Kazi Nazrul University


Kazi Nazrul University is a public state research university located in Asansol, West Bengal, India. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee laid the foundation stone on 10 January 2013. The university has been named after the Bengali 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 the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina with an honorary Doctorate of Literature.
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Organisation and administration

Governance

List of All Vice-Chancellors
Anuradha Mukherjee, 2012–2014Sajal Kumar Bhattacharya, 2014–2015Sadhan Chakrabarti, 2015–2023Debashis Bandyopadhyay , 2023–2024Uday Bandyopadhyay, 2025–present

In October 2025 Governor of West Bengal, as chancellor of universities, appointed Uday Bandyopadhyay as vice chancellor of the university.

Jurisdiction

The university is an affiliating institution and has jurisdiction over the colleges of the Paschim Bardhaman district.

Faculties

Kazi Nazrul University has 19 departments organized into four faculty councils.

Schools

School of Health Science and Technology
In 2016 CM Mamata Banerjee gave clearance to set up the Institute for Mines, Minerals and Metallurgic Sciences in Asansol under Kazi Nazrul University. The university now offers courses like Diploma, B.Tech., B.Sc., M.Sc. and PhD. A 7 acre plot has been allotted for the institute's campus. The School of Mines and Metallurgy consists of the Department Of Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering.

Academics

Admission

For UG & PG: Good marks in the higher secondary and graduation levels are necessary for admission in the undergraduate and postgraduate courses offered by the university.For B.Tech: Admission through Centralized Counselling based on WBJEE rank conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board and time to time notification issued by Department of Higher Education, Govt. of West Bengal. also students can admitted through Joint Entrance for Lateral Entry exam conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board in lateral entry in 2nd year of the four-year course of bachelor's degree in technology.For MCA: Admission through Centralized Counselling based on JECA rank conducted by West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board in 2 years of Master of Computer Application course.

Research

In May 2015 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a Nazrul Research Centre would be established at the university, it's been a long pending demand from poet's family.
In 2023 the University signed agreement with Taylor's University from Malaysia for research and faculty exchange programme.

Libraries

The Central Library of Kazi Nazrul University was established in 2013. It is located in a convenient place on the ground floor of the Vidyacharya Building. The books are classified according to the Dewey Decimal Classification. All books are barcoded. Students of affiliated colleges are also be able to enter the central library. The collection of books includes documents on a wide range of topics, including Bengali literature, English literature, pure science, art, history and social sciences, and language. The university library has a valuable collection of more than 20,000 books.
In 2024 the university started to digitise Kazi Nazrul Islam's manuscripts and shellac records to preserve culturally important archives.

Publishing

KNU emphasizes research aligned with the Humboldtian model, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge production. The Nazrul Centre for Social and Cultural Studies is a flagship initiative, promoting research on Kazi Nazrul Islam’s life and works and fostering cross-border cultural diplomacy with Bangladesh. In 2022, KNU launched the Nazrul Journal, a scholarly publication to advance research on the poet’s legacy.

Rankings

Kazi Nazrul University was ranked 65th among the academic institutions in India by the Nature Index in 2023.

Accreditation and recognition

In July 2019, the university was given membership of the Association of Indian Universities.
The University Grants Commission accorded recognition to the university in accordance with Section 12B of the U.G.C. Act, in 2019.
In September 2021, the university has been awarded Grade B with a CGPA of 2.1 by the NAAC.

Campus Life

KNU’s campus fosters a vibrant environment with extracurricular activities, including festivals, sports meets, and cultural events like dance, music, and drama. Students participate in talent showcases, enhancing their skills in event management, literature, and arts. The university’s location in Asansol provides access to industry, enriching practical learning opportunities.

Controversies

The university suddenly suspended giving the Nazrul award, and in 2022 the state body discontinued the award in the poet's name.
In May 2023, a teacher was accused of raping a Bangladeshi student on the promise of marriage. The victim student made this allegation against a professor of the Bengali department of the same university. The female student from Rangpur, Bangladesh, is a postgraduate student of the university's Bengali department. A few months ago, the woman student informed the university authorities and Asansol Women Police Station about the incident. Though several days passed, there was no resolution.
The victim then approached the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission at Kolkata in the hope of justice. She also filed a written complaint against the professor at Durgapur Women's Police Station on 10 May. The girl also lodged a complaint with the state women's commission. Based on that complaint, the Women's Commission launched an investigation.