Goa University was designed by painter

Goa University

Goa University

Goa University was established in 1985 and merged with the Centre for Post Graduate Instruction and Research (CPIR) of the University of Bombay (now Mumbai) that functioned at state-capital Panaji or Panjim. Goa University offers both graduate and post-graduate studies and research programmes. It is currently (September 2006) accredited to the NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) in India with a rating of four stars. It is located on the Taleigao Plateau. Goa University was established under the Goa University Act of 1984 and commenced operations on June 1, 1985. The University provides higher education in the Indian state of Goa.

Centre for education in Goa

Goa University is considered the centre for higher education in Goa, India's smallest state. It was recently re-accredited with a B grade point of 2.6.

Gujaral-designed

Goa University was designed by painter, sculptor, muralist, graphic designer and architect Satish Gujral. However, there has been some criticism of the type of model he envisioned for Goa University, considering that the coastal state receives a high amount of rainfall ever year and his structure might have not been the most suited from the climatic point of view.

Location

Goa University is built on a plateau called the Taleigao Plateau, located around five kilometres from the Goan state capital of Panaji or Panjim. It can be approached either via Bambolim or Dona Paula-Taleigao.

The Taleigao plateau overlooks the beautiful Arabian Sea and the picturesque Dona Paula shores, a former beach village and now a tourist location. The University is also counted as one of the must-sees by many tourist guides, who route visiting tourists around this region.

The CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) of India's report says that the number of students during 2001-02 to 2005-06 in four departments of French, Philosophy, Portuguese and Center for Latin American Studies was less than five but total expenditure on these four departments was Rs 1.66 crore during 2001-2006. However GU claimed students opt for professional courses which causes low student-faculty ratio. While 31 percent of the academic posts were vacant – the recommendations of the Korgaonkar committee to reduce the staff are yet to be adopted.

It has also continued with full-fledged works division even after completion of major works. The expense on this division for a period between 2001-06 was Rs 3.51 crore, pointed out CAG report. Another anomaly pointed out in CAG report is though GU has taken possession of 163.02 hectares of land from PWD in May 1992 – till 2006 it had not conducted demarcation of boundary land. GU has also been rapped over transfer of land for convention center and IT park. It neither prepared any land use plan nor did it take any concrete steps to get the land (1.6302 km²) transferred from the State Government to the university’s name

While on one hand if GU claims to be hard pressed for funds which are needed to take up more challenging programmes – it’s infrastructure for distance education created at a cost of 2.15 crore has remained largely unutilized.

This facility was established in 2001, and though infrastructure has the capacity to reach and provide distance education to over 5000 students, the university had not commenced any course under distance education mode. Thus infrastructure created at the cost of Rs 2.15 crore largely remained unutilized, says CAG report.

Goa University has also accumulated deficit of university amounting to Rs 7.73 crore. It has not adopted the accrual system of accounting.

Mandate

Goa University says its tasks are:

• Providing higher education under various faculties to the State of Goa.
• Providing facilities for research in various fields.
• Providing degrees in various faculties to all the successful candidates.

Bachelor's degrees

The University is responsible for the bachelors' level of education conducted by different colleges across Goa, and affiliated to Goa University.

The following are the professional colleges affiliated to Goa University:

• Goa Medical College,Bambolim
• Goa Dental College and Hospital, Bambolim
• Goa Engineering College, Farmagudi, Ponda
• Padre Conceicao College of Engineering, Verna
• Don Bosco College Of Engineering, Fatorda
• V. M. Salgaocar College of Law, Miramar, Panjim
• G. R. Kare College of Law, Margao
• G. V. M.'s College of Education, Ponda
• B. S. P. Gomantak Ayuveda Mahavidyalaya,Vajem,Ponda Road, Shiroda
• Goa Salesian Society, Don Bosco College, Panaji
• Nirmala Institute of Education,Altinho, Panaji
• Shree Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, Shiroda
• Goa College of Pharmacy, Panjim
• Goa College of Music,Altinho, Panaji
• Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim
• PES College of Education,Farmagudi, Ponda
• Goa College of Architecture, Campal, Panaji

The following are the non-professional colleges affiliated to Goa University:

