Education in West Bengal is provided by both the public sector as well as the private sector. Health Sciences, University of North Bengal and University of Calcutta.
Kolkata has played a pioneering role in the development of the modern education system in India. Western models of education came to India through Kolkata. Many of the first schools and colleges were established by the missionaries and reformists. Sir William Jones (philologist) established the Asiatic Society in 1784 for promoting oriental studies. People like Ram Mohan Roy, David Hare, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Shashi Bhusan Chatterjee, and William Carey played a leading role in the setting up of modern schools and colleges in the city. The Fort William College was established in 1800. The Hindu College was established in 1817. In 1855, the Hindu College, Calcutta was renamed as the Presidency College.
William Carey established the Serampore College in Serampore City (30 km from Calcutta), 1818. It went on to become India's first modern university in 1827 when it was incorporated by a Royal Charter as a Danish University. Although it had the charter, it was not technically a university in the modern sense of that term. The Sanskrit College was established in 1824. Reverend Alexander Duff of the Church of Scotland established the General Assembly's Institution in 1830 and later the Free Church Institution in 1844, which were later merged to form what is now known as the Scottish Church College, Calcutta. These institutions played a significant role in what came to be known as the Young Bengal Movement and the Bengal Renaissance. La Martiniere Calcutta was established in 1836. John Bethune established a school for Indian girls in 1850 at a time when women's education was frowned upon in the society. The Bethune College for girls was set up by him in 1879.
The oldest medical school in Asia, the Calcutta Medical College was set up in 1835. In 1857, the University of Calcutta was established as the first full-fledged multi-disciplinary university in south Asia. It was modelled on the lines of the University of London. Today it is amongst the largest multidisciplinary universities of India and offers some of the widest number of academic disciplines for study. In 1856 technical and engineering education came with the establishment of a civil engineering college / department. This setup went through various reorganisations to finally become the Bengal Engineering College in 1921. The Jesuit administered St Xavier's College was established in 1860. In 1906, the partition of Bengal led to widespread nationalistic and anti British feelings. This led to the setting up of the National Council of Education, Bengal. This later on became the Jadavpur University in 1955. The nation's first homeopathy college was established in the city in 1880. In 1883 Kadambini Ganguly and Chandramukhi Basu became the first women graduates from the University of Calcutta. In the process, they became the first female graduates of the British Empire. Kadambini went on to become the first female physician trained in the Western system of medicine in South Asia. The Science College was established in 1917. The first blind school came into being in 1925.
After independence, Calcutta continued to be in the forefront of the educational scene. The Government College of Art & Craft was established in 1951. The Rabindra Bharati University was established in 1962. This university offers courses in the fine and performing arts. The Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management was set up in 1953 as the country's first management institute and is also the first in the country to offer an MBA degree of a university. The first, Indian Institute of Technology was set up at Kharagpur about 120 km from Calcutta. In 1960 the Regional Engineering college (presently National Institute of Technology) at Durgapur was set up. It is amongst the top NITs in India and also among the oldest. Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, the first among the Indian Institutes of Management, was set up in 1961 at Joka. It was the first national institute for post-graduate studies and research in management sciences. It was established with the help of the MIT Sloan School of Management and the Ford Foundation.
West Bengal schools are run by the School Education Department, West Bengal government or by private organisations, including religious institutions. Instruction is mainly in English or Bengali, though Urdu is also used, especially in Central Kolkata. The secondary schools are affiliated with the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), the Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE), the National Institute of Open School (NIOS) or the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education. Under the 10+2+3 plan, after completing secondary school, students typically enroll for 2 years in a junior college, also known as pre-university, or in schools with a higher secondary facility affiliated with the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education or any central board. Students choose from one of three streams, namely liberal arts, commerce or science. Upon completing the required coursework, students may enrol in general or professional degree programs. South Point School, St. Xaviers Collegiate School, Baranagore Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama High School etc. are some of the best schools of West Bengal.
In West Bengal there is one central university, twenty seven state universities, eleven private universities and two deemed university. Besides, there are three Regional Centres of IGNOU at Siliguri, Kolkata and Raghunathganj and one Sub - Regional Centre of IGNOU at Darjeeling.
