The University of Calcutta reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

University of Calcutta

Established in August 1857, the University of Calcutta is the oldest modern university in the Indian sub-continent. It has its main campuses in College Street, Rajabazar, Alipore and a host of affiliated colleges in greater Calcutta.

As the oldest modern university in the Indian sub-continent, the once famous University of Calcutta saw its direction being ably veered towards indigenous concerns and its establishment as an international centre of academic excellence by the first Indian pro vice-chancellor, Sir Dr. Seva Prasad Sarbadhikary and the first full fledged Indian born vice-chancellor Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee and his son Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee (also a vice chancellor). During the British era and through Independence till the 1960s, it was regarded as one of the few seats of academic excellence to the East of Suez.

Modelled on the University of London, the University of Calcutta courses include arts, commerce, science , law , engineering , medicine , management and other disciplines. It aims to make students experts in core areas of academic research.

Though it had slipped in national indexes in the past due to excessive politicization, adherence to traditional teaching methodology and outdated syllabi, there has been a revival of academic interest and renewal of infrastructure, due to which it has been awarded the status of a ‘five star university’ by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council in 2004. Students from this university have been pursuing higher studies abroad since its inception and in almost all the major universities of the world which admit visiting foreign scholars, at one point in their academic existence, have had students of this university in their enrolment registers.

Students from this university are to be found all over the world. During the British era and in the era after Independence to the 1980s, the preferred destinations for furthering studies were primarily the United Kingdom, United States of America, Eire, France, Soviet Union and Germany. Recent preferences for visiting students of this university include, apart from the above, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Cyprus, Turkey, Hungary, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan ROC, Singapore, Malaysia , the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and Brazil.

In a contrast to the previous era, where the preferred subjects were Humanities, Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Law, the preferred subjects now include, apart from the above, Business Management, Finance, Commerce, Communication, Information Technology, Fashion Designing, Hospitality Management, Biotechnology, Genetics, Robotics, and Nano-technology. In fact, many graduates and post graduates of this university show their flexibility to any academic milieu by changing their majors while studying abroad, thereby illustrating the academic versatility of its student base.

Please refer to the following websites for further information:

1) (Official website)

2) (Good source of information)

3) (From Banglapedia.com)

4) (Calcutta -- Educational institutions)

5) (From Encyclopedia Britannica)

6) (University of Calcutta - Calcutta, West Bengal Alumni Registry)

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