Kuvempu University
Kuvempu University is a public state university in Shankaraghattta, Bhadravathi taluk, Shimoga, Karnataka, India. It was established in 1987 by the act of the Karnataka state legislature through amendment No. 28/1976 dated 29 January 1989 under the Karnataka State University Act 1976.[2] The university offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in wide range of disciplines. It was recognized by the UGC in 1994 and is a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).[3][4][5]
Jnana Sahyadri | |
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Former names | Sahyadri University |
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Motto in English | "Foster Creativity in Teaching" |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1987 |
| Chancellor | Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala Governor of Karnataka |
| Vice-Chancellor | Dr. B. P. Veerabhadrappa |
| Director | Prof. Kumara Chalya |
| Students | 9,386[1] |
| Undergraduates | 5,831[1] |
| Postgraduates | 3,308[1] |
| Location | Shankaraghattta, Bhadravathi taluk, Shimoga , , India |
| Campus | Rural 230 acres (93 ha) (Main campus) |
| Affiliations | UGC, NAAC, AIU, ACU |
| Sports | Football, cricket, basketball, hockey, tennis, swimming, etc. |
| Website | www |
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The university has its headquarters at Jnana Sahyadri Campus, Shimoga. Its campus is called Jnana Sahyadri, which means 'The Western Ghat section of knowledge'. It has university jurisdiction over malnad districts of Shimoga and Chikmagalur, through which the Sahyadri mountain ranges pass. The campus sprawls across an area of 230 acres.[6] The campus has an admixture of wild and domestic animals.
History
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Established on 29 June 1987, Kuvempu University is the youngest of the affiliating universities in Karnataka State. It was named after the great Kannada writer, Kuvempu, Jnanpith laureate, doyen of Kannada literature. He was native of Shimoga district and vice-chancellor of University of Mysore. Kuvempu hailed from the Malenadu region. He enunciated the statement 'Vishwamanawasandesha' — A word of advice on the doctrine of Universal Manhood. True to its form and nature the university had adopted Kannada as the administrative and official language.
Kuvempu University, comprising the Shivamogga and Chikkamagalur districts, has been the epicenter of a majority of religious, cultural and social movements of Karnataka. The farmers, the dalit and the socialist movements of Karnataka in the 20th century were born here.
The education jurisdiction of Kuvempu University spreads over two districts of Shivamogga and Chikkamagalur. It also has outlying regional post-graduate centres at Kadur. The university offers conventional and non-conventional courses.
Te main campus, Jnana Sahayadri, is at Shankaraghatta, 28 km from Shivamogga town. The campus, spread over an area of 230 acres (0.93 km2), is built on a hillock, seamlessly blending with the surrounding area.
The logo has a mythical animal with the trunk of an elephant and the body of a bird (supposed that of a swan). This animal, called Gajahamsa (Gaja+Hamsa), is commonly found in the Vijayanagara and the Keladi sculpture and temple art. Symbolically it is supposed to be combination of knowledge and wealth. Lakshmi, the devi (goddess) of wealth, has an elephant as her vehicle. Saraswati, the devi of knowledge or education, uses a swan as her vehicle. Gajahamsa is a combination of these animals.
The campus has limited wifi connectivity with password access to all affiliates. It has even access to online journals in the UGC consortia called JCCC.
Kuvempu's son-in-law K. Chidananda Gowda was the vice-chancellor from 2001 to 2006. The current vice-chancellor is Dr. B. P. Veerabhadrappa.[7]
Campus life
The academic life on the campus includes seminars, symposia, special lectures and workshops. Conventional and non-conventional course of study have updated syllabi responsive to the needs of contemporary society. The research orientation is innovative, original and directed to societal needs.
The campus area is free of pollution including noise pollution. The main buildings were constructed on a small hill and blend naturally into the landscape.
Jnana Sahyadi, the main campus of Kuvempu University, is at Shankaraghatta, 28 km from Shimoga town, the district headquarters, and 18 km from Bhadravathi, the well-known industrial town. The campus is only 2 km from the magnificent Bhadra Reservoir across the river Bhadra, one of the important lifelines of the area. The campus sprawls over an area of 230 acres (0.93 km2). The main campus can be reached by private bus service. Shimoga, Bhadravathi and Tarikere towns are close to the campus and are well connected by rail.
The administrative building, Kuvempu Shathamanothsava Bhavan, on the main Jnana Sahyadri campus, houses almost all the offices of the university including the office and secretariat of the vice-chancellor and the registrar, human resource management, development, academic, finance section, SC-ST and OBC cells, planning, monitory and evaluation board, etc. The examination, Directorate of Distance Education are in Parikshanga - Doora Shikshana Bhavan. All these offices are fully equipped with computers. Students have access to a gym and medical center for free and there are paid canteen, bank (SBM), and post office on the campus.
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Sahyadi Campus Entrance, Adyar, Mangalore.jpg)
Sahyadi College of Engineering and Management, Adyar, Mangalore
kuvempu institute for Kannada studies
Academics
The university has 59 post-graduate departments of studies in the faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Education and Law offering 45 post-graduate (PG) programmes, four PG diplomas(regular) and one undergraduate programme. There are many colleges affiliated to this university offering undergraduate courses in the above-mentioned faculties.
