Gauhati University

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Gauhati University

Motto	Vidyayo Sadhayeta
Motto in English	Achievement through Learning/Knowledge
Type	Public state university
Established	26 January 1948; 76 years ago (26 January 1948)
Founders	Gopinath Bordoloi Krishna Kanta Handique Birinchi Kumar Barua
Accreditation	NAAC
Academic affiliations	UGC AIU ACU
Chancellor	Governor of Assam
Vice-Chancellor	Nani Gopal Mahanta[1]
Academic staff	341 (2018)[2]
Administrative staff	1167 (2018)[2]
Students	5411 (2018)[2]
Undergraduates	1290 (2018)[3]
Postgraduates	3721 (2018)[3]
Doctoral students	398 (2018)[3]
Location	Guwahati , Assam , India 26°09′13″N 91°39′48″E / 26.1537°N 91.6634°E / 26.1537; 91.6634
Campus	Urban, 650 acres (According to University prospectus 2024-2025)
Acronym	GU
Website	www.gauhati.ac.in

Gauhati University also known as GU, is a collegiate public state university located in Guwahati, Assam, India. It was established on 26 January 1948 under the provisions of an Act enacted by the Assam Legislative Assembly and is the oldest university in Northeast India.^[4] As of 2024, Gauhati University is esteemed as the 40th-ranked institution in India according to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), securing its position within the top 100 educational institutions.^[5] It is accredited with a grade of 'A+' by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council in its 4th cycle of accreditation on 5 July 2024.^[6]

Starting with 18 affiliated colleges and 8 Post Graduate Departments in 1948, Gauhati University, today, has 39 Post Graduate Departments, besides IDOL (Institute of Distance and Open Learning), a constituent Law and Engineering College. It has 341 affiliated colleges offering undergraduate and post graduate courses in the faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, Engineering and Technology. Gauhati University is a member of the Association of Indian Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities respectively.^[7]

• The University currently holds a National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a CGPA of 3.32, which corresponds to an "A+" grade.^[8]

• Krishna Kanta Handique 1947 – 1957
• Surya Kumar Bhuyan 1957 – 1960
• H. C. Bhuyan 1960 – 1962
• Phanidhar Dutta 1962 – 1962
• Harold John Taylor 1962 – 1965
• M. N. Goswami 1965 – 1971
• S. C. Rajkhowa 1971 – 1974
• H. K. Barua 1974 – 1979
• J. M. Choudhury 1979 – 1986
• D. P. Barooah 1986 – 1991
• N. K. Choudhury 1991 – 1996
• Hiralal Duarah 1996 – 2001
• G. N. Talukdar 2001 – 2006
• Amarjyoti Choudhury 2006 – 2008
• Okhil Kumar Medhi 2008 – 2013
• Mridul Hazarika 2013 – 2019
• Pratap Jyoti Handique 2019 – 2024
• Nani Gopal Mahanta 2024 – present

The first public demand was made at the annual session of the Assam Association held at Sivasagar in 1917. In 1940, the Government appointed S. K. Bhuyan as Special Officer with the task of collecting relevant information on the selection of site and related matters.^[9] The university was established by an act of the State Legislature: the Gauhati University Act 1947 (Assam Act, XVI of 1947) of the government of Assam in 1948. The first court meeting of the university was held on 26 January 1948, which is considered the foundation day, at the old Sudmerson Hall of Cotton College, Guwahati.^[10]

Gauhati University started functioning as an affiliating, teaching and residential university in a few temporary buildings in Guwahati, with K.K Handique as the first vice-chancellor, Phanidhar Dutta, Sailandhar Rajkhowa and Sarat Kumar Dutta were selected as the registrar, treasurer and secretary of university classes, respectively. The emblem of the university, selected from among many submitted, was designed by Tripureswar Mukhopadhyay, a textile designer of Ahmedabad. Two Sanskrit words inscribed on it – Vidyaya Sadhayeta (meaning achievement through learning) – indicate the motto of the university.^[7] It had 17 affiliated colleges and eight Post Graduate Departments on its establishment.^[9] The university which started functioning from the city center was shifted to the present campus in 1955–56.

