University of Calicut


The University of Calicut, also known as Calicut University, is a state-run public university headquartered at Tenhipalam in Malappuram district of the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is the first university to be set up in northern Kerala. The university is coordinated by the University Grants Commission.
Calicut University, created by bifurcating Kerala University, is the second university to be set up in Kerala. M. M. Gani, 1969–75, was the first vice-chancellor of the university. Its primary catchment area is the northern districts of Kerala. Calicut University has nine schools and 34 departments. As of 2018-19, Calicut University had 301 undergraduate students and 1,799 post-graduate students. The number of full-time doctoral students was 581.
Calicut University manages around 400 independent affiliated colleges spread across northern Kerala. It also conducts examinations for the students of the affiliated colleges. It is also the largest 'affiliating' university in Kerala.

History

The university came into being as a result of the efforts of the leaders of communist party with the encouragement of the then Kerala Chief Minister, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, C.H. Mohammed Koya the then Kerala Education Minister constituted a twenty-two member committee of experts to make a pilot study on establishing new universities in the State.
The twenty-two member committee in its report unanimously recommended the immediate establishment of a University in Calicut to organize post-graduate departments of studies and research and to affiliate colleges in the northern districts. E.M.S. Namboodiripad, popularly known as EMS, was born in 1909 and became one of the foremost leaders of the Communist movement in India and Kerala. He was influenced by the Indian national movement, Kerala social reform struggles like Vaikom Satyagraha, and the Marxist ideology. The Communist Party of India was formally founded in 1925 at Kanpur, inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1917, and gradually spread to different parts of the country including Kerala. In Kerala the background of rigid caste system, exploitation of peasants and workers, and social reform movements created fertile ground for the growth of communist ideology. During the 1930s and 40s leaders like EMS, A.K. Gopalan and Krishna Pillai popularised socialist and communist ideas through the Congress Socialist Party and later through CPI. The peasant and worker struggles, especially the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising of 1946, strengthened the base of communism in Kerala. EMS played a key role in organising peasants, workers, and intellectuals under the Communist banner. In 1957 EMS led the first Communist government in Kerala, which was also the first democratically elected Communist ministry in the world, and introduced historic reforms such as land reforms and educational reforms.
Thus came into being the University of Calicut. K.C. Chacko, special officer, was appointed the first pro-vice-chancellor of the university; the university was formally inaugurated at a public function on 12 August 1968, the Calicut University Bill was passed by the State Legislative Assembly on 29 August 1968; and statutory bodies such as the Senate, Syndicate, Academic Council, Faculties and Boards of Studies were constituted.
The university was established through a Kerala government plan bifurcating the Kerala University. As per the plan, the four post-graduate departments of the Kerala University operating in Calicut were annexed to the new university.

Campus

The main university campus is located at Tenhipalam, south of the city of Calicut and about from city of Malappuram. Most of the teaching and research departments, the Office of the Vice-Chancellor, and the Administration Block are situated on the main campus. The university also has two off-campus centers, one at Thrissur and the other, specially meant for tribal empowerment, located in the Western Ghats area of the state, Wayanad. Besides these, there are self-financing centers located in different parts of the area of jurisdiction.

Central facilities

The following are the central facilities in the University of Calicut.
  • Pareeksha Bhavan
  • Calicut University Computer Center
  • CHMK Library
  • Botanical Garden
  • Thaliyola
  • Madhava Obeservatory
  • Central Sophisticated Instrumentation Facility
  • University Museum
  • University Park
  • University Science Instrumentation Center

    CHMK Library

  • Calicut University Library was established in 1971.
  • The library was renamed after C.H. Mohammed Koya.
  • It has a collection of about 95,000 books and subscribes to 218 journals and 10 newspapers.
  • The library follows the Anglo American Cataloguing Rules II for cataloguing and the Dewey Decimal Scheme of Classification for the classification of books.

