2402:3A80:1142:2707:0:0:52B4:5898 at 12:49, 6 October 2021

2021-10-06T12:49:26Z

New page

{{Short description|College affiliated to the University of Calcutta}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox university
| name = Asutosh College
| image = Asutosh College main building, July 2020.jpg
| caption = Front gate of main building of Asutosh College, Kolkata (old campus at Hazra)
| established = {{Start date and age|df=yes|17 July 1916}}
| type = Public
| principal = Dipak Kumar Kar
| city = [[Kolkata]]
| coordinates = {{coord|22|31|31.43|N|88|20|38.10|E|display=title,inline}}
| state = [[West Bengal]]
| country = India
| campus = Urban
| academic_affiliations = [[University of Calcutta]]
| students = 4000
| website = {{url|www.asutoshcollege.in}}
| logo = Asutosh College.png
| logo_size = 100px
}}
'''Asutosh College''' ([[Bengali language|Bengali]]: আশুতোষ কলেজ) is a college affiliated to the [[University of Calcutta]], situated in [[South Kolkata|Southern Kolkata]], close to the [[Jatin Das Park metro station|Jatin Das Park Metro Station]], gate No. 2 . It was established in 1916 as the '''South Suburban College''',<ref name="South Suburban College">{{cite news |last= Konar |first=Debashis |date=25 March 2013 |title=Grandson of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee upset at Mamata's silence on letter |url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Grandson-of-Sir-Ashutosh-Mukherjee-upset-at-Mamatas-silence-on-letter/articleshow/19181275.cms|work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=11 March 2018 }}</ref> under the stewardship of educationist Sir [[Ashutosh Mukherjee]], who was the then [[vice-chancellor]] of the University of Calcutta. After the death of Sir Mukherjee, the college was renamed as Asutosh College in 1924.<ref name ='South Suburban College'/> The principal of the college is Dr. Dipak Kumar Kar. It is affiliated to the [[Calcutta University]] .

The first college in West Bengal to be accredited by the [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council]] in 2002, it was given an A grade with a CGPA score of 3.22 in 2016, helping it secure its position among the top four affiliated colleges of West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asutoshcollege.in/|title=:: ASUTOSH COLLEGE|website=asutoshcollege.in|access-date=2017-09-13}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asutoshcollege.in/naac_video.html|title=NAAC}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Sir Asutosh Mukharji.JPG|thumb|Sir Asutosh Mukherjee]]
The college shifted to its current location in 1935. The present college building has a premise of forty thousand square feet and more than fifty classrooms which can contain about 4000 students. Twenty-eight subjects are taught as Honors/Major/Vocational at the Undergraduate level.

In the year 2002, a post graduation course in [[Environmental Science]] was introduced. Post graduate courses in Applied [[Geology]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Computer Science]], [[Information Science]], [[Geography]], [[Zoology]] were introduced in between 2009 and 2014. In 2013, add-on courses in Hospital waste disposal management, Industrial Chemistry and Travel & Tourism were introduced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asutoshcollege.in/|title=:: Asutosh College }}</ref>

In 2012, the Mother Teresa International Award was conferred on Asutosh College for outstanding achievement and contribution in the field of Best College of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the College |url=http://www.asutoshcollege.in/about.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313035710/http://www.asutoshcollege.in/about.php |archive-date=2014-03-13 }}</ref>

In 2014, [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]]-approved free add-on courses on Tourism, Industrial Chemistry, and Hospital Waste Disposal Management were introduced by the college.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asutoshcollege.in/addon_course.php |title=Archived copy |access-date=2014-03-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312224900/http://www.asutoshcollege.in/addon_course.php |archive-date=2014-03-12 }}</ref>