University | Location | Type | Established | Specialization | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aliah University | Kolkata | State | 1781 | Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Management, Islamic Studies | [2] |
Alipurduar University | Alipurduar | State | 2020 | Arts,Science | [3] |
Bankura University | Bankura | State | 2014 | Arts, Sciences, Engineering, Law | [4] |
Scottish church college | Nadia | State | 1974 | Agriculture, Horticulture and Agricultural Engineering | [5] |
Biswa Bangla Biswabidyalay | Bolpur | State | 2020 | Science, Arts and Commerce | [6] |
University of Burdwan | Bardhaman | State | 1960 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce, Engineering and Law | [7] |
University of Calcutta | Kolkata | State | 1857 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce, Engineering and Law | [8] |
Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University | Cooch Behar | State | 2012 | Arts, Sciences | [9] |
Dakshin Dinajpur University | Balurghat | State | 2021 | Humanities and Basic Sciences | [10] |
Darjeeling Hills University | Darjeeling | State | 2021 | Humanities and Basic Sciences | [11] |
Diamond Harbour Women's University | Diamond Harbour | State | 2013 | Humanities and Basic Sciences | [12] |
University of Gour Banga | Malda | State | 2008 | Arts, Sciences, and Commerce | [13] |
Harichand Guruchand University | Gaighata | State | 2021 | Arts, Sciences, and Commerce | [14] |
Hindi University | Howrah | State | 2021 | Languages | [15] |
University of Kalyani | Kalyani | State | 1960 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Law | [16] |
Jadavpur | Kolkata | 1955 | Engineering, Technology, Science, Arts and Commerce | [17] | |
Kanyashree University | Krishnanagar | State | 2020 | Arts, Sciences and Commerce | [18] |
Kazi Nazrul University | Asansol | State | 2012 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce, law and Engineering. | [19] |
Mahatma Gandhi University, West Bengal | Mahishadal | State | 2020 | Arts, Sciences and Commerce. | [20] |
Maulana nsjqns shanavsvodls | Kolkata | State | 2000 | Engineering and Management | [21] |
Murshidabad University | Berhampore | State | 2021 | Arts, Sciences and Commerce | [22] |
Netaji Subhas Open University | Kolkata | State and distance education | 1998 | Arts, Sciences, and Commerce | [23] |
University of North Bengal | Siliguri | State | 1962 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce, and Law | [24] |
Presidency University | Kolkata | State | 1817 | Arts and Sciences | [25] |
Rabindra Bharati University | Kolkata | State | 1962 | Arts, Fine Arts, and Performing Arts | [26] |
Raiganj University | Raiganj | State | 2015 | Humanities, Science | [27] |
Rani Rashmoni Green University | Tarakeswar | State | 2020 | Science | [28] |
Sadhu Ram Chand Murmu University | Jhargram | State | 2021 | Science, Arts and Commerce | [29] |
Senate of Serampore College (University) | Serampore | State | 1818 | Theology | [30] |
Sidho Kanho Birsha University | Purulia | State | 2010 | Arts and Sciences | [31] |
The Sanskrit College and University | Kolkata | State | 2015 | Sanskrit, Languages | [32] |
Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya | Cooch Behar | State | 2001 | Agriculture, Horticulture | [33] |
Vidyasagar University | Midnapur | State | 1981 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Law | [34] |
West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences | Kolkata | State | 1999 | Law | [35] |
West Bengal State University | Barasat | State | 2008 | Arts, Sciences, Commerce and Law | [36] |
West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences | Kolkata | State | 1995 | Veterinary & Animal Sciences | [37] |
West Bengal University of Health Sciences | Kolkata | State | 2003 | Medicine | [38] |
West Bengal University of Teachers' Training, Education Planning and Administration | Kolkata | State | 2015 | Teachers Training, B.Ed. M.Ed | [39] |
University | Location | Type | Established | Specialization | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Visva-Bharati University | Santiniketan (Bolpur) | Central University | 1921 | Arts and Sciences | [40] |
Aligarh Muslim University: Murshidabad Centre | Jangipur (Murshidabad) | Central University | 2010 | Arts, Sciences and Management | [41] |
University | Location | Type | Established | Specialization | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science | Kolkata | Deemed | 1876 | Basic sciences, applied sciences | [51] |
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute | Belur Math | Deemed | 2005 | Agricultural Management, Rural Development, Basic Sciences, Indian Culture and Spirituality |
University | Location | Type | Established | Specialization | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adamas University | Barasat | Private | 2014 | Sciences, Management, Humanities, Engineering & Technology | [52] |
