Pondicherry University, also known as PU, is a Central university (India), collegiate public central university located in Kalapet, Pondicherry in Union Territory of Puducherry, India. It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1985 by the Department of Higher Education (India), Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India. The Vice President of India is the Chancellor (education), Chancellor along with the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry acting as the Chief Rector and the President of India is the Visitor of the university. The university is a collegiate university with its jurisdiction spread over the Union Territory, Union Territory of Puducherry located in Tamil Nadu (Pondicherry and Karaikal), Kerala (Mahé, India, Mahé) and Andhra Pradesh (Yanam), and Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The vast jurisdiction over three Union Territories namely gives the university a national character. The residents speak diverse languages such as English, Tamil language, Tamil, French, Telugu language, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, Bengali language, Bengali, Odia language, Oriya and Kannada. Local skill sets are advanced through several vocational programs such as paramedical courses using the on-site hospital facilities.

Campus

Pondicherry University is located in a campus spread over , facing the Bay of Bengal on the East Coast Road. It is accessible from Chennai () and Bangalore, Bengaluru (). Hostel facilities are available on the campus for both males and females. Students from distant places will be given preference on a first-come, first-served basis. The university has a hostel for foreign students that can accommodate more than 30 students. Girls are given rent free accommodation. All physically challenged students get free education including free board and lodge in hostels. The university provides free transport off the campus and within the campus. The university which was B grade for 20 years , took a big leap forward during the period 2007 -2012 the 11 plan when prof J A K Tareen was vice chancellor. It grew by 300% all round including infrastructure, facilities and departments. Over 300 new faculty and 22 new departments were started and new campuses at Karaikal and Andaman. It became A grade and In the first NIRF ranking came to top 11 of Indian universities.Prof Tareen was an acclaimed institution builder.

Organisation and administration

Schools, departments and centres

The entire academic structure was reorganized during the tenure of Prof J. A. K. Tareen, who not only established over 20 new departments but also established new schools with over 80 new programs. The university has 14 schools and 52 departments distributed across Pondicherry and Karaikal campus. Each school is headed by a dean, and each department has its own faculty and supporting staff working under the head of the department. They are also provided with separate buildings which house their laboratories and libraries. The following is the list of the schools, departments and centres:

Subramania Bharathi School of Tamil Language and Literature

* Tamil Language & Literature

School of Management

* DMS Pondicherry University, Department of Management Studies * Department of Commerce * Department of Economics * Department of Tourism Studies * Department of Banking Technology * Department of International business, International Business Karaikal Campus * Department of Management * Department of Commerce * Department of Computer Science

Ramanujan School of Mathematical Sciences

* Department of Mathematics * Department of Statistics

School of Engineering & Technology

* Computer science and engineering, Computer Science & Engineering * Electronic engineering, Electronics Engineering * Centre for Pollution Control & Environmental Engineering * Coastal Engineering * Geological Technology

CENTRE FOR POLLUTION CONTROL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

School of Physical, Chemical and Applied Sciences

* Department of Physics * Department of Chemistry * Department of Earth Sciences * Department of Applied Psychology

School of Life Sciences

* Department of Bioinformatics * Department of Biotechnology * Department of Ecology & Environmental Sciences * Department of Ocean Studies and Marine Biology (Port Blair) * Department of Food Science & Technology * Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology * Department of Microbiology

School of Humanities

* English and comparative literature * French * Hindi * Sanskrit * Philosophy * Physical Education & Sports

School of Social Sciences and International Studies

* Anthropology * Archaeology * History * Politics and International Studies * Social work, Social Work * Sociology * Centre for Women's Studies * Madanjeet Singh Institute of South Asia Regional Cooperation - Centre for South Asian Studies* * Centre for Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy* These centres were established during XII plan when Prof J A K Tareen was vice chancellor.

