University of Calicut
കാലിക്കറ്റ് സര്‍വ്വകലാശാല
Established	1968
Type	Public
Vice-Chancellor	Prof. Anwar Jahan Zuberi
Location	Thenhipalam, Malappuram, Kerala, India
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	UGC
Website	www.universityofcalicut.info

Students' Trap in the Calicut University Campus

The University of Calicut is an affiliating university in the southern state of Kerala in India. It is situated in Thenjipalam, in the district of Malappuram with a number of off-campus centres in neighbouring districts. The University conducts courses and examinations for the students of the affiliated colleges. Anvar Jahan Zuberi, a professor in Aligarh Muslim University, is the Vice Chancellor of the University^[1].The main campus in Thenjipalam has departments in most of the science and humanities areas. The departments offer post graduate courses and research programmes. However, the main business in the campus is administration and conduct of examinations for all the affiliated colleges which number above 250.

[edit] Teaching Departments

Important departments include mathematics, life science, botany, physics, chemistry, zoology, school of health sciences, biotechnology, mass communication, language departments like Malayalam, English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Russian, Arabic etc. The campus witnessed some remarkable progress during the tenure of Dr. Seyed E. Hasnain as vice-chancellor. New amenities were created and computerisation drive was intensified. An observatory was set up in the campus.

[edit] Anti-academic campaign at the university

In 2009, the University received press coverage following an attempt by the pro-CPI(M) syndicate to oust people from teaching posts.^[2].

A side view of C H Mohammed Koya Library. At the entrance stands a flagpole of the Students' Federation of India

[edit] Colleges

There are more than 303 colleges affiliated to this university at present. Over 150 of these colleges are owned by private organizations or individuals and most of them are aided by the state government.
Being the largest university in Kerala, it caters to more than half-a-million students per calendar year. The number of regular candidates being around 0.1 million and private candidates forming the remaining 0.4 million.

[edit] Historical context

Calicut University was established in 1968 and was administered by Dr. M.M.Ghani in the 1970s. The University had especially strong faculty in Physics, Zoology, Chemistry, Botany, History, Malayalam, English and Physical Education. The Campus locales spread over around 400 acres (1.6 km²) in rural Malappuram district, had the feel of a hill station. T.P. Rajeevan a well known poet in Malayalam is the public relations officer of the university.

In the 1980s, a Cockroft-Walton particle accelerator was put in place on campus.

[edit] Controversy

The Calicut University Employees Union is known for attacks on men of other organisations and even the Registrar of the University.^[3]. A woman employee named P. E. Usha whose legal battles against the University authorities and one Prakasan, an activist of Calicut University Employees Union who defamed her, has been a hot topic in the media for a few years ^[4],^[5][6]

University Cafeteria for students and staff. Once surrounded by thickets, it now has a paved yard where the lone sacred fig stands

[edit] Pareeksha Bhavan

Pareeksha Bhavan, the branch of the university that oversees the conduct of examinations in over 250 affiliated colleges and which awards degrees is the largest wing of the university. The branch has been in the news for delays in the conduct of examinations, overturned schedules, and illegal awarding of marks to the kin of the party bosses.^[7]

[edit] See also

Calicut University Employees Union

[edit] References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/01/stories/2009010151430300.htm
3. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/07/stories/2006070712850300.htm
4. ^ http://www.sacw.net/2002/FeministPolKerala.html
5. ^ http://www.femcinecult-kerala.uni-trier.de/Inter-Views.htm]
6. ^ [http://www.hvk.org/articles/1000/39.html
7. ^ http://www.hindu.com/edu/2005/02/22/stories/2005022200080100.htm

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: University of Calicut

• http://universityifcalicut.info