Amity University, Kolkata | New Town | Global Private | 2015 | Sciences, Management, Humanities, Engineering & Technology | [53] |
Brainware University | Kolkata | Private | 2015 | Engineering & Technology, Agriculture, Sciences, Management, Law, Pharmacy, Nursing, Humanities, Psychology | [54] |
International Management Institute Kolkata | Kolkata | Autonomous Management Institute | 2011 | Management | [55] |
JIS University | Agarpara | Private | 2014 | Science, Engineering & Technology, Pharmacy, Management, Law | [56] |
Neotia University | Sarisha | Private | 2015 | Sciences, Management, Humanities, Engineering & Technology | [57] |
Seacom Skills University | Santiniketan (Bolpur) | Private | 2014 | Sciences, Engineering & Technology | [58] |
Sister Nivedita University | New Town | Private | 2017 | Science, Engineering & Technology, Management, Social Science & Women Studies | [59] |
St. Xavier's University, Kolkata | Kolkata | Private | 2017 | Management, Commerce, Humanities, Mass Communication | [60] |
Swami Vivekananda University, Barrackpore | Barrackpore | Private | 2020 | Science, Management, Agriculture, Engineering & Technology | [61] |
Techno India University | Kolkata | Private | 2012 | Sciences, Management, Engineering & Technology | [62] |
University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Kolkata | New Town | Private | 2015 | Engineering, Technology & Management | [63] |
Institute | Location | Established | Specialization | Sources |
---|---|---|---|---|
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics | Kolkata | 1950 | Science | [64] |
S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences | Kolkata | 1986 | Science | [65] |
Bose Institute | Kolkata | 1917 | Science | [66] |
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre | Kolkata | 1977 | Science | [67] |
Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute | Kolkata | 1950 | Science and Technology | [68] |
Indian Institute of Chemical Biology | Kolkata | 1935 | Science | [69] |
Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute | Durgapur | 1958 | Science and Technology | [70] |
Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute | Kolkata | 1959 | Science | [71] |
National Institute of Biomedical Genomics | Kalyani | 2010 | Science | [72] |
Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibers | Kolkata | 1953 | Science and Technology | [73] |
Indian Centre for Space Physics | Kolkata | 1999 | Science | [74] |
National Institute of Research on Jute and Allied Fibre Technology | Kolkata | 1938 | Science and Technology | [75] |
West Bengal is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of 88,752 km2 (34,267 sq mi) as of 2011. The population estimate as of 2023 is 102,552,787. West Bengal is the fourth-most populous and thirteenth-largest state by area in India, as well as the eighth-most populous country subdivision of the world. As a part of the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent, it borders Bangladesh in the east, and Nepal and Bhutan in the north. It also borders the Indian states of Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. The state capital is Kolkata, the third-largest metropolis, and seventh largest city by population in India. West Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region, the coastal Sundarbans and the Bay of Bengal. The state's main ethnic group are the Bengalis, with the Bengali Hindus forming the demographic majority.
The University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (CU), is a public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It has 151 affiliated undergraduate colleges and 16 institutes in Kolkata and nearby areas. It was established on 24 January 1857 and is the oldest multidisciplinary university of Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asian Region. Today, the university's jurisdiction is limited to a few districts of West Bengal, but at the time of its establishment it had a catchment area ranging from Kabul to Myanmar. It is accredited as an "A" grade university by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
Jadavpur is a neighbourhood of South Kolkata in Kolkata district in West Bengal, India. Jadavpur is one of the important junctions in South Kolkata. Jadavpur University and a number of research institutes of national and international repute are located in Jadavpur.
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur is a public technological university located at Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal, India. Founded in 1856, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance under Ministry of Education by the Government of India. It is controlled by the Council of NITSER. It is the fourth oldest engineering institute in India. In October 2010 The union cabinet approved a proposal for the conversion of the Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) at Shibpur to India's first Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST).
