Cotton University (formerly known as ''Cotton College'') is a public

state university A state university system in the United States is a group of public universities supported by an individual state, territory or federal district. These systems constitute the majority of public-funded universities in the country. State univer ...

located in

Guwahati Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...

Assam Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It was established in 2017 by the provisions of an Act from the

Assam Legislative Assembly The Assam Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Assam. It is housed in Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, geographically situated in present Western Assam region. The Legislative Assembly comprises 126 Me ...

which merged Cotton College State University and Cotton College. The University has progressed to become one of the top 200 institutions of the country (appearing on the list of 150–200 in the

National Institutional Ranking Framework The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is a methodology adopted by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to rank institutions of higher education in India. The Framework was approved by the MHRD and launched by Minister ...

rank list in May 2020). Cotton College was established in 1901 by Sir Henry Stedman Cotton, Chief Commissioner of the former

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

province of Assam. It was the oldest institute of higher education in Assam and all of

Northeast India , native_name_lang = mni , settlement_type = , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , motto = , image_map = Northeast india.png , ...

. Cotton College became a constituent college of

Gauhati University Gauhati University, also known as GU, is a Collegiate university, 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 Assem ...

in 1948, and then of Cotton College State University when it was established in 2011, by an Act (Act XIX of 2011) of the Assam Government. The Cotton University Act, 2017, was enacted to resolve problems between the college and the university.

History

Cotton College , Guwahati , Assam, India

In 1899 Manick Chandra wrote to the British government asking to open a college in Guwahati, insofar as Assam was the only province with no college and that Guwahati was the most convenient location. In response, Sir Henry Stedman Cotton, K.C.S.I., then the Chief Commissioner of Assam, announced on 3 November 1899 that a college would be opened in Guwahati. Cotton College, named by the public, was inaugurated on 27 May 1901 by Cotton himself. It was affiliated with

Calcutta University The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate State university (India), state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered ...

and began with five professors which included Frederick William Sudmerson, the first principal of the college, and 39 students. The college was the centre of the freedom movement as well as literary and cultural movements of the state, which aimed to build Assam's identity as a distinct, integral component of India. When

was established in 1948, Cotton College became affiliated with it as a constituent college. In 2015, the college was declared a Special Heritage College. On 16 October 1992, the college was named as a center of excellence, an occasion celebrated in a solemn ceremony with

Shankar Dayal Sharma Shankar Dayal Sharma (; 19 August 1918 – 26 December 1999) was an Indian lawyer and politician from the state of Madhya Pradesh who served as the ninth President of India, from 1992 to 1997. Born in Bhopal, Sharma studied at Agra, Allahaba ...

, then

President of India The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Mur ...

, and it officially became a post-graduate college. Cotton College celebrated its centennial with a year-long program from 27 May 2001 to 26 May 2002. Krishan Kant, then

Vice President of India The vice president of India (IAST: ) is the deputy to the head of state of the Republic of India, i.e. the president of India. The office of vice president is the second-highest constitutional office after the president and ranks second in the ...

graced the closing ceremony.

India Post India Post is a government-operated postal system in India, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications. Generally known as the Post Office, it is the most widely distributed postal system in the world. Warren Hastings ...

issued a ₹4.00 commemorative postage stamp on 25 May 2002 as part of the centenary celebration.

Cotton College State University

Cotton College State University was created through an Act of the Government of Assam (Act XIX of 2011). This act received the assent of the Governor of Assam on 3 September 2011, published in the Assam Gazette on 5 September 2011. The Cotton College became its constituent college. The election for the University's first Academic Council and University Court was held on 22 February 2013 with three and five members elected respectively.

