History

The Department

In 1817, the Hindoo College was founded with the express intention of providing modern education to the Indian students. The teaching of science was, however, ignored at the initial phase. In 1823, Raja Rammohan Roy addressed a letter to Lord Amherst for imparting instructions in mathematics, natural philosophy, chemistry, anatomy and other useful sciences. In response to that Mr. H.F. Blanford informally began teaching the basic elements of Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology and Physical geography in Presidency College as Professor of Natural Science. In 1851, the establishment of Geological Survey of India in Calcutta signalled the dawn of geological exploration in this subcontinent. The need for trained Indians was then strongly felt by the colonial rulers. On 23rd September 1891, the Government of Bengal published a notification regarding opening of graduate classes in Geology and Mineralogy in Presidency College. On 17th July 1892, the Department of Geology, the first of its kind in India, was formally inaugurated with Sir Thomas Holland of the Geological Survey of India as the first Professor of Geology. The teaching covered both B.Sc. and M.Sc. levels. The department remained a small one with only four full-time teachers until the middle of the twentieth century when its expansion started. Even in those early days the department established its tradition of dedicated teaching and the reputation as a pioneering research centre under the stewardship of Late Professor Hem Chandra Dasgupta, the first Indian Professor of Geology.

The geological museum set up by Professor Dasgupta has been renovated and named Hem Chandra Museum of Geology in his honour. Standing on that strong foundation the department has been moving forward along the path of excellence. The alumni of this department not only established their superiority in the academic field of earth science but they are also playing a leading role in the development of the natural resource industry of the country. The flare of academic achievement superceded geographic barriers to adorn the chairs of many leading institutions abroad. As a recognition of its academic excellence the department came under the UGC-COSIST Program in 1985, followed by the UGC Special Assistance Program in 1986. In the year 2004 the department came under the purview of the FIST Program of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The department was declared as the Centre for Advanced Study in Precambrian Geology by the University Grants Commission in 2006.

The department has successfully completed the first phase of DST-FIST program in 2008. In appreciation of the successful completion of the first phase of FIST program, the DST has recommended the second phase and sanctioned Rs. 1.5 crore in 2009. The UGC-sponsored CAS program was initiated in 2007. The program has been very successful and a peer-review team has recently expressed satisfaction over the quality of publications and research carried out in the thrust area. The team also recommended for the second phase for five years under this program.

The Geological Institute, the oldest students’ academic forum in the country has remained the pride of the Department since 1905. The students of this department are encouraged to express their academic interests through activities like quiz, seminars slide shows and discussions under the umbrella of the Institute. The activities culminate to an Annual General Meeting where the departmental alumnus gets a chance to mingle with the young minds and help us to carry the flame forward.

Conventionally the office bearers of the Institutes are our present students who work under the able guidance of the Faculties of the department. The institute publishes a yearly journal Bhuvidya, the contents of which are mostly written by students with the purpose of looking and knowing beyond the syllabi.