Part C : VOL 4

363 Pages·2014·3.14 MB·English

by  Sudhir Das

Visva-Bharati

Santiniketan 731235

INDIA

SELF-STUDY REPORT
Part - C
Vol. 4

Evaluative Report of the Departments

Submitted to
National Assessment and Accreditation Council
2014
C O N T E N T S

SIKSHA-BHAVANA

Biotechnology 1

Botany 21

Chemistry 53

Environmental Studies 81

Mathematics 96

Integrated Science Education and Research Centre (ISERC) 129

Physics 150

Statistics 174

Zoology 184

Computer and System Sciences 246

RABINDRA-BHAVANA

( INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION )

Rabindra Bhavana 280

SWOC Analysis 296
BRIEF PROFILE OF SOME ANCILLARY DEPARTMENTS

Pearson Memorial Hospital 315

Granthana Vibhaga 319

ENCLOSURES

Modular Syllabus 320

Remedial Coaching 352

Ph.D. Ordinance (a few copies attached) 354

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for Prevention of
Sexual Harassment against Women at Workplace (PSHWW) 357
Eval uative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana 1

Evaluative Report of the Department of Biotechnology

1. Name of the Department : Biotechnology

2. Year of establishment : 1997 (Supported by DBT, GOI from 2004)

3. Is the Department part of a School/Faculty of the university? Yes, Siksha-Bhavana

4. Names of programmes offered (UG, PG, M.Phil., Ph.D., integrated Masters;
Integrated Ph.D., D.Sc., D.Litt., etc.) :
PG, Ph.D.

5. Interdisciplinary programmes and departments involved: Yes.
The Department was started as a Centre under school of Life sciences in 1997 and was
taught and managed by the faculties of the Department of Botany & Department of
Zoology fully up to 2002 and subsequently partly until 2009 as there were only two
faculties of the Centre for Biotechnology from 2002 to 2005, and from 2009 four more
joined; in the year 2013 the Centre was upgraded to a Department.

6. Courses in collaboration with other universities, industries, foreign institutions,
etc.:
a) Ongoing Bilateral collaboration with the Department of Biology, University of
Rome, Tor Vergata on “Biotechnology and nanotechnology of cultural heritage”,
Coordinator from Visva-Bharati: Prof. S.P. Adhikary, 2011-2014.
b) MOU with Bose Institute, Kolkata on Biotechnology for rural development since
2013 which involve research collaboration and also in extention programmes.

7. Details of programmes discontinued, if any, with reasons:
Biotechnology teaching programme at M.Sc. level started from 1997 with the
coordinated effort of the Department of Botany and Department of Zoology, however, it
was fully supported by the DBT-HRD grant and the students admitted were those who
qualify through combined entrance examination conducted by JNU. Since it gave an all
India character to the Department, the course with students admitted from the
examination through Visva-Bharati entrance test was discontinued from 2005.

8. Examination System: Semester and Choice Based Credit System

9. Participation of the department in the courses offered by other departments: Yes.
The faculties of the Department taught “Cell Biology” course to the 5 year integrated
course of Physical sciences of the University from 2009 to 2012.

Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
2 Evaluative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana

10. Number of teaching posts sanctioned, filled and actual (Professors / Associate
Professors / Asst. Professors / others) :
Actual (including CAS
Sanctioned Filled
& MPS)
Professor 1 1 1
Associate Professors 2 2 2
Asst. Professors 4 4 4
Others Nil Nil

11. Faculty profile with name, qualification, designation, area of specialization,
experience and research under guidance:

a) Name : Dr. S.P. Adhikary
Qualification : Ph.D., D.Sc.
Designation : Professor
Specialization : Microbiology; Bioprocess Engineering
No. of Years of Experience : 33 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 04 (Awarded), 01 (Submitted), 04 (Working)

b) Name : Dr. Amit Roy
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : Molecular Biology; Genetic Engineering
No. of Years of Experience : 12 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 01 (Awarded), 01 (Submitted), 05 (Working)

c) Name : Dr. T. Chaudhuri
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : Virology, Cell Biology
No. of Years of Experience : 08 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 03 (Working)

d) Name : Dr. Nilanjana Das
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : Biochemistry IPR
No. of Years of Experience : 08 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
Eval uative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana 3

guided for the last 4 years : 02 (Working)

e) Name : Dr. Jolly Basak
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : BiochemistryBioinformatic
No. of Years of Experience : 05 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 04 (Working)

f) Name : Dr. Narottam Dey
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : Plant Biotech Biostatistics
No. of Years of Experience : 08 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 04 (Working)

g) Name : Dr. Samiran Saha
Qualification : Ph.D.
Designation : Associate Professor
Specialization : Immunology, Animal Biotechnology
No. of Years of Experience : 04 years
No. of Ph.D./M.Phil. students
guided for the last 4 years : 01 (Working)

12. List of senior Visiting Fellows, adjunct faculty, emeritus professors:
a) Prof. Sanghamitra Raha – Senior Professor of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics,
visiting Professor through UGC XIIth plan merged scheme.