The academic wedge on the main campus houses the post-graduate departments of studies in English, Political Science, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, MSW, Economics, Sociology, English Language Teaching, Journalism and Mass Communication.
The department of Sanskrit was moved out of Janasahyadri campus in Shankaraghatta village into the Sahyadri College in Shimoga Town due to lack of student strength. The VC insisted the course to run as he was reluctant to squander an Arts course to non-existence despite socially valued in urban places. The university has a strict mandate to close a course if a minimum number of students don't buy seats for a number of years from the state government.
Library & Information Science is in the Library departments and in Computer Science Departments Mathematics, MCA and Electronics. Pharmaceutical Chemistry has started on the premises of Govt. Junior College.
A new Post-Graduate Centre at Kadur started from the academic year 2007–08 with three courses: Master of Business Economics (MBE), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and M.Sc. To establish the PG Centre at Kadur, the State Government allotted 65 acres (260,000 m2) of land adjacent to Kadur town and released Rs.2 crore for the development of the P.G. Centre.[8]
Distance education
Kuvempu University is affiliated to UGC DEB (Distance Education Bureau, Govt. of India). It is a very famous and one of the top Distance Education Departments among Indian universities. Many students, government servants, bureaucrats, and scholars take admission to this university under distance mode to fulfill their goals. MSc in Chemistry, MSc Physics, Msc in Environmental Sc and MA in Education are very popular. Candidates who complete these courses have a lot of potential to get jobs in government and private organizations.
Admission to Kuvempu University DDE is highly competitive, as it consistently ranks amongst the best distance education options in India. This a premier public university.
For the PG in Chemistry, Physics Faculty at the postgraduate level, students are admitted through an entrance examination open to students from all over India. Unlike in a large number of states, there is no domicile quota in KU, as well as for the remaining engineering colleges admitting students through the entrance exam. Postgraduate students in Science are admitted by limited number. Admission to the Arts and Science Faculties is by individual examinations for each of the departments at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Weight is given to marks obtained at the higher secondary level for undergraduate admissions at the undergraduate level for postgraduate level. Many student after doing masters in chemistry, physics, education etc. from Kuvempu University in distance mode, did PhD in their subjects. They are now appointed as assistant professors in many reputed university in India and abroad like USA, UK, Germany, etc.
Kuvempu University started courses under the distance education scheme on the lines of Indira Gandhi National Open University from the academic year 2002–03. This open university would provides M.A., M.Sc, and M.Com. Information Technology courses are also on offer, including B.Sc IT and M.Sc IT. A B.Sc ITIM course that focuses on IT Infrastructure Management was introduced in Distance Mode in 2002. This is aligned to the needs of the rapidly growing IMS industry.[9]
Library
The library offers facilities for reading, borrowing, and reference to the students, teachers and research scholars of all departments. Over 70,000 books and 4,000 archived periodicals are available. The library has kept pace with technology by introducing a CD-ROM database and Internet and e-mail facilities. The library provides facilities for self-directed student learning outside standard university hours.[10]
National Service Scheme (NSS)
Kuvempu University NSS section is a part of the Karnataka State.[11] There is a programme coordinator whose office is presently housed in front of the Sahyadri College, Shimoga. The NSS wing provides training to undergraduate students by organising annual camps, national camps, and socially useful programmes. It coordinates the adult literacy programmes in which the students participate actively. The post-graduate unit of NSS has students from the post-graduate departments on the campus. It is supervised by a co-ordinator (from the faculty) and his team.
Employment Information and Management Departments
To help students plan their career and seek placement, the Employment Information and Guidance Bureau has been established on the campus. It functions under the supervision of a director who is from the faculty and assisted by the deputy chief and assistant chief who are appointed by the government. The bureau circulates information regarding employment opportunities, competitive examinations, UGC JRF and National Eligibility Test, State Level Eligibility Test, etc.
It organises employment counseling sessions. The post-graduate students, on completion of their P.G. degrees are required to register at the Bureau. To inspire the student community to prepare for rigorous examinations, the Bureau organises free coaching classes for various competitive examinations such as Indian Administrative Service, K.A.S., Banking and Staff Selection Commission.
