Gargi College

History

Gargi College was established in the year 1967, and celebrates its golden jubilee this year in 2016. It is one of the leading South Campus colleges of the University of Delhi.

Gargi College was named after an enlightened woman named Gargi, figuring in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishada of the Vedic Age. She emerges as an intelligent and bold person embodying the spirit of inquiry juxtaposed with faith as is shown by her penetrating and challenging questions to the great sage Yajnavalkya. In the Upanishad Gargi seems to represent the intellectual potential of the race of Homo sapiens, which continues to manifest itself, in quest of ever-widening fields of knowledge.

Gargi believes in its mission statement that every student who passes through the portals of the college emerges as a wholly developed individual symbolizing the spirit of enterprise and inquiry that characterizes Gargi.

Gargi College, one of the two colleges in Delhi to have been awarded the prestigious College with a Potential for Excellence grant, by the University Grants Commission in the year 2004-2005, was chosen because of its holistic approach towards teaching and its excellent track record in academic and other aspects of college functioning. Nine departments namely Botany, Chemistry, Commerce, Elementary Education, Microbiology, Physics, Psychology, Zoology and the Women’s Development Centre are currently engaged in innovation and experimentation in the undergraduate programme, using modern methods of learning and evaluation. This award is in recognition of the endeavour of the college to engage in advanced research and socially purposeful projects over and above the regular college events.

Faculty

The College has over 180 members of the faculty and most of them hold doctorate degree. Some are engaged in major research programmes funded by UGC and DST. Faculty members are guiding M.Sc. and Ph.D. students and we have research collaboration both of national and international level. Not only the faculty but also the students have been publishing research papers.

The Current Principal of Gargi College is Dr. Shashi Tyagi, who is from the Department of Botany. She has 34 years of teaching experience and specialises in Biotechnology and Molecular Cell Biology.

Academic Performance

The result of the last two years University examinations records 99% pass and about 45-50% first divisions. On an average about 10 students obtain positions within the top 3 of the University of Delhi and about 35 within the top 5 of the South Campus.

Academic Activities

The College arranges inter-disciplinary seminars at national level every year. Research is encouraged even at the undergraduate level. Summer workshops are conducted regularly for science students. Students regularly make presentations in departmental activities.

By being one of the few colleges in the University of Delhi to have Students from the Arts, Sciences, Commerce as well as Education Gargi creates an atmosphere of inter departmental learning through which students develop an all round education.

Infrastructure

Gargi possess great infrastructural facilities. All the class rooms and laboratories are well-equipped. The whole campus is WiFi enabled and this facility is available to all students and staff members. A newly built state of art auditorium and seminar hall with a seating capacity of 750 and 150 respectively, exist.

Food Options

Gargi College has a spacious canteen, with a seating capacity of 200-250 people. The canteen serves North Indian and South Indian food, apart from which it also has a momo counter, a chat counter, a fried potato counter and a fresh juice counter.

Gargi also has partnerships with Nescafe and Coco-Cola with kiosks selling the brands products.

Library

There is well stocked library having material on all important issues. The library is also accessible online.

Gargi also has a Photocopy store as well as a book store.

Sports Programmes

Gargi College owns a sports field where students train in various sports. Its students have been selected to represent DU in state and national tournaments in Judo, Basketball, Taekwondo, Volleyball and Tennis. In 2012, Gargi students emerged as chess champions of DU and the Judo team was runner up. In 2013, the College won gold medal in athletics and Judo and emerged second in tennis tournaments of DU.

Societies/ Self Development Programmes

Nazaakat- The Indian Dance Society of Gargi College.

Iris- The Photography Society.

Kshitij- The Street Play Society.

Enliven- The Western Dance Society.

Glass Eye- The Film Society.[1]

Hues- The Fine Arts Society.[2]

QED- The English Debating Society.[3]

Sparx- The Choreography Society.[4]

The Eco Club

Samranjini- The Indian Music Society.[5]

समीक्षा- The Hindi Debating Society.[6]

Upstage- The Dramatics Society.[7]

Quizzito- The Quiz Society. [8]

The Gandhi Study Circle

Marketing Society

Quilluminati- The English Creative Writing Society [9]

Unmukti- The Women Developmental Cell [10]

Gargi's students produce about 10 quarterly/annual newsletters from diverse Departments and an annual magazine.

Social Outreach Programmes

The NSS, NCC, Equal Opportunity Cell and Women’s Development Centres of the College arrange events that sensitize Gargi's students to gender, economic and other issues. These create awareness about the social responsibility and provide the opportunity for rendering service to the society.

Notable Alumni