13. Percentage of classes taken by temporary faculty — programme-wise : N.A.

14. Programme-wise Student Teacher Ratio :
a) PG (2012-2014) – 4:1
b) PG (2013-2015) – 3:1

15. Number of academic support staff (technical) and administrative sanctioned,
filled and actual:
Sanctioned Filled Actual
Academic Support Staff
- Nil Nil
(Technical)
Administrative Staff - 1 (Casual Staff) 1
Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
4 Evaluative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana

Others - 3 (Contractual) 3

16. Research thrust areas as recognized by major funding agencies:
Thrust area identified and approved by DST-FIST: Understanding stress adaption
mechanism in plants, animals and microbes; other areas are project based as approved
for financial support by UGC, CSIR, DST, DBT and MOEF for projects of faculties.

17. Number of faculty with ongoing projects from a) national b) international
agencies and c) Total grants received. Give the names of the project title and
grants received project-wise: Extramural funding through projects received by the
faculty: [Total amount approximately 2 crores and 45 lakhs]; Details, faculty wise
received given below:

Prof. S.P. Adhikary, PI:
a) Name of the project: “Molecular taxonomy of stress tolerant cyanobacteria and
characterization of stress proteins and antioxidant defence systems in selected
anhydrobiotes.” Sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of
India(2010-2013). Rs. 29 lakhs.
b) Name of the project: “Taxonomy capacity building project on Algae-
AICOPTAX.” Sponsored by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India;
Ongoing All India coordinated project since September 2003; East zone
coordinator: S.P. Adhikary. (Project completed on 31st March 2012). Rs. 32
Lakhs.
c) Name of the project: DST-SSD entitled “Development of seaweed liquid fertilizer
formulation for pulses and vegetable crops and its popularization for development
of entrepreneurship in rural areas.” sponsored by Department of Science and
Technology, Govt. of India (2010-2013). Rs. 12.75 lakhs.
d) International collaboration on “Biotechnology and nanotechnology of Cultural
Heritage” between Prof. S.P. Adhikary, Visva-Bharati, India and Prof. Patrizia B.
Albertano / Dr.Laura Bruno, Department of Biology, University of Rome, Tor
Vergata, Italy ( 2011-2013).
e) Dr. B.P. Pal National Environmental Fellowship award project on Biodiversity by
MOEF, Govt. of India to Prof. S.P. Adhikary. (2012-2014). Rs. 12 Lakhs

Dr. A. Ray, PI:
a) Name of the project: “Screening and characterization of antimicrobial
compound(s) from Ceriops decandra, a beneficial mangrove plant from Indian
Sundarban estuary.” Sponsored by UGC, New Delhi (2011-2014). Rs. 9.15 Lakhs

Dr. Nilanjana Das, PI:
a) Name of the Project: “Age and reactive species mediated modification of
Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
Eval uative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana 5

macromolecules and its physiological consequences in Yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisiae).” Sponsored by DST, Fast Track project, Govt. of India (2010-2013).
Rs.18.76 Lakhs.
b) Project entitled “Evaluation of age associated alterations in anti-oxidative defense
in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its role in accumulation of oxidative stress.”
Sponsored by CSIR (2013-2016). Rs. 28.05 lakhs.
c) Minor project entitled “A study on the probable reasons behind selective
susceptibility of proteins to age and oxidative stress using bioinformatics tools.”
Sponsored by UGC. Rs. 1.2 Lakhs.
Dr. J. Basak, PI:
a) Name of the project: “cDNA-AFLP to identify differentially expressed genes in
Vigna mungo upon inoculation with Mungbean Yellow mosaic Indian virus.”
Sponsored by DST, Fast Track Project, Govt. of India (2012-2015). Rs. 24 Lakhs.
b) Name of the Project: “Identification and characterisation of Phaseolus vulgaris
micro RNAs differentially expressed in biotic stress condition by deep sequencing
of small RNA transcriptomes.” Sponsored by DBT, Govt. of India (2012-2015).
Rs. 44.12 Lakhs

Dr. Narottam Dey, PI:
a) Project entitled: “Biochemical and molecular profiling of West Bengal folk rice
germplasm with reference to abiotic stress tolerance.” Sponsored by DST, Govt. of
West Bengal (2010-2013). Rs 10.27 lakhs.
b) Project entitled: “Allle mining of stress tolerance in traditional and wild relatives
of rice Oryza sativa Linn.” Sponsored by UGC (2011-2014). Rs 8.99 lakhs

Dr. Samiran Saha, PI:
a) Project entitled: “Therauptic and immunomodulatory potential and mechanism of
action of Tinospora spp. Against visceral leishmaniasis,” Sponsored by UGC
(2013-2016). Rs. 13.19 Lakhs.