Cotton University

Over time, conflicts emerged between the University and the College chiefly over the custody of properties. The

passed an amendment in 2015 that the university and the college be run as separate institutes. The bill, called The Cotton University Act 2017, was passed by the

on 2 March 2017 in order to resolve these problems. By this act, the University and College would be completely merged. Upon enforcement, the university was renamed Cotton University. By ordinance, the Governor of Assam,

Banwarilal Purohit Banwarilal Purohit (born 16 April 1940) is an Indian politician who is the current and 29th Governor of Punjab, India and Administrator of Chandigarh as of 29 August 2021. He was the former Governor of Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021, and for ...

became Chancellor, who then appointed Bhabesh Chandra Goswami as the first Vice Chancellor in July 2017.

Organisation and administration

Faculties and Centres

# Faculty of Languages,

Literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

and

Linguistics Linguistics is the science, scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure ...

# Faculty of Physical, Chemical and

Mathematical Sciences The mathematical sciences are a group of areas of study that includes, in addition to mathematics, those academic disciplines that are primarily mathematical in nature but may not be universally considered subfields of mathematics proper. Statist ...

# Faculty of

Humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...

and

Social Sciences Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of so ...

# Faculty of

Earth Sciences Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four spheres ...

# Faculty of Life Sciences # Centre for

Women's Studies Women's studies is an academic field that draws on feminist and interdisciplinary methods to place women's lives and experiences at the center of study, while examining social and cultural constructs of gender; systems of privilege and oppress ...

Academics

Academic programmes

HSSLC

In keeping with the former Cotton College's traditions, courses leading to Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate are possible in the Arts and Science streams. This qualification is awarded upon successful completion of two years of study followed by relevant examinations under the Assam Higher Secondary Educational Council.

Bachelors degrees

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...

Bachelor of Computer Application A Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, (abbreviated BSIT or B.Sc. IT), is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the information technology. The degree is normally required in order to work in the Information tec ...

Bachelor of Liberal Arts The Bachelor of Liberal Arts (BLA or ALB) is the title of an undergraduate bachelor's degree. Generally, it is awarded to students who major in liberal arts, pursue interdisciplinary studies, or design their own concentrations. Often a ''Bachelor ...

, Bachelor of Mass Communication and Journalism and Bachelor of Science (Hons) Biotechnology graduate degrees are offered. The degrees are awarded upon successful completion of three years of study followed by relevant examinations under Cotton University.

Masters degrees

Postgraduate programs leading to the degrees of

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...

Master of Library and Information Science The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), also referred to as the Master of Library and Information Studies, is the master's degree that is required for most professional librarian positions in the United States. The MLIS is a relativ ...

Master of Law A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

, Master in Computer Application and Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are offered. The degrees are awarded upon successful completion of two years of study followed by relevant examinations under Cotton University. Admission is offered by way of a national-level entrance examination.

Doctoral programme

The degree of

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

(Ph.D.) is offered in all postgraduate departments. Admission opens annually in June/July. Selection is based on a written test and a viva voce oral examination. UGC/CSIR JRF/NET/SET qualified candidates are exempted from written tests.

Accreditation

Cotton College Guwahati 2002 stamp of India

This institution was accredited with a cumulative grade point average of 3.76 on a four-point scale and grade A++ on 5 November 2016 by the 18th SC executive committee of the

National Assessment and Accreditation Council The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is a government organisation in India that assesses and accredits Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission and headquarte ...

. At the time, the cumulative grade point average score was the third-highest among colleges in India.

Student life

Hostels

# Krishna Kanta Handique Post Graduate Boys' Hostel (established in 1901; capacity 75 students in 22 rooms) # Swahid Muzammil Haque Boys' Hostel (established in 1902; capacity 64 students in 20 rooms) # Rajanikanta Bordoloi Boys' Hostel (established in 1910; capacity 85 students in 30 rooms) # Swahid Ranjit Barpujari Boys' Hostel (established in 1913; capacity 93 students in 33 rooms) # Anundo Ram Barooah Boys' Hostel (established in 1913; capacity 99 students in 33 rooms) # Seetanath Brahma Chaudhury Boys' Hostel (established in 1929; capacity 90 students in 25 rooms) # Mahendra Nath Deka Phukan Boys' Hostel (established in 1955; capacity 110 students in 28 rooms) # Padmashree Nalini Bala Devi Girls' Hostel (established in 1950; capacity 112 students in 25 rooms) # Swahid Kanaklata Girls' Hostel (established in 1971; capacity 105 students in 21 rooms) # Dr. Kamala Roy Girls' Hostel (established in 2001; capacity 60 students in 25 rooms)