==Campuses==
A Second Campus of Asutosh College was planned in 2003.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/kolkata/Joka-campus-for-Asutosh-planned/articleshow/43497286.cms|title=Joka campus for Asutosh planned|date=April 15, 2003|publisher=Times of India|access-date=21 August 2020}}</ref>
The [[Century|Centenary]] Building of the college was inaugurated<ref>{{Citation|last=RMIC Golpark|title=323V INAGURATION CENTENARY BUILDING ASUTOSH COLLEGE SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE 1 4 15|date=2015-04-11|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cMwB6Dsr-0|access-date=2017-09-13}}</ref> by the erstwhile [[President of India]], [[Pranab Mukherjee]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netindian.in/news/2015/03/31/00033182/pranab-mukherjee-visit-west-bengal-april-1-2|title=Pranab Mukherjee to visit West Bengal on April 1–2|date=2015-03-31|website=www.netindian.in|language=en|access-date=2017-09-13}}</ref> on 1 April 2015. Asutosh college is the 12th college in Kolkata that was first to set up [[Rooftop photovoltaic power station|rooftop solar plant]] to produce 20 kW for its own use.<ref>{{cite news |author= |title= Ashutosh College among solar-compliant campuses|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/ashutosh-college-among-solar-compliant-campuses/articleshow/59641535.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=18 July 2017|access-date=11 March 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author= |title=Asutosh College has its own solar power |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/asutosh-college-has-its-own-solar-power/articleshow/59740398.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |date=25 July 2017 |access-date=11 March 2018 }}</ref>

==College of Choice==
The college is an institution of choice for many students in [[Kolkata]] and the wider state for subjects in the liberal arts and science. While the [[English literature|English]], [[Bengali literature|Bengali]], [[History]] and [[Statistics]] departments of the college are staffed by some of the most senior academic faculty in the city, the upgradation of laboratory infrastructure has focused attention on the science stream in recent years. The [[Geography]], [[Physics]], [[Zoology]], [[Microbiology]] and chemistry departments have remained special draws for under graduation students. The [[Mass Communication]] department and Communicative English Department has also seen applications rising.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}Each year the college has UDAAN celebration which has become quite popular for showcasing youth talent.

However, this has continued to exacerbate the major imbalance in student to teacher ratio, in Honours classes as well as those for Pass subjects. This problem had been pointed out by [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council|NAAC]] in its very first review of the college in 2004. "In the big urban colleges, like that of Asutosh, the teacher-taught ratio needs to be much more balanced. Universities and educational administrators of the state need to think of a way out of this huge imbalance in the classroom, as this may throw normal teaching-learning out of gear."<ref>{{cite web|title= State-wise Analysis of Accreditation Reports - West Bengal |url=http://www.naac.gov.in/docs/Analysis%20of%20Accreditation%20Reports/Analysis-West_Bengal.pdf}}</ref>

==NAAC Accreditation==
In 2015, the [[Government of West Bengal]] offered a financial incentive of up to Rs. 2 crore each, to colleges with NAAC grading of A or B. The Department of Higher Education wanted institutions like Asutosh College with a proven academic track record of renewing their NAAC grade. But many colleges, including Asutosh, was reluctant to get involved in the process which the Principal at the time called "long drawn and fund consuming, without having any real benefit". While the college was rated C++ in its inaugural assessment back in 2002, it did not apply in 2007 when the rating expired. It has since applied for certification and now has an A grade rating by the NAAC.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitra |first=Bishwabijoy|date=20 June 2017 |title=https://No NAAC stamp many West Bengal Colleges face deaffiliation|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/news/No-NAAC-stamp-many-West-Bengal-colleges-face-deaffiliation/articleshow/47020485.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=11 September 2018 }}</ref>

==Facilities==
The college has a separate counselling cell for both victims of ragging as well as possible aggressors, as part of an anti-ragging initiative.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitra |first=Bishwabijoy |date=20 June 2017 |title=Colleges set up with anti-ragging initiatives |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/colleges-set-up-with-anti-ragging-initiatives/articleshow/59218995.cms |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=11 March 2018 }}</ref>

All the departments have their own libraries and well-organized laboratories for Science departments.

==In the news==
In 1996, then Principal Subhankar Chakraborty was accused of moral policing after he asked female students to dress modestly.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dasgupta |first=Priyanka |date=2 May 2018 |title=I condemn moral policing in Kolkata: Asutosh College ex-principal|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/kolkata/i-condemn-moral-policing-in-kolkata-asutosh-college-ex-principal-subhankar-chakraborty/articleshow/64005333.cmswork|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=11 September 2018 }}</ref>