Rankings
| University and College rankings | |
|---|---|
| General – India | |
| NIRF (Overall) (2019)[12] | 101–150 |
| NIRF (Universities) (2019)[13] | 73 |
The university was ranked 73 among universities in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2019[13] and in the 101–150 band overall.[12]
Schools and departments
School of Languages, Literature and Fine Arts
- Department of English studies|English
- Department of Hindi
- Department of Kannada
- Department of Urdu
- Department of Sanskrit
- Department of Fine Arts
School of Social Sciences
- Department of Sociology
- Department of Political Science
- Department of History and Archaeology
- Department of Social Work (Jnana Sahyadri Campus)
- Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Department of Adult Continuing Education and Field Outreach
School of Economics and Business Studies
- Department of Economics (Jnana Sahyadri Campus)
- Department of Business Economics (MBE) (P.G. Centre, Kadur)
- Department of Commerce (Jnana Sahyadri Campus)
- Department of Accounting and Finance
- Department of Business Administration (Jnana Sahyadri Campus)(P.G. Centre, Kadur)
- Department of Tourism Administration
- Department of Master of Banking, Finance and Insurance
School of Physical Sciences
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Computer science|Computer Sciences
- Department of Computer Applications (MCA)
- Department of Industrial Mathematics and Computer Applications
- Department of Physics
- Department of Electronics
- Department of Library and Information Science
School of Chemical|Chemical Sciences
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Industrial Chemistry
- Department of Biochemistry (Jnana Sahyadri campus)
- Department of Organic Chemistry
- Department of Analytical Chemistry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
School of Bio Sciences
- Department of Applied Botany
- Department of Applied Zoology
- Department of Wild Life Management
- Department of Biotechnology
- Department of Bioinformatics
- Department of Microbiology (Jnana Sahyadri campus)
- Department of Clinical Psychology
School of Earth Science and Environmental Sciences
- Department of Applied Geology
- Department of Remote Sensing Application
- Department of Water Management and Water Harvesting
- Department of Environmental Science
Department of Law
- Department of LL.M (Business Law)
Department of Education
- Department of Education (Jnana Sahyadri Campus)
- Department of Physical Education
Research centre
- Centre for the Study of Local Cultures (CSLC). A joint venture with the university of Ghent, Belgium. It involves studying the local tribal and village cultures from a scientific perspective and understanding the modern life changes, resulting in a postgraduate diploma in 6 months.
Cultural programmes and activities
Kuvempu University from its inception has been organising seminars, talks, conferences. During the early days of the university, local people were cordially invited into the debates and seminars during the twilight hours. Then the culture changed and strikes and debates on politics took over for many years for graduate constituencies in the Member of legislative council of the Karnataka State. Things took a standstill then.
From then on the annual cultural function called Sahyadri Utsav was celebrated with pomp and parade. Apart from this every year, the Campus at Jnana Sahyadri have their conference or workshops with talks from eminent speakers. Nearly all the departments award PhDs. There will be celebrations for the viva of PhDs. Kuvempu University had organized silver jubilee science exhibition open to public on its 25th year celebration with regard to science, arts and physical education.
Publishing house
The university has a publishing house called the Prasaranga just like its counterparts of Mysore, Bangalore, Dharwad and Hampi universities. It publishes books authored by professors of the Kannada department in Kannada. This is largely due to Prof Kumar Chalya (in that department) who introduced the technology of joining the beads of printers from his experience working in printing companies.
Colleges
The University has 80 affiliated colleges, three constituent colleges (among three, one is autonomous college) and other one autonomous college, one B.P.Ed. college, and 17 B.Ed. colleges under its jurisdiction spread over 2 districts of Shimoga, and Chikmagalur. It also has outlying regional Post-Graduate centre at Kadur. It offers postgraduate courses and research programmes (Ph.D.)in faculty of art, commerce and science. Karnataka State and has in its ambit 50 postgraduate departments, four constituent colleges and 133 affiliated colleges offering graduate-level courses in disciplines catering to the education needs of more than 50,000 students. There are five medical colleges, three engineering colleges and one management college. Sahyadri Arts and Science Colleges and Sahyadri Science College, erstwhile Government institutions are now constituent colleges of Kuvempu University. These premiere colleges of this region have completed 66 years of existence. Among the celebrities who are alumni of the colleges are Dr. U. R. Ananthamurthy, Jnana Peetha Awardee, Prof. C. N. R. Rao, eminent scientist, Sri K. V. Subbanna, Magsaysay Awardee and others. The Sahyadri Science College has become autonomous from 2006–07. The Diamond Jubilee Building constructed with partial financial support of the alumni association includes a well-equipped seminar hall inaugurated by Prof. CNR Rao & named as Prof. CNR Rao Hall.
See also
- List of institutions of higher education in Karnataka
- List of universities in India
- Universities and colleges in India
- Education in India
- Distance Education Council
References
- "Kuvempu University – Student enrollment details". UGC. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- "About Kuvempu University". 4 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 May 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- "About Kuvempu University". Universities of Karnataka. 13 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- "Members of the Association of Indian Universities". Association of Indian Universities. 29 August 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- Archived 28 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- "Kuvempu improve infrastructure". The Hindu. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- http://www.kuvempu.ac.in/eng/vc.php. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - "Facults And Departments at Kuvempu University". Higher Education in India. 14 July 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- "Kuvempu varsity to start Distance Education Scheme". The Hindu. 31 July 2002. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- {{ | url = http://www.kuvempu.ac.in/library.htm | title = Library of Kuvempu University | publisher = | date = 4 July 2009 | accessdate = 16 October 2007 }}
- "Facilities in Kuvempu". 4 July 2009. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- "National Institutional Ranking Framework 2019 (Overall)". National Institutional Ranking Framework. Ministry of Human Resource Development. 2019.
- "National Institutional Ranking Framework 2019 (Universities)". National Institutional Ranking Framework. Ministry of Human Resource Development. 2019.