• The Parvatibai Chowgule College, Margao
• Shree Damodar college of commerce and Economics, Margao
• Carmel College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Nuvem, Salcete
• Rosary College of Commerce & Arts, Navelim, Salcete
• St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa, Mapusa, Bardez
• M.E.S. College of arts and commerce, Zuarinagar
• DM's College of Arts, S. P.Vaidya College of Science & V.N.S.Bandekar College of Commerce, Mapusa
• P. E. S. College of Arts & Science,Farmagudi
• Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Panjim
• G.V.M.'s Shri Gopal Govind Poi Raiturkar College of Commerce & Economics,Farmagudi, Ponda
• C. E. S. College of Arts & Commerce.Cuncolim
• The Naval Academy,INS Mandovi. Veer.
• Government College of Arts, Science & Commerce,Sanquelim
• Government College of Arts, Science & Commerce,Khandola
• Government College of Arts, Science & Commerce,Quepem
• Saraswat Vidyalaya's College of Commerce & Management Studies, Telangnagar, Khorlim, Mapusa
• X. E. S. Fr. Agnel College of Arts & Comm, Pilar
• Government College of Arts & Commerce, Pernem
• Shree Mallikarjun College of Arts & Commerce, Delem, Canacona
• Zantye Brothers' Educational Foundation's Narayan Zantye College of Commerce, Sarvan, Bicholim
• Goa College of Home Science,D. Bandodkar Road, Campal, Panjim
• Institute of Nursing Education,Old I.P.H.B. Complex, Altinho, Panaji
• Devi Shreevani Education Society's Goa Institute of Management Studies,M. S. College of Law Bldg.P. O. Caranzalem, Panjim
• V. V. Mandal's Institute of Management Training and Research,Govind R. Kare Road, Margao
• National Hydrographic School, Vasco da Gama
• I N S Hamla,Marve, Malad(W), Mumbai - affiliated to Goa University.
• S. S. Dempo College of Commerce & Economics, Altinho, Panjim

Post-graduate departments, centres of studies

On campus, Goa University has 23 post-graduate departments and two centres of studies offering academic programmes which lead to the Masters and Doctorate (Ph.D) programmes across different disciplines. Similarly, the university also conducts post-graduate diploma programmes in select disciplines.

The university houses 12 faculties under which different departments operate and offer masters or diploma programmes. The following are the faculties in Goa University and the different departments which operate under them.

These include:

• The Faculty of Language and Literature: The Departments of English, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, French and Portuguese
• The Faculty of Natural Sciences: The Departments of Chemistry, Computer Science and technology, Earth Science, Physics, Electronics and Mathematics
• The Faculty of Social Sciences: The Departments of Economics, History, Political Science, Philosophy and Sociology
• The Faculty of Life Sciences and Environment: The Departments of Botany, Bio-technlogy, Micro-biology, Marine Science and Zoology
• The Faculty of Commerce: The Department of Commerce
• The Faculty of Management Studies: The Department of Management Studies
• The Faculty of Medicine
• The Faculty of Engineering
• The Faculty of Law
• The Faculty of Performing, Fine Arts and Music
• The Faculty of Design

Centres

The University also houses two centers,

• The Center of Latin American Studies and Caribbean Studies
• The Center of Women's Studies.

New courses

The master's programme in biotechnology is supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of the Government of India. Degree programmes in Physical Education and Fire Technology have been added during the academic year 2004-05.

Four year B.Sc (Nursing) degree has been added during the academic year 2005-06. In addition, the Goa University has also launched a Portuguese language course through its Distance Education Information and Training Infrastructure DEITI in 2005-06. Goa University's M.Com (Distance Education Mode) degree was launched in 2005-06.

Other initiatives

Goa University's Academic Staff College, supported by the Indian University Grants Commission conducts refresher and orientation courses for college and university teachers. As many as 46 professional and non-professional and non-professional colleges and institutions—for undergraduate teaching—are affiliated to the university. Besides, eight research institutions are also recognised by the Goa University for research in various disciplines.

Facts and figures

• Goa University is located on the outskirts of Panaji or Panjim, and is spread over nearly 1.73 km² on the Taleigao Plateau, overlooking the scenic Zuari River, adjoining the Arabian Sea.

• It also offers courses in Latin American Studies, and is one of the few universities in India to do so. The Centre as per the UGC's recommendation offers a post graduate course in International Studies. The Centre has signed a memorandum with the College of Naval Warfare Mumbai and with the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi and with the University of Colima, Mexico. The Centre offers MA M.Phil and Ph.D. The Centre has organised several national and International conferences in the last fifteen years. The Centre has been reviewed by the UGC and the Academic Audit of the University and had been given encouraging reports.
• The UGC has recently sanctioned a Jawahralal Nehru Study centre to the University
• Goa University claims to have one of the "best teacher-student ratios". But it has also been criticised in the past for having a limited number of students.
• It has established a remote sensing laboratory, with financial and technical assistance from the Indian Space Research Organisation.
• The university is situated in the Western Ghats region, which is known to be rich in flora and fauna.
• Goa University also has set up a unit for fungus-culture collection and research.
• Goa University has signed memoranda of understanding with a number of institutions, including the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, Universidade Moderna and University of Aveiro in Portugal, National Centre for Software Technology, Mumbai, International Rice Research Institute, Philippines, Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, among others.
• Goa University offers a course on online programme in GIS, in association with the Centre for Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg, Austria.
• Goa University's MCA(Master of Computer Applications) course conducted by Department of Computer Science and Technology (DCST) provides updated technical skills, industry level education, training for job (as part of 6th semester internship), an IT industry tour and holds a 100% placement record since its inception.

