~ University Education ~


General Information

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.


State Aided Universities
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],

[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],

[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 :

[email protected]

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 :

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

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]
Central Universities
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]