School of Education

* School of Education * Centre for Adult and Continuing Education

School of Medical Sciences

School of Media & Communication

* Library & Information Science * Department of Electronic Media and Mass communication, Mass Communication

Madanjeet School of Green Energy Technologies

* Centre for Nano Science & Technology * Department of Green Energy Technology

List of affiliated colleges

*Achariya Arts and Science College *Dr B R Ambedkar Institute of Technology *Arignar Anna Government Arts College *Avvaiyar Government College for Women *Bharathidasan Government College for Women *Bharathiar Palkalaikoodam *Dr S R K Government Arts College *Idhaya College of Arts and Science for Women *Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science *Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya *Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for Post Graduate Studies *Mahatma Gandhi Government Arts College, Mahe *Mahatma Gandhi Government College *Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Government Arts College *Rathnavel Subramaniam College of Arts and Science *Saradha Gangadharan College *Tagore Arts College *Tagore Arts College (Annexe) *Villianur College for Women *Dr Ambedkar Government Law College *R V S College of Engineering and Technology *Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Engineering and Technology *Bharathiar College of Engineering and Technology *Pondicherry Engineering College *Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology *Regency Institute of Technology *Sri Venkateshwaraa Medical College Hospital and Research Centre *College of Nursing *Kasturba Gandhi College of Nursing *Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital *Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute *Mother Teresa Institute of Health Sciences *Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences *ragacovas, Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary Animal Sciences *Regional Medical Research Institute *Vector Control Research Centre (ICMR) *Achariya College of Education *Alpha College of Education *Arutperunchothi Ramalingasamy College of Education *Co-operative College of Education *Don Bosco College of Education and Research Institute *Immaculate College of Education *Krishnasamy College of Education for Women *Mahe Co-operative College of Education *Mother Teresa BEd College *Nehru College of Education *Perunthalaivar Kamarajar College of Education *Pope John Paul II College of Education *Regency College of Education *Senthil College of Education *Sree Narayana College of Education *Tagore Government College of Education *Vasavi College of Education *Venkateswara College of Education *Vivekanandha College of Education *Shri Krishnaa College Of Engineering and Technology, Mannadipet, Puducherry *Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering Collegepudhuvaicover.com *Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Hospital *Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology *Sri Manakula Vinayagar Nursing College *Usha Latchumanan College of Education *Venkateswara Teacher Training Institute *Acharya College of Engineering & Technology *Alpha College of Engineering *Sri Ganesh College of Engineering and Technology *Dr S J S Paul Memorial College of Engineering & Technology *Indira Gandhi Medical College *Sree Lakshmi Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences *Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute

Central Instrumentation Facility

The Central Instrumentation Facility (CIF) was established in the university as the University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC) in 1992 under the UGC Plan Scheme. It housed three facilities – Mechanical Shop, Glass blowing Shop and Electrical Shop, to provide support in the repair and servicing of scientific equipment. Fabrication of components for experimental setups is undertaken. The USIC has executed design, development and fabrication works ranging from custom designed sample holders/cells to electronic instrumentation and control modules. In 2005, the centre was reorganised into Central Instrumentation Facility under the School of Physical, Chemical and Applied Sciences and analytical instruments are added to provide analytical service, in addition to the workshop facilities.

Academics

Function and role

Teaching and research are its primary functions as in other Central Universities. It has 200 affiliated colleges located in Union Territory of Puducherry (Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu, Karaikal in Tamil Nadu, Mahé, India, Mahé in Kerala and Yanam in Andhra Pradesh), Union Territory of Lakshadweep, Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Rankings

Pondicherry University was ranked 801–1000 in the world by the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' of 2020 and 251–300 in Asia. The QS World University Rankings of 2020 ranked it 301–350 in Asia. It was ranked 81st in India overall by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2020 and 58th among universities. The QS World University Rankings of 2022 ranked it 800–1000 in worldwide.