Recognised institutions

Recognised institutions functioning with Goa University recognition are:

• National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Vasco
• Directorate of Archives, Panaji
• National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula
• Xavier Centre for Historical Research, Porvorim
• Malaria Research Centre, Panaji
• Thomas Stephens Konkkni Kendr, Porvorim
• Fishery Survey of India, Mormugao
• All India Institute of Local Self Government, Panaji

Admission procedures

• The procedure for above is mentioned in detail in the annual handbookpublished and made available during the first week of June, each year.
• More information on admission can also be directly obtained from the academic sections, concerned departments, or colleges in person.
• All the admission forms are directly received by the concerned office of the various departments on the University campus.
• Members of the public can visit the office from 12.00 noon to 13.00 hrs. on all working days, according to the Citizen's Charter of the Goa University.

University team

Since July 2008, His Excellency,the Governor of Goa Shivinder Singh Sidhu is the chancellor of the university, Prof. Dileep Deobagkar is the Vice-Chancellor of Goa University and [[Prof. Vijayendra P. Kamat ]] as registrar.

Statutory bodies of the Goa University

Statutory bodies of the university are as follows:

The Court

The Court has a membership of 40 and its constitution shall be as under: i) Vice Chancellor as chairman ii) Five deans of faculties iii) Five professors of university teaching departments iv) Five principals of affiliated colleges v) Three teachers (other than deans and professors) of the University teaching departments vi) Eight teachers of affiliated colleges vii) Two representatives of the managements of the non-government affiliated colleges viii) The chairman of the University Students Council ix) Four eminent educationists, scholars, specialists or administrators x) One representative of the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and one representative of Other Backward Communities xi) Two women representatives of Goa xii) A representative of the non-teaching staff of the University xiii) Registrar of the University as Member-Secretary. The term of the court will be of four years.

The Executive Council

The Executive Council has a membership of 13 and its constitution shall be as under: i) Vice-Chancellor as chairman ii) Two deans of faculties members iii) One principal of an affiliated college iv) One professor (other than deans) of the University teaching departments v) Five eminent educationists, scholars, specialists or administrators vi) Two nominees of the state vii) Registrar as Member-Secretary. The term of the Executive Council is of four years

The Academic Council

The Academic Council has a membership of 40 and its constitution shall be as under: i) Vice-Chancellor as chairman ii) All the deans of the faculties of the University (ten) iii) Five University professors iv) Five principals of the affiliated colleges v) Five teachers of the University departments vi) Five teachers of the affiliated colleges vii) The Director of N.I.O viii) Chairman, Goa Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education ix) Three eminent educationists or scholars x) Librarian xi) Registrar as Member-Secretary. The term of the Academic Council is of four years.

Planning Board

The Planning Board comprises eight members and its constitution shall be as under: i) Vice-Chancellor as chairman ii) Vice-Chancellor of any University iii) *One member of the Executive Council iv) *One member of the Academic Council v) One dean of faculty vi) One eminent educationist vii) One representative of the University Grants Commission viii) The Registrar as ex-officio Member-Secretary. (*Amended by EC on 25/11/94 in view of provision contained in clause 2 of Statute 40.) The term of office of the members other than the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar is of four years and they shall be eligible for re-nomination.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee of the University consists of the following eight members: i) Vice-Chancellor as chairman ii) Registrar iii) Secretary to Government of Goa in-charge of University Education iv) Secretary to Government of Goa in-charge of the Finance v) One nominee of the E.C. from its own members vi) Dean of the Faculty of Commerce vii) One nominee of the Visitor viii) The finance Officer as Member-Secretary. The Visitor nominates a person not connected with the University on the Finance Committee. The Executive Council nominates one of its members on the Finance Committee The term of all the members of the Finance Committee other than the Vice-Chancellor and Ex-Officio Members shall be of four year.

Contacts

Goa University is located at Taleigao Plateau, Goa, India. Telephone +0091-832-2451345-48/75; 2456480-85 and fax +0091-832-2451184/2452889. The University has recently switched over to Tata Indicom numbers and most of the BSNL numbers will become defunct soon.