The university is in Jalukbari in the Guwahati city area. The campus has a hillock on the southern side and the Brahmaputra river flows on the northern side. The campus area has been developed into a small township, now known as 'Gopinath Bardoloi Nagar'. It has about 6000 population including 3700 students residing in the hostels.^[11]

Apart from the residential quarters of teachers, officers and employees, there are 22 halls of residence for students. The necessary civic amenities such as health service, water supply, street lighting, internal roads, guest house, post and telegraph office, a branch of the State Bank of India, United Bank Of India, canteens, a market, parks, playgrounds, auditorium, indoor stadium, etc. are on campus.^[12]

The university is 10 km from the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on National Highway No. 37; 5 km from Kamakhya Railway Station; and 10 km from Guwahati Railway Station as well as from the bus stop near the Cachari (D.C. court) at the heart of Guwahati City. The capital complex of Assam at Dispur is 22 km from the university. The university is easily accessible from the Guwahati city; Guwahati has road, rail and air links from all parts of the country. A large number of bus services from parts of Assam have their station at Adabari bus stand which is 2 km from the campus.^[13]

To automate their internal processes, Gauhati University has chosen Kalingasoft's flagship Education ERP solution, Greycells. This implementation has resulted in the complete automation of the university's academic, administrative and financial processes.

The North Eastern Regional Centre (NERC) of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is in the Gauhati University Central Library Extension Building. Along with Bangalore ICHR Regional Centre, this is the only regional centre in GU so far.

The university's Krishna Kanta Handique Library is a designated 'Manuscript Conservation Centre' (MCC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts established in 2003.^[14]

The library is the largest in Assam, holding about 850,000 books, magazines, and journals in its collection. It also hosts about 5,000 valuable priceless manuscripts, some more than 300 years old.^[15]

On 30 June 2024, the Assam Crime Investigation Department (CID) and local police arrested nine individuals, including three government officials, in connection with a mark sheet scam at Gauhati University. The scheme involved manipulating students' marks for a fee, with claims that the rates reached ₹16,000 for individual papers and up to ₹100,000 for all papers in a semester.^[16]

Concerns were raised by the Postgraduate Students’ Union, prompting Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to call for an investigation. The CID, assisted by university authorities, conducted raids in multiple locations, leading to the arrests of individuals identified as Azizul Haque, Krishan Krishnamurti, Ismail Hussain, Alomgir Khan, Moinul Haque, Hamezuddin, Abul Baser, Aminul Islam, and Shivtosh Mahato.^[17]

The vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, Pratap Jyoti Handique, indicated that the mastermind behind the operation is an employee of the Integrated University Management System (IUMS). The investigation, initially focused on Barpeta, revealed further complexities, leading to ongoing inquiries and the possibility of additional arrests.^[18]

On 30 September 2024, Gauhati University temporarily closed two boys’ hostels—RCC-1 and RCC-2—following a violent clash between students on 27 September, a day after the postgraduate elections.^[19] The incident resulted in injuries to both students and security personnel, with some requiring intensive medical care.^[20]

According to a notice issued by the university, the situation escalated due to the involvement of outsiders, leading to serious injuries. As a result, the administration ordered the immediate closure of the two hostels. Alternative accommodation arrangements were made for the residents of RCC-1 and RCC-2 in other hostels within the university campus.^[21] The students were given a 48-hour window, ending at 4 pm on 2 October, to relocate, with the university providing transportation facilities to facilitate the move.^[22]

The district administration and local law enforcement were called upon to maintain peace and security on the campus. The university, in its statement, emphasized its commitment to ensuring the safety of its students and preventing further incidents.^[23] Wardens from other hostels were instructed to assist in the relocation process and ensure that mess facilities were available for the displaced students. The relocation was required to be completed by 2 October, and a final list of relocated boarders was to be submitted by 5 October.^[24]

Gauhati University offers a diverse range of postgraduate programs, including 23 courses in Master of Arts (MA), 21 courses in Master of Science (MSc), 5 courses in Master of Technology (MTech), 3 courses in Master of Medical Laboratory Science as well as programs in Master of Commerce (MCom), Master of Library and Information Science (MLISc), Master of Laws (LLM), MSc in Nursing, and Master of Tourism and Management (MTM).^[25]