    Organisation and administration

Governance

A Vice-chancellor is the head of the university. Dr. P. Raveendran is the current Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calicut.
  • The Senate - consists of 16 members including the Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor.
  • The Syndicate - consists of 6 members including the Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Higher Education Secretary, Director of Public Instruction and Director of Collegiate Education.
  • The Academic Council - the supreme academic body of the university.
  • The Faculties
  • The Boards of Studies Boards of Studies - the basic design of the curricula is done by the Boards of Studies.
  • The  Students' Council - consists of 22 elected members from various independent affiliated colleges and university departments and six members including the Vice-Chancellor.
  • The Finance committee - consists of the Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, representatives of the Senate, the Syndicate and the Academic Council, the Finance Secretary to Government or an Officer not below the rank of a Joint Secretary nominated by him and the Higher Education Secretary to Government.

    Endowment

From the 2019 Annual Report
  • Kerala State Non-Plan Grant - Rs. 20,814.88 lakhs
  • Income from internal sources - Rs. 12,875.13 lakhs
  • Kerala State Plan Grant - Rs. 2,500.00 lakhs
  • Grant from UGC under XIIth Plan - Rs. 436.40 lakhs
Salaries and pension alone contribute to 63.03% of the total expenditure.
  • Salary - Rs. 14,541.12 lakhs
  • Pension & DCRG - Rs. 8,151.50 lakhs
  • Development & Modernisation - Rs. 3,146.32 lakhs
  • Conduct of Exam - Rs. 2,105.00 lakhs
  • Scholarships/Research Projects - Rs. 761.81 lakhs

    Departments

Each school in Calicut University comprises a group of related departments, headed by director. Each department in the school has separate head of the department.
There are nine schools, 34 departments with three centres and 11 chairs. The university has two off campus centres, one at Thrissur and the other in Wayanad.

Off campus campus centres I

  1. Lakshadweep
  2. Dr. John Matthai Centre, Thrissur
  3. Centre for Folklore Studies

    Off campus campus centres II

  4. School of Drama and Fine Arts: Located in Aranattukara, a suburb of Thrissur city this department of the university provides formal education and training in drama and theatre. The school is affiliated with National School of Drama. The school was established in 1977 as a centre for drama artists in Kerala. In 2000, the institute started the music department offering Post Graduate and PhD courses.
  5. Institute of Tribal Studies and Research: Institute of Tribal Studies & Research is located at Chethalayam in Wayanad district is established for empowering tribal students for higher education. The centre is also devoted to carry out research on tribal communities.

    Affiliated colleges

From the 2019 Annual Report
Its current jurisdiction extends to five central and northern districts of the state. The university currently has about 391 'affiliated colleges'. These colleges are spread over Malappuram district, Kozhikode district, Thrissur district, Palakkad district and Wayanad district. It also conducts examinations for the students of the affiliated colleges.
A total annual intake of students in the affiliated colleges is nearly 100,000. Most of the colleges are Self Financing Colleges and the rest are Government or Aided Colleges. Most of the colleges offer only under-graduate degrees, while around 100 colleges also offer post-graduate degrees.

Classification based on funding

  • Government Colleges
  • Aided Colleges
  • Self Financing Colleges
Subject-wise they comprise 254 Arts & Science Colleges, 63 Training Colleges, 40 Engineering/Technical Colleges, 10 Law Colleges, 33 Arabic/Oriental Title Colleges, 11 I. H. R. D. Centres, eight Management Studies Colleges, one Music College, one Fine Arts college, two Colleges of Physical Education, two colleges for Hotel Management.
The university publishes a list of affiliated colleges and courses.

Types of affiliated colleges

  • Architecture-Engineering
  • Training
  • Management
  • Law
  • Arts & Science-Arabic/Oriental Title
  • Physical Education

    Academics

Rankings

University of Calicut ranked 70th among Indian Universities in the NIRF ranking 2023.

Demographics

Student life

Cultural festival

The annual 'Interzonal' cultural festival, 'Kalolsavam', is held from January to April or between. The Interzones are conducted among students from the independent 'affiliated colleges' spread across five northern Kerala Districts. The various Kerala Districts conducts different zonal competitions and the winners gain entry to the 'interzonal' event.
The festivals go on for a week.

Sports competitions

The annual sports competitions also occur between the inter colleges among the zones and the zonal colleges. The sports event follow the cultural event and go on for a week.