Notable alumni and faculty

Noted alumni

* Amulya Barua, Assamese poet * Nayandeep Deka Baruah, Indian mathematician and professor *

Bhupen Hazarika Bhupen Hazarika () (8 September 1926 – 5 November 2011) was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, poet, actor, filmmaker and politician from Assam, widely known as ''Sudha Kontho'' (meaning cuckoo, literally "nectar-throated"). His ...

Bharat Ratna The Bharat Ratna (; ''Jewel of India'') is the highest civilian award of the Republic of India. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conferred in recognition of "exceptional service/performance of the highest order", without distinctio ...

, Famous playback singer *

Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya (14 October 1924 – 6 August 1997) was an Indian writer. He was one of the pioneers of modern Assamese literature. He was the first ever Assamese writer to receive the Jnanpith Award, which was awarded to him in t ...

, Indian writer * Surya Kumar Bhuyan, former president of Asom Sahitya Sabha *

Kopil Bora Kopil Bora ( as, কপিল বৰা) is an Assamese actor, anchor and All India Radio voice artist. He debuted in Bidyut Chakravarty's 2002 Assamese film ''Gun Gun Gane Gane'' and known for his performance in ''Mon'' (2002), ''Ahir Bhaira ...

, Assamese actor *

Gopinath Bordoloi Gopinath Bordoloi (6 June 1890 – 5 August 1950) was a politician and Indian independence activist who served as the first Chief Minister of Assam. He was a follower of the Gandhian principle of non-violence as a political tool. Due to his un ...

, Former Chief Minister of Assam * Homen Borgohain, Indian writer * Nirupama Borgohain, Indian journalist *

Parineeta Borthakur Parineeta Borthakur is an Indian film and television actress and singer from Assam. She is known for playing Sharmishta Bose in ''Swaragini'', Anjana Hooda in '' Bepannah'' and Ganga Shiv Gupta in '' Gupta Brothers''. Her younger sister Plabita ...

, Assamese actor * Upendranath Brahma, former president of the All Bodo Students' Union. * Ambika Charan Choudhury, Indian litterateur, historian and activist *

Moinul Hoque Choudhury Moinul Hoque Choudhury (13 May 1923 – 13 February 1976) was an Indian politician from Assam. A five-time MLA; he was the Minister of Commerce and Industrial Development during Indira Gandhi regime in 1971. He is also known as the Industrial Ref ...

, Indian politician *

Rita Chowdhury Rita Chowdhury (born 17 August 1960) is an Indian poet, novelist and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient in the world of Assamese literature. She has been an associate professor in Cotton College, Guwahati, Assam in Political Science Department sin ...

, Indian writer * Ardhendu Kumar Dey, Indian politician * Lalit Kumar Doley, Indian politician *

Akhil Gogoi Akhil Gogoi is an Indian peasant leader, RTI activist and MLA from Sibsagar, Assam. Over the years he has been leading many anti-graft movements in the state. Gogoi came to national attention after he was awarded the Shanmugam Manjunath Integr ...

, Peasant leader and MLA,

Sibsagar Sivasagar (Pron: or ) ("the sea of Shiva"), is a city in and headquarters of the Sivasagar district, Assam. Sivasagar is situated about 360 kilometers (224 mi) northeast of Guwahati. It is well known for its Ahom palaces and monuments. S ...

, Assam * Ranjan Gogoi, 46th Chief Justice of India *

Bhupendra Nath Goswami Bhupendra Nath Goswami (born 1950) is an Indian meteorologist, climatologist, a former director of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). and a Pisharoty Chair Professor at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research. He ...