The Gauhati University Post Graduate Entrance Test (GUPGET) is a mandatory examination for students seeking admission to various postgraduate disciplines. The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), each carrying 1 mark, leading to a total of 100 marks. The exam includes a negative marking scheme, where 0.25 marks are deducted for each incorrect answer. The examination duration is 2 hours. For admission into the various postgraduate programs, including MA, MSc, MCom, and others, 70% of all seats are reserved for graduates of Gauhati University, while the remaining 30% are open to graduates from other universities. At the end of the exam, invigilators collect both the answer sheets and the question papers from the candidates to ensure the security and confidentiality of the exam content, thereby keeping the questions undisclosed for future.^[26]

For students belonging to the General Category (Unreserved category), a minimum score of 50 marks is required to secure a seat in their chosen discipline.^[27] The registration fee for the GUPGET is Rs 1000 per subject.^[28]

To gain admission into the Post Graduate (PG) courses offered by affiliated colleges under Gauhati University, students are required to take the Gauhati University Post Graduate Entrance Test (GUPGET) for the relevant year. This entrance examination is mandatory for students aspiring to enroll in PG programs at these affiliated colleges. The PG courses available in these institutions are categorized as self-financing, allowing colleges to establish their own fee structures. As a result, tuition fees for these programs are typically double those of Gauhati University's own PG courses. Additionally, the fees paid at the time of admission for the first semester are non-refundable. Prospective students are advised to consider this policy carefully before finalizing their admission.^[38] A total of 46 affiliated colleges offer more than 2,500 seats across various disciplines. These colleges provide programs in 11 subjects within the Humanities, 8 subjects in the Science stream, as well as courses in Commerce. The numbers in parentheses indicate the seat availability for each subject at the respective college or institute.^[39]

The campus offers several food options, including the GU Arts Canteen located near the BKB Auditorium, the GU Food Court situated along the path to the Department of Education, and the Faculty House Canteen near the Department of Business Administration. Additionally, the GU Market has a variety of eateries catering to diverse tastes. The GU Market is a well-established shopping area within the campus that meets a range of daily needs. It includes stores that provide food and restaurant options, groceries, a pharmacy, stationery, photocopy and printing services, and tailoring.^[41]

The campus has a variety of dining options available. Some of these include the GU Arts Canteen, located near the BKB Auditorium; the GU Food Court, found along the route to the Department of Education; and the Faculty House Canteen, near the Department of Business Administration. There are also additional eateries in the GU Market area. The GU Market is a well-developed shopping hub on campus that caters to a range of daily needs. It offers access to food and dining options, grocery stores, a pharmacy, stationery supplies, photocopying and printing services, and tailoring facilities.^[42]

The Krishna Kanta Handiqui Library at Gauhati University was founded to support the academic needs of students, faculty, and researchers. Named after the university's first Vice-Chancellor, Professor Krishna Kanta Handiqui, a renowned Sanskrit scholar and Orientalist, the library not only aids classroom instruction but also supports a variety of research initiatives. The library aims to preserve and disseminate knowledge, contributing to development and progress within Assam and across India. By preserving cultural, scientific, and technological knowledge accumulated over centuries, the library supports the continuity and advancement of civilization. The university library began operating in 1948 at Chandmari (now known as the old University Colony). It later moved to Room No. 1 of the Arts building before relocating to its current building in 1962. In 1982, it was renamed Krishna Kanta Handiqui Library in honor of the late Vice-Chancellor. Professor Handiqui’s personal collection, donated to the university, includes 7,593 volumes, with books in eleven languages, including English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Pali, Prakrit, Russian, Sanskrit, and Spanish.^[43]

The G.U. Court, the Executive Council and the Academic Council are the authorities of the university.^[44]

In August 2024, Professor Nani Gopal Mahanta was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the university.^[45]

The institution is divided into following academic units:^[46]

The Post Graduate Students' Union is the apex student representative body of Gauhati University. The first body of PGSU was formed in the year 1949. The first General Secretary was Biren Goswami. Gauhati University being the epicenter of student politics, the PGSU gets high recognition in the state. There are many General Secretaries as well as other office bearers of PGSU who have been involved in the active politics. The present General Secretary of PGSU is Parshwa Patgiri.^[48]

Internationally, the QS World University Rankings ranked Gauhati University in the 601–650 band in Asia in 2023.^[49]

In India, the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked Gauhati University 57 overall^[53] and 40 among universities^[54] in 2024.