Library

The university library, named after Ananda Ranga Pillai, was established in September 1986 with one deputy librarian and two assistant librarians. It was moved to the present locale as an independent building in July 1990. The Library is renowned for its disabled friendly modern infrastructure (80,000 sq. ft), fully air-conditioned, WIFI enabled, services for the Visually Challenged among the proactive services with RFID technology and 24/7 remote access to a collection of 4.97 lakhs, of which print is 2.22 and 2.7 lakhs of e-resources (e-books, e-journals, e-databases, e-theses, Academic Online Videos, Video Talks etc.)

Student life, clubs & extracurricular activities

PU SHARE- PU SHARE is a community initiated by a group of students from Pondicherry University to share goodness through charity, in and around the university campus. This organization have been active into volunteering for social causes since 2016. Their major aim is upbringing the children at "Snehalayam" (a standalone orphanage near to the Pondicherry University campus) by helping them in academics as well as their necessities. A few other programmes organised by them include the monthly food donation drive in every month of the academic year, blood donation at nearby hospitals and free tuition classes for kids at the orphanage. "INSPIRE" is the annual event that aims at promotion as well as fundraiser for the activities of PU SHARE throughout the year.

SPECTRA- Pondicherry University (LGBTQIA+ support organization)

SPECTRA has been working to increase queer visibility and awareness in the university campus and beyond. It also provides a safe space for LGBTQIA students to share their experiences and discuss issues faced by the community. SPECTRA was founded on 15 August 2014 and has been conducting events ever since. One of the first Campus Pride events in India was organized successfully in 2018 at Pondicherry University by SPECTRA.

Earth Sciences Club of Pondicherry University

The Earth sciences Club was founded in September 2013. It conducts field trips, screen documentaries, organize debates, quizzes, treasure hunts and so on so forth. It is also involved with organising the annual event "Mrittika" in Department of Earth Sciences.

PUQS (Pondicherry University Quiz Society)

The students have started the Pondicherry University Quiz Society (PUQS) in June 2012. The inauguration of PUQS was held on 1 August 2011 in Pondicherry University/Lecture Hall Seminar-I. The event was inaugurated by Director of Education of the Pondicherry University, Prof M. Ramadass, M Ramadass. The first quizmaster of the show was Nikhil Kurien Jacob. The tagline of the Quiz Society is "It's all about Quizzing."

Community radio station

Puduvai Vaani, the community radio station (CRS) established by Pondicherry University with the support of University Grants Commission (India), UGC located in National Capital Territory of Delhi, India. It works under FM 107.8 MHz a frequency which is currently extended to a catchments area of radius from the university campus. The test transmission of Puduvai Vaani – Community Radio Station was started on 23 August 2008. This was yet another initiative by Prof J. A. K. Tareen. It was inaugurated by Shri V. Narayanasamy, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Planning & Parliamentary Affairs on 27 December 2008 in the presence of Shri P.Chidambaram, Hon’ble Union Home Minister. The full-time transmission started on 1 January 2009.

Silver Jubilee celebrations

The valedictory of the silver jubilee celebrations of Pondicherry University was held on 18 October 2010. Dr C Rangarajan, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India, delivered the keynote address. Lieutenant governor of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, Iqbal Singh (politician), Iqbal Singh, who was the Chief Rector of the university, was present at the function. Professor J. A. K. Tareen, Vice Chancellor presided over the function.

Notable alumni

* Kodiyeri Balakrishnan * Jayanthasri Balakrishnan * Elango Kumaravel * Babu Gogineni * Kesava Reddy * Durai Sundar * Lijomol Jose * Jijoy Rajagopal * Ma Ka Pa Anand * Anu Antony * Arulnithi * Fathima Babu * N. Rangaswamy * Rona Wilson * Ragy Thomas * Majiziya Bhanu * Pondy Ravi * Sushrut Badhe * Pramod Payyannur * Ramesh Parambath * Murugabhoopathy * J. Prakash Kumar * Vaseem Iqbal * R. B. Ashok Babu

References

External links

* {{authority control Pondicherry University, Central universities in India Universities in Puducherry Educational institutions established in 1985 1985 establishments in Pondicherry