Higher Education has always been West
Bengal’s comparative advantage. Whether in the liberal arts, performing arts, or the sciences, men
and women of outstanding merit from the State have excelled themselves nationally and internationally.
Building on a unique culture that values the pursuit of the intellect and regards highly the written
word, the Higher Education Department is endeavouring to reclaim the mantle of being India’s
intellectual capital.
Spawning an ecosystem that has traditionally laid a high social value on
educational achievements, the State is in an ideal position to emerge as a hub of higher education.
As the gateway to India’s north eastern region and adjoining Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim, Orissa,
Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, West Bengal can emerge as a magnet for students and researchers from
several States of East and Northeast India as well as the neighbouring countries.
Historically, as the capital of British India, Kolkata was the first to develop
a modern system of education. It was here that in 1784, Sir William Jones, a well-known philologist of
his time, established the Asiatic Society for the promotion of Oriental Studies. Missionaries and savants
such as Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Shashi Bhushan Chatterjee and William Carey
spearheaded the establishment of modern education in the city.
Calcutta University was one of the first universities to be set up in India (1857)
as was the first medical college. Hindoo College (later called Presidency College) was set up in 1817; in
2010 it was conferred the status of a University. The National Council of Education, Bengal later became
the Jadavpur University in 1955. The Visva-Bharati University at Santiniketan, founded by Rabindranath
Tagore in 1921, is today a Central University.
Missionary efforts in the spread of higher education in Bengal are well known.
In 1860, St Xavier’s College, named after St Francis Xavier, a 16th century missionary to India,
was set up. Affiliated to the University of Calcutta, it became the first autonomous college in the
State in 2006. St Xavier’s College is poised to become a full-fledged University soon. With about 4,000
students today, St Xavier’s College is expanding to another campus in New Town.
Advances were also made in the field of science and technology. The Bengal
Engineering College, Shibpur was founded in 1856. At the time, it was only the second such institution
in all of British India. It was taken over by the Government of India and renamed the Indian Institute
of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur in 2014 and today serves as a premier national institution
for research and education in engineering, science and technology. IIT Kharagpur is the oldest IIT in
India and has been ranked among the top 100 institutions in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)
Graduate Employability Rankings while the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta has consistently
ranked as one of the three premier business schools of the country.
Sanskrit College, established in 1824 is one of the oldest educational
institutions in India specialising in the study of Sanskrit, Indian languages and Indological Studies.
Recently, it has been upgraded into a university aimed at revitalising the study of Sanskrit in the state.
19 state-aided University Acts have been passed. Out of them 9 state-aided universities
are in operation, raising from 12 to 21. Other than that 11 Private Universities have been established.
Name of The University | Date of Establishment | Address |
---|---|---|
The University of Calcutta | 24 January, 1857 | Senate House, 87/1, College Street, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, Phone : 2241-0071, 2241-4984, Fax :2241-3222, 2241-2859 Website : www.caluniv.ac.in Email : [email protected], |
The Jadavpur University | 24 December, 1955 | 188, Raja S. C. Mallick Road, Kolkata, West Bengal 700 032, Phone : 2414-6666, 6194,6643, Fax : (91) -033- 2414-6414 (033) 2414-6357 Website : www.jadavpur.edu Email : [email protected], |
The University of Burdwan | 15 June 1960 | Rajbati, Burdwan, Dist. – Burdwan, Pin – 713104 Phone : +91 342 263 4975, Fax : +91- 0342- 253-0452, Website : www.burd.univ.ac.in Email : [email protected] / [email protected] , [email protected] |
The University of Gour Banga | March 10, 2008 | P.O-Mokdumpur Dist-Malda, Pin – 732103 Phone : 03512-223664 / 223666 Website : www.ugb.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The University of Kalyani | 1 November, 1960 | Near Kalyani Ghoshpara Railway Station, District Nadia, Kalyani, Pin – 741235 Phone : (033) 2582 8750, Fax : (033) 2582-8378, Website : www.klyuniv.ac.in Email : |
The Rabindra Bharati University | 8 May, 1962 | Emerald Bower Campus
56A, B.T. Road,
Kolkata – 700 050. Jorasanko Campus 6/4, Dwarkanath Tagore Lane, Kolkata – 700 007 Phone :2556-2543,2557-3028 Fax : 2556-8079, Website : www.rbu.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The University of North Bengal | 1 July, 1962 | Raja Rammohanpur, P.O. – North Bengal University, Dist. Darjeeling, Pin- 734430. Phone : (0353)033 2282-0124, Fax : (0353) 2581212, Website : www.nbu.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Presidency University | 1817 (Upgraded to university in 2010) | 86/1, College St, College Square, Kolkata, West Bengal 700073, Phone : (033) 2257-2444, Website : www.presiuniv.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University | July 6, 2010 | Ranchi Road, P.O. Purulia Sainik School, District : Purulia, Pin- 723 104. Phone : 03252 202 419, Website : www.skbu.ac.in Email : |
The Vidyasagar University | 29 September 1981 | P.O. – Vidyasagar University, Dist – Midnapur, Pin- 721102. Phone: +91 - 03222 276-554, 276555, 276557, 276558, Fax : (953222) 275329,275297 Website : www.vidyasagar.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The West Bengal State University | 10th March, 2008 | Berunanpukuria(Barasat),P.O. Malikapur,
North 24- Parganas
Kolkata 700126 Fax : (033) 2524 1977 Telephone nos. 2524 1975, 2524 1976, 2524 1978, 2524 1979 Website : www.wbsubregistration.org Email : [email protected] |
The Netaji Subhas Open University | 20 August 1997 | DD-26, Sector-I, Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700 064, Ph. : +91 33 4066 3220 Fax : (033) -2287-1082 Website : www.wbnsou.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology | 7 August 2000 | Main Campus : Simhat, Haringhata, Nadia - 741249 Kolkata Campus : BF 142, Sector 1, Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700064 Ph. : 2321-1327, Fax : 2321-7578, Website : www.wbut.ac.in/ |
The Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University | 2012 | Vivekananda Street, Coochbehar –736101 Ph. : 03582-230833, Website : www.cbpbu.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Kazi Nazrul University | 2012 | Nazrul Road, Kalla Bypass More, P.O.Kalla C.H., P.S. Asansol (North), Dist.Burdwan, Pin 713340 Ph. : 0341 2270456 Fax : 0341 2271024 Website : www.knuedu.in Email : [email protected] |
The Bankura University | 2013 | New Campus, (Beside NH 60)
Bankura Block – II, P.O.- Purandarpur
Dist.- Bankura,.