Medical College, Kolkata, also known as Calcutta Medical College, is a Government medical college and hospital located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is one of the oldest existing hospitals in Asia. The institute was established on 28 January 1835 by Lord William Bentinck during British Raj as Medical College, Bengal. It is one of the oldest medical college to teach Western medicine in Asia and the first institute to teach in English language. The college offers MBBS degree after five and a half years of medical training.
Durgapur is a major industrial city and a planned urban agglomeration in the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in Paschim Bardhaman district, economy and technology wise it is the most important city and urban agglomeration of West Bengal next to Kolkata and also the most important industrial hub of West Bengal. The population of Durgapur within the city is around 726,000, while the metropolitan area of Durgapur is home to nearly 1.2 million people. Durgapur is classified as a Y-category city for calculation of HRA for public servants making it a "Tier-II" city. It was planned by two American architects, Joseph Allen Stein and Benjamin Polk in 1955. Durgapur is the only city in eastern India to have an operational dry dock. Durgapur has been nicknamed the 'Ruhr of India'.
The systems of secondary and post-secondary education in Kolkata are listed as follows:
National Institute of Technology Durgapur, formerly known as Regional Engineering College, Durgapur, is a public technical university in the city of Durgapur in West Bengal, India. Founded in 1960, it is one of India's oldest technical universities. It is located on a campus of 187 acres (0.75 km²).
East India is a region of India consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Kalyani is a city and a municipality of Nadia district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of Kalyani subdivision. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
Uluberia is a city and a municipality of Howrah district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Uluberia subdivision. It is a part of the area covered by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA).
The University of Burdwan is a public state university located in Purba Bardhaman, West Bengal, India. It was established by the West Bengal Government as a teaching and affiliating university on 15 June 1960 with six graduate departments and 30 undergraduate colleges spread over three districts that come under the jurisdiction of the university. The university currently offers more than 30 undergraduate and 66 postgraduate courses. It has grown as the second largest state university in West Bengal after University of Calcutta. Over the years, the University has consistently performed in the NIRF ranking by securing rank within top 100 under ‘University’ Category and occupied the rank of 89, 92, 85 and 87 in the years 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.
In India, an Institution of National Importance (INI) refers to a premier public higher education institution granted special status by an act of the Parliament of India. Such institutions are recognized for their pivotal role in developing highly skilled personnel within a specified region of the country or state. Institutes of National Importance enjoy special recognition, greater autonomy, and direct funding from the Government of India. Some of India's top-ranked universities, including the Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Technology, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, and Indian Institutes of Management, hold this status.
S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) is an autonomous research institute dedicated to basic research in mathematics sciences under the Department of Science and Technology of Government of India. It is located in West Bengal, Salt Lake, Kolkata. This institute was named after the Indian scientist Satyendra Nath Bose and established in 1986. Chanchal Kumar Majumdar was the founder director of this institute.
Bikash Sinha was an Indian physicist who was active in the fields of nuclear physics and high energy physics. Sinha was the director of the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre and the chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur in June 2005. He was also a member of scientific advisory board to the Prime Minister of India.
University Institute of Technology, The University of Burdwan (abbr. UITBU) is a NAAC "A" accredited tier-II institute represents the Faculty of Engineering & Technology (FET), constituent to the University of Burdwan, located in Burdwan. It is the only Government Engineering Public University located in Purba Bardhaman district.
Kazi Nazrul University (KNU) is a public state research university located in Asansol, West Bengal. The CM Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone on 10 January 2013. The university has been named after the poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. The university was established under the Kazi Nazrul University Act, 2012. Anuradha Mukherjee was appointed as the first vice-chancellor of the university. In 2018 in a special convocation the university honored Ex Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina with honorary Doctorate of Literature.
The Indian state of West Bengal is the site of India's first modern university. Thirty-three universities are listed in the state by the University Grants Commission.
Howrah is a city in West Bengal, India; the education system of Howrah is described below.
The University College of Science, Technology and Agriculture are two of five main campuses of the University of Calcutta (CU). The college served as the cradle of Indian sciences by winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 and many fellowships of the Royal Society London.