In early 2018, sanitary pad dispensers, installed in the college back in 2015 were found to be not working. Many female students did not know about the machines while others felt self-conscious to use the machines which were placed in corridors and other public parts of the campus. However, the college alleged the quality of pads were so low that students gave them a miss. They also said the after sales service of the company roped in by the state government to install and operate the machines, were unpredictable and bad.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitra |first=Bishwabijoy |date=16 Jan 2018 |title=What Padman revolution ? Vending machines gather dust in city colleges|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/what-padman-revolution-vending-machines-gather-dusts-in-colleges/articleshow/62509947.cms|work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=11 September 2018 }}</ref>

==Notable alumni==

* [[Bappaditya Bandopadhyay]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Bappaditya Bandopadhyay Profile & Career|url=http://www.kolkatabengalinfo.com/2012/08/bappaditya-bandopadhyay-profile-career.html|access-date=12 November 2012}}</ref>
* [[Aniket Chattopadhaya]]
* [[Amitabha Chowdhury]]<ref>{{Cite news |url = http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/106 |title = biography |access-date = 10 April 2016 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170512050329/http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/106 |archive-date = 12 May 2017 |url-status = dead }}</ref>
* [[Usha Ranjan Ghatak]]<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.asutoshcollege.in/List/Prospectus_2012.pdf|title = Prospectus_2012}}</ref>
* [[Vina Mazumdar]]
* [[Diptendu Pramanick]]
* [[Arun Kumar Sharma]]
* [[P. C. Sorcar, Jr.]]
* [[Dhiraj Bhattacharya]]
* [[Amlan Datta]]

===Politicians===
* [[Ritabrata Banerjee]]
* [[Firhad Hakim]]
* [[Gurudas Dasgupta]]
* [[Abu Hasem Khan Choudhury]]<ref>http://docs.myneta.info/affidavits/ls2009db/4858/AbuHasemKhanChoudhury_SC5.jpg{{Bare URL inline|date=October 2021}}</ref>
* [[Sovandeb Chattopadhyay]]
* [[Madan Mitra]]
* [[Partha Chatterjee (politician)|Partha Chatterjee]]
*[[Mimi Chakraborty]]
* [[Dipsita Dhar]]
* [[Prince Kumar Sandeep]]
* [[Geeta Mukherjee]]
*[[Shatarup Ghosh]]

===Actors===
* [[Tripti Mitra]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gomolo.com/tripti-mitra-biography/15204/708910 |title=Tripti Mitra Biography by Chandi Mukherjee |publisher=Gomolo.com |date=2008-08-11 |access-date=2012-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103124229/http://www.gomolo.com/tripti-mitra-biography/15204/708910 |archive-date=3 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Rabi Ghosh]]<ref>{{cite web |url= http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Ghosh,_Binoy |title=Ghosh, Binoy}}</ref>
* [[Basabi Nandi]]
* [[Bijoya Ray]]
* [[Ranjit Mallick]]
* [[Rahul Banerjee (actor)|Rahul Banerjee]]
* [[Mimi Chakraborty]]
* [[Antara Biswas]]

===Authors & Poets===
* [[Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay]]
* [[Mahasweta Devi]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=11565 |title=Writing as Social Service: The Literary Compass of Mahashweta Devi |author=Shubha Tiwari |work=boloji.com |quote=She attended Ashutosh College of Calcutta University (1943-44) |access-date=11 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403045922/http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=11565 |archive-date=3 April 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* [[Dinesh Das]]
* [[Kabita Sinha]]
* [[michael prince]]
* [[Srijato]]

===Singers===
* [[Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay]]
* [[Anjan Dutt]]
* [[Neel Dutt]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Neel Dutt Profile Family Education Career|url=http://www.kolkatabengalinfo.com/2011/07/neel-dutta-profile-family-education.html|access-date=12 November 2012}}</ref>
* [[Nachiketa Chakraborty]]
* [[Anup Ghoshal]]
* [[Rupam Islam]]

===Sports personalities===
* [[Sunil Chetri]]
* [[Chuni Goswami]]
* [[Benu Dasgupta]]
* [[Syed Naeemuddin]]

== See also ==
* [[Jogamaya Devi College]]
* [[Syamaprasad College]]
* [[University of Calcutta]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official}}

{{Calcutta University}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:University of Calcutta affiliates]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1916]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges in Kolkata]]
[[Category:1916 establishments in British India]]

Asutosh College - Revision history

2402:3A80:1142:2707:0:0:52B4:5898 at 12:49, 6 October 2021