Pin Code: 722146, Ph. : 03242 -201129, Website : www.bankurauniv.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Raiganj University | 1948 (Upgraded to university in 2015) | College Para, P.O. Raiganj, P.S. Raiganj, Pincode- 733134 Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, Ph. : 03523 242 351 Fax: 03523-242580 Website : www.raiganjuniversity.ac.in/ Email : [email protected] |
The Diamond Harbour Women's University | 2013 | DIAMOND HARBOUR ROAD, SARISHA, SOUTH 24 PARGANAS-743368, Ph. : 03174 258801, Website : www.dhwu.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The West Bengal University of Teachers' Training, Education Planning and Administration | 2015 | 25/2 and 25/3, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata - 700019, Ph. : 033-24750033, Website : www.wbuttepa.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Sanskrit University, West Bengal | 2016 (Laying foundation stone of Sanskrit College in 1824) | 1, Bankim Chatterjee Street,Kolkata- 700 073, Ph. : 2241- 3611/ 2241- 1906 |
Name of The University | Date of Establishment | Address |
---|---|---|
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya | 1st September, 1974 | P.O. Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, Pin-741252, Ph : (03473)-222 269, Fax : (034730) 222275, Website : www.bckv.edu.in Email : [email protected] |
The University of Animal and Fishery Sciences | 2 January, 1995 | 37 & 68, Khudiram Bose Sarani, Belgachia, Kolkata – 700 037, Ph : 2556-3396, 2556-5021, Fax : 091 - 033 - 2557-1986, Website : www.wbuafscl.ac.in |
The W.B.National University of Juridical Sciences | 22 April, 2000 | NUJS Bhaban 12, LB Block, Sector-III, Salt Lake, Eastern Bypass, Kolkata -700 091, Ph : 2335-0534 / 7379, Fax : 033 - 2335-7422, Website : www.nujs.edu Email : [email protected] |
Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya | 1 February, 2001 | P.O.-Pundibari, Dist- Cooch Behar, Ph : 03582 - 270141/249, Website : www.ubkv.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The West Bengal University of Health Science | 2nd December, 2002 | DD-36, Sector –1, Salt Lake, Kolkata-64, Ph : 2321-5388, Fax : 23215389, Website : www.wbhus.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Aliah University | 2007 | 21, Hazi Md. Mahasin Sq, Kolkata - 700 016 Ph. : 8902064042 Website : www.aliah.ac.in Email:[email protected] |
Name of The University | Date of Establishment | Address |
---|---|---|
The Visva Bharati University | December 23, 1921 | P.O. Santiniketan, Westbengal, Pin-731235, Ph : +91(3463)262751 to 262756 (6 lines), Fax : +91(3463)262672, Website : www.visvabharati.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST),Shibpur | 1856 as a Govt. College, Deemed University Status in 1992, University status in 2004 | P.O. – Botanic Garden, Shibpur, Howrah – 711 103, West Bengal, Ph : 668-0521 to 0532, 668-4561 / 4562 / 4563 / 668-1503 Fax : 668-4564 / 2916 Website : www.becs.ac.in Email : [email protected] |
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Murshidabad Campus | 1920 | Jangipur Barrage (Ahiran), Murshidabad, West Bengal 742223 Ph : +91-3483-230030, Fax : +91-3483-230040, Website : www.amu.ac.in/murshidabad Email : [email protected] |
The Ramkrishna Mission Vivekananda Education and Research Institute(RKMVERI) (Deemed University under UGC Act) | 2005 | P.O. Belur Math, Dt. Howrah, Pin – 711202, Phone: (033) 2654-9999 Fax: (033) 2654-4640 Website : www.rkmvu.ac.in/ Email : [email protected] |