Panihati Mahavidyalaya, Kolkata

About Panihati Mahavidyalaya, Kolkata

Panihati Mahavidyalaya is a co-educational academic institution situated on Barasat Road, Kolkata 700110. The college is located in the vicinity of Panihati Municipality and Barrackpore Trunk Road. It is well connected to Kolkata and the 24 Parganas by bus and rail routes. The humble beginnings of the college go back to the year 1974, when Panihati Municipality generously made a donation of one acre of land for establishing a degree college. The foundation stones were laid by the then chief minister, Siddhartha Sankar Roy, on 3rd February, 1974, with a view to open a gateway of higher education for local boys and girls. Sri. Tapan Chattopadhyay was the first Founder-Secretary of the institution. The origins of the institution were truly modest. Initially, classes were held inside makeshift classrooms of a building that was still being constructed. Benches and desks were often borrowed from nearby schools during the time of examinations.

Panihati Mahavidyalaya became affiliated to the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education in July, 1976. Teachers from local schools and university postgraduates offered their benevolent service to teach in the Higher Secondary Section. In 1978, the institution was granted affiliation by the University of Calcutta for offering degree courses in B.A. (General) and B.Com. (General) alongside the existing Higher Secondary section, in the following subjects: English, Bengali, Political Science, History, Economics, Philosophy and Mathematics. It was conferred the status of a degree college by the West Bengal Higher Education Department on 1st July, 1990 (w.e.f. 1st July, 1989), thereby becoming a Government-aided college recognized under section 2 (f) and 12 (b) of the UGC Act 1956. Consequently, all existing full-time and part-time teaching and non-teaching staff of the institution were brought under the pay-packet scheme of the Government of West Bengal.

The institution, which is now affiliated to the West Bengal State University, offers several Honours and General courses in the Arts, Science and Commerce streams. Two new General subjects, namely Psychology and Sociology, will be introduced in the session 2018-19. The new session will also see the introduction of Honours in two subjects which have been offered as General subjects so far, namely, Food & Nutrition and Philosophy. There are 15 Honours subjects and 20 General subjects.

Several developments have come about in recent times. With financial aids from MLA LAD and MP LAD funds, Panihati Mahavidyalaya has built, in the past few years, a seminar hall with digital facilities and a high-end virtual smart classroom. A WiFi facility with high-speed internet is also available. The Central Library of the college has been upgraded and is now managed through the open source Integrated Library System, Koha. Library space has been increased with the addition of an adjacent room. CCTV cameras have been installed inside the campus for surveillance and as a security measure. Solar inverter is available for harnessing solar power and for providing electric backup. Lift has been installed in the Science Building. Water purifiers are installed at several places of the college for use by students and staff.