,Indian meteorologist *

Indira Goswami Indira Goswami (14 November 1942 – 29 November 2011), known by her pen name Mamoni Raisom Goswami and popularly as Mamoni Baideo, was an Indian writer, poet, professor, scholar and editor. She was the winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award (1983 ...

, Indian writer *

Jitendra Nath Goswami Jitendranath Goswami (born 18 November 1950) is an Indian scientist from Jorhat, Assam. He was the Chief Scientist of Chandrayaan-1, and was also the developer of this project. He served as a director of Physical Research Laboratory situated a ...

, Indian scientist * Parbati Kumar Goswami, Judge of India * Krishna Kanta Handique, Sanskrit scholar * Satish Chandra Kakati, ex-editor of

The Assam Tribune ''The Assam Tribune'' is an Indian English daily newspaper published from Guwahati and Dibrugarh, Assam. With over 700,000 copies of current circulation and a readership of over 3 million, it is the highest circulated English daily in northeast ...

* Gauri Shankar Kalita, Journalist * Kamalendu Deb Krori, Indian physicist *

Motiur Rohman Mondal Motiur Rohman Mondal is an Indian politician and physician. He was elected to the Assam Legislative Assembly from Mankachar in the 2016 Assam Legislative Assembly election The Assam Legislative Assembly Election of 2016 was held in two phases, ...

, Indian politician and physician * Arupa Kalita Patangia, Indian Novelist *

Kalpana Patowary Kalpana Patowary is an Indian playback and folk singer from Assam. She sings in 30 languages and has many folk and popular songs to her credit, while Bhojpuri music has been her most dedicated foray. In his book, Cinema Bhojpuri, Avijit Ghosh l ...

, playback and folk singer (Bhojpuri and others) * Anuradha Sharma Pujari, Assamese journalist and author *

Debapratim Purkayastha Debapratim Purkayastha (Bengali: দেবপ্রতিম পুরকায়স্থ; born 1976) was a professor of strategy, academic leader and case method expert. Early life and education Purkayastha was born in Hailakandi, Assam, t ...

, Indian academic * Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, former governor of Arunachal Pradesh *

Muhammed Saadulah Sir Syed Muhammad Saadulla KCIE ( as, ছাৰ ছৈয়দ মহম্মদ ছাদুল্লাহ; 21 May 1885 – 8 January 1955) was the Prime Minister of Assam in British India. He was also the chairman of Gauhati Municipalit ...

, Prime Minister of

Assam Province Assam Province was a province of British India, created in 1912 by the partition of the Eastern Bengal and Assam Province. Its capital was in Shillong. The Assam territory was first separated from Bengal in 1874 as the 'North-East Frontier' n ...

* Anupam Saikia, Indian mathematician. *

Bhabendra Nath Saikia Bhabendra Nath Saikia (20 February 1932 – 13 August 2003) was a novelist, short-story writer, Editor and a Film director from Assam, India. Dr. Saikia received his doctorate in physics from the University of London. He began his career as a ...

, Indian film director, famous writer * Hiteswar Saikia, former Chief Minister of Assam *

Himanta Biswa Sarma Himanta Biswa Sarma (born 1 February 1969) is an Indian politician serving as the 15th and incumbent Chief Minister of Assam. A former member of the Indian National Congress political party. Sarma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on 23 Augus ...

, Chief Minister Of Assam *

Sarat Chandra Sinha Sarat Chandra Singha (1 January 1914 – 25 December 2005) was an Indian politician and Chief Minister of Assam. He was a leader of Indian National Congress, Indian National Congress (Socialist) and Nationalist Congress Party. He was known ...

, former Chief Minister of Assam * Sonaram Sutiya, scholar, freedom fighter and educationist * Jerifa Wahid, Actor *Arup Jyoti Das, Athor

List of principals

The institute had 50 principals from 1901 till 2012.

References

{{Authority control Universities in Assam Universities and colleges in Guwahati 1901 establishments in India Academic institutions associated with the Bengal Renaissance Educational institutions established in 1901 State universities in India