18. Inter-institutional collaborative projects and associated grants
a) National collaboration: Nil
b) International collaboration:
With University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and Visva-Bharati (Indian side PI: Prof.
S.P. Adhikary) on Biotechnology and nanotechnology of cultural heritage, 2009-
2011; renewed: 2012-2013)

19. Departmental projects funded by DST-FIST; UGC-SAP/CAS, DPE, DBT, ICSSR
etc.; total grants received: DST-FIST Grant for the period from 2012-2017: Rs. 45
lakhs

Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
6 Evaluative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana

20. Research facility / centre with
a) State recognition: Nil
b) National recognition: The Department is supported by DBT-Govt. of India for
HRD in M.Sc. Biotechnology, and the students who qualify the All India
combined entrance examination in Biotechnology by JNU are admitted in the
programme on the basis of merit-cum-choice of the students.
c) International recognition: Nil

21. Special research laboratories sponsored by / created by industry or corporate
bodies: With the support of the M.SC. Biotechnology programme by the HRD
division of the Dept. Biotechnology, Govt. of India special laboratories were
strengthened at the Department.

22. Publications:
a) No. of papers published in peer reviewed journals (national/
international): – Total publications during 2010-2013 = 39;
National = 19; International = 20

b) Monographs: – One (J. Cramer, Stuttgart)
c) Chapters in Books: – during 2010-2013= 10
2010
i) Rath, J. and Adhikary, S.P. Biodiversity of Chilika lake, east coast of India
in diversity of lower plant Eds. Gupta, R.K. and Kumar, M. IK International
Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, pp.121-136, 2010.
20 11
i) Sethi, S.K. and Adhikary, S.P. Rhizobium biofertilizer: Retrospect and
prospects. In: Microbial Biotechnology and Ecology. Eds. Vyas, D., Paliwal,
G.S., Khare, P.K. and Gupta, R.K., Daya Publishing house, New Delhi., pp.
1-28, 2011.
ii) Bidisha Bagh, Amit Roy and Santanu Ray: Fluoride toxicity through
drinking water in Birbhum district, West Bengal – its adverse effects &
bioremediation” by in Proceedings Vth World Aqua Congress, 2011
Volume – IV: Adaptive and integrated water management. Editor: Dr.
Sanjay Rana.
20 12
i) Dey, N. Adoption of Proper Strategies for Lowering the Green House Gas
(Carbon Dioxide,Methane) Emission from Rice Fields. Sustainable
Agricultur edited by Kazi, M.B. Rahim, Debashis Sarkar, Bidhan Chandra
Roy. New Delhi Publishers, New Delhi,2012 .
ii) Sethi, S.K. and Adhikary, S.P. Azotobacter: A plant growth promoting
Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati
Eval uative Report of the Department of Biotechnology, Siksha-Bhavana 7

Rhizobacteria used as biofertilizer. In. Dynamics Biochemistry, Process
Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. Global science books, Japan, pp.68-
74, 2012.
iii) S.P. Adhikary, Development of Biofertilizer formulations for rice
cultivation: a success story in a village in the Ganjam district of Odisha. In.
Proc. National seminar on New Frontiers in Plant science Research for
sustainable development. Ed/ S.K. Nayak, P.N. Auto. College, Khurda,
Odisha, Pp. 141-150, 2012.
iv) S.K. Ratha, Misra, N., Panda,P.K. and Adhikary, S.P. Cyanotoxins: an
overview of their impact on human health. In. Microbial toxins and
toxigenic microbes. Eds. V.D. Pandey and S.K. Singh, Studium Press, LLC,
pp. 425-464, 2012.
v) Dey N. Biodiversity and Biotechnology: Impact on sustainable Rice
production. Book chapter in "Biodiversity-The natural Wonder" ISBN: 978-
93-80663-61-6. Page No: 63-74, 2012.
vi) Dey N, Role of Biotechnology and Genomics in Sustainable Rice
Production. In Ecoconservation and Sustainable Living. Narosa Publishing
House, New Delhi. India (ISBN 978 1-8487-216-3) Chapter 14 Page-
162-166, 2012.
20 13
i) Maiti S, Basak J and Pal A. Current understanding on plant R-genes/proteins
and mechanisms of defense responses against biotic stresses. In: Review of
plant pathology, Ed. B. N. Chakraborty. Vol 6, 2013 ISMPP publications
(in press).

d) Edited Book: – Nil
e) Books with ISBN with details of publishers:
Daya Publishcations, New Delhi; Pointer Publications, Jaipur, Rajasthan.
c) Number listed in International Database (For e.g. Web of Science, Scopus,
Humanities International Complete, Dare Database International Social
Sciences Directory, EBSCO host, etc.): 39
d) Citation Index – range/average: Last 5 years: Range = 4 to 762; Average = 171
e) SNIP: N/A
f) SIR: N/A
g) Impact Factor – range/average: 2010-2013: Range:0.3 to 4.98; Average = 3.03
h) H-index: All publications of the following faculty as follows: Prof. S.P. Adhikary
(21); Dr. T. Chaudhuri (21); Dr. N. Das (8); Dr. J. Basak (4), Dr. S. Saha (4).

Self-Study Report of the Visva-Bharati