique features, established
the University. Some of them are:
- to disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional
and research facilities,
- to make special provisions for studies in French and
for integrated courses in humanities and sciences in the
educational programmes, and
- to take appropriate measures for promoting inter-disciplinary
studies and research.
The vast jurisdiction over three Union Territories gives
the University a national character. The residents speak
such diverse languages as Tamil, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam,
Telugu, English and French.
Locale
Puducherry, which is situated on the Coromandal
coast, 160 k.m. south of Chennai, attracted the French to
settle here two centuries ago, is now a growing city and
the capital of the Union Territory bearing the same name.
With a population of nearly 10 lakhs spread over a limited
land area (13" 44" N; 80ΓΈ"E), it is a cosmopolitan
city with people not only from Indian subcontinent but also
from all the continents of the world. The Romain Rolland
Library, more than a century and half old with several rare
French and Tamil manuscripts, is a veritable repository
of treasures. The Puducherry museum houses rare kinds of
pottery from the Arikkamedu site which was a bustling port
city in the first century A.D. where Roman ships called
in for trade and friendship. The intellectual activities
are fostered in many of its institutions such as the Sri
Aurobindo Ashram where the teachings of Sri Aurobindo resonate,
the French Institute which caters to research needs in Science,
Indology and Culture, and JIPMER which undertakes frontier
research in medicine. Pondicherry University is located
11 k.m. from this beautiful and active city. Frequent buses
on the East Coast Road connect the city and campus to Chennai.
Puducherry is also accessible by rail from Chennai. There
is an airport and a minor port, which, however, handles
freight.
Campus
The main campus of the University has an area
of 780 acres spread on either side of the East Coast Road
with the large chunk on the landward side of the road. The
land is an invaluable gift from the people and the Government
of Puducherry for the establishment of the University. The
land gently rolls down to the beaches and is interspersed
with lovely woods. Cut by a picturesque and deep ravine,
this idyllic campus is on the fast track to developing into
an ideal breeding ground for innovation and creativity.
Status
The University is fully supported by the University
Grants Commission. The University is a member of the Association
of Indian Universities and the Association of Commonwealth
Universities.
The teaching faculty consists of more than 180 active and
erudite members in different Schools, Departments and Centres.
Currently, there are around 1,600 students pursuing their
post-graduate and doctoral programmes on the campus. These
apart, several thousand students on the rolls of the University
through the Community College, the Directorate of Distance
Education and 68 affiliated colleges, contribute to the
richness of the University's learning experience.
The University is academically organized at several levels
for efficient functioning. The teaching and research is
carried out in the Schools which facilitate and promote
inter-disciplinary work. Each School consists of several
departments where teaching programmes in specific subject
area are conducted.
The primary objective of all the academic effort is to build
a strong foundation with all necessary infrastructures for
expanding the horizons of knowledge and disseminate it efficiently.
Extension activities are also an integral part of the Universitys
activities.
The Universitys commitment to innovation in the field of
education is reflected in several spheres. It was the first
University in India to provide the students with choice
of the elective courses they want to study in addition to
the major subject area under the so called Choice Based
Credit System (CBCS). The students can now choose courses
from other Departments and Schools to augment their knowledge
base, so that they can face the world on their graduation
with confidence.
The corporate life of the University is further enriched
by the inputs from visiting teachers. The University, committed
as it is to the furtherance of the students knowledge,
organizes several Endowment lectures and Foundation lectures
by eminent personalities. These lectures provide the students
and teachers alike with an updated and deep insight into
many areas of study and go a long way in motivating them
to excel in their chosen field.
The Universitys effort in teaching and research is furthered
by several governmental and non-governmental organizations,
which provide funds for research and extension activities.
The University has Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the
following Universities/ Institutions :
- University of Paris 13, Villetaneuse Cedex
- Confidentiality Agreement between Nicholas Piramal India
Ltd, Mumbai and Pondicherry University
- Agreement of Cooperation between Tata Consultancy Services
Ltd, Mumbai and Pondicherry University
- M.O.U. with Instiute Francaise, Puducherry and Pondicherry
University
- International Crops Research Institute for the Semi
Arid Tropics Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India
- Institute of Cultural Anthropology and African Studies
of University of Munich, Germany, and
Kathmandu University, Nepal.
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