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• Bhaktisvarupa Damodar Swami, Spiritual leader
• Darwin Diengdoh Pugh, 2nd Chief Minister of Meghalaya
• Moirangthem Kirti Singh, Indian writer, Padma Shri (1992)
• Syed Abdul Malik, Indian writer, Padma Shri (1984), Padma Bhushan (1992)
• Lal Thanhawla, 3rd and the longest serving Chief Minister of Mizoram
• Prashant Goswami, Indian scientist, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureate (2001)
• Ambika Charan Choudhury, litterateur
• Pranab Kumar Gogoi, politician
• Binoy Kumar Saikia, Indian scientist, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureate (2021)
• Jitendra Nath Goswami, Indian scientist, chief scientist of Chandrayaan-1, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureate (1994), Padma Shri (2017)
• Bhabananda Deka, economist
• Zubeen Garg, Singer, Composer, Filmmaker, Director and Actor.
• Purnima Devi Barman, Wildlife Biologist, Nari Shakti Puraskar (2017), Whitley Awards (2017)
• Kashmiri Saikia Baruah, Actress and Singer.
• Mamoni Raisom Goswami, novelist, Sahitya Akademi Award (1983), Jnanpith Award (2001), Principal Prince Claus Laureate (2008)
• Dipak C. Jain, professor, European president at CEIBS
• Hitendra Nath Goswami, former Speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly
• Nagen Saikia, Indian writer, Sahitya Akademi Award (1997)
• Bijoya Chakravarty, politician, former Union Minister of State, Water Resources
• Elangbam Nilakanta Singh, poet, Sahitya Akademi Award (1987), Padma Shri (2000)
• Ritu Lalit, Indian writer
• Sarbananda Sonowal, politician,current union minister, former chief minister of Assam
• Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, former chief minister of Assam
• Mukundakam Sharma, lawyer, former judge in the Supreme Court of India, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court
• Temsula Ao, novelist, Padma Shri (2007), Sahitya Akademi Award (2013)
• Atul Bora, politician
• Himanta Biswa Sarma, current Chief Minister of Assam
• Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, lawyer and entrepreneur.
• Ramkrishna Ghosh, politician
• Ardhendu Kumar Dey, politician
• Dhruba Hazarika, novelist
• Siddhartha Bhattacharya, politician
• Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, novelist, Sahitya Akademi Award (1983)
• Arupa Kalita Patangia, novelist, Sahitya Akademi Award (2014)
• Bhupendra Nath Goswami, Indian scientist, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Laureate (1995)
• Mahim Bora, Indian writer, Sahitya Akademi Award (2001), Padma Shri (2011)
• Tarun Gogoi, former Chief Minister of Assam and the longest serving Chief minister of Assam, Padma Bhushan (2021)
• Amrita Gogoi, Indian actress.
• Harishankar Brahma, 19th Chief Election Commissioner of India
• Birendra Nath Datta, Indian researcher, Padma Shri (2009)
• Debapratim Purkayastha, Indian educator
• Kishore Jadav, writer

• Debo Prasad Barooah, former vice-chancellor
• Okhil Kumar Medhi, former vice-chancellor
• Surya Kumar Bhuyan, former vice-chancellor
• Amarjyoti Choudhury, former lecturer
• Krishna Kanta Handique, founder vice-chancellor of Gauhati University, Padma shri (1955), Padma Bhushan (1967)
• Bhupen Hazarika, former lecturer
• Banikanta Kakati, former dean of Faculty of Arts and head of the Assamese Department.
• Jyotiprasad Medhi, former head and professor of statistics department.
• Maheswar Neog, former professor
• N. U. Prabhu, former lecturer
• Bhabendra Nath Saikia, former lecturer
• Hiren Gohain, former professor
• Nirmalprabha Bordoloi, former professor

• List of colleges affiliated to Gauhati University

• Official website

26°09′13″N 91°39′48″E / 26.1537°N 91.6634°E / 26.1537; 91.6634