Goa University

Educational institutions in colonial Goa

Although the Portuguese colonial powers set up several seminaries and a number of parish schools after their arrival in Goa in the 16th century, these offered mainly religious and elementary education, respectively. Medical education started in the early 18th century, in the Royal Hospital in the old City of Goa, and the first regular medical course was offered in 1801 at the Royal and Military Hospital. In the 1950s attempts were made by the government to ensure compulsory enrolment in primary schools (Varde 83). Private schools also thrived, including in Marathi and English mediums. Some of these taught up to high school and prepared the students to appear for Secondary School Certificate Examination (Matric/SSCE) of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary Education, Pune.

Dr. P.S. Varde (History of Education in Goa from 1510 to 1975, Directorate of Art and Culture, Government of Goa, Panaji, Goa, 1977) quotes the following figures for enrolment in primary schools in Goa, Daman and Diu, in the year 1961-62:

The enrolment in secondary schools:

Including the enrolment in the 4 Government Technical Schools (secondary level: 993), the grand total for all languages : 10, 181. “...the total number of children in primary schools would amount to 59, 607. This would mean that approximately 50% children out of the total population in the age group 7-13 were attending primary schools. The percentage enrolment in secondary schools for the age group 11-17 was approximately 14.6%.” (Varde 94-96). The duration of school education was of around 12 years, including pre-University education.

Teachers’ Training: After a number of ineffectual attempts were made to start training institutes for teachers, in 1844 a teachers’ training school, Escola Normal, was established, in line with new directions from Portugal for the promotion of education in the colonies. (Cabral 95). The school was initially attached to the Lyceum, and underwent constant reforms as educational policies in Europe underwent change. Whereas earlier women students could only appear as private candidates, from 1894, in Portugal, it was made co-educational (Cabral 134). “When the Governor-General Joãoo Carlos Craveiro Lopes came out with his set of reforms [in Goa] through his “Portaria” (ordinance) issued on the 31st of May 1935, he stated clearly that the Escola Normal de Luis de Camões was meant for the training of Teachers of both sexes and would be under the Governor-General of the colony, who would administer it through the Directorate of Civil Administration.” (Cabral 114).

Institutes of Higher Education in Colonial Goa: The first institutes of Higher Education were set up by the Portuguese administration in the nineteenth century, the main being the Academia Militar (Military Academy) (1817), later expanded into the Escola Matemática e Militar (Mathematics and Military School) and the Escola Médico-Cirúrgica de Goa (School of Medicine and Surgery) (1842). A course in pharmacology (Curso de Farmácia) was also created in 1842. In 1854, the Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque (Lyceum) was founded, offering higher education in the Humanities and the Sciences. The School of Medicine (a five-year medical course) and the Course in Pharmacy (a three-year course) were the first of their kind in Asia. None of these institutions were considered University – degree granting institutions. “The courses offered by the Lyceum were broad-based with a view to providing good cultural and scientific foundations for the students aiming at higher studies as well as those who were on the threshold of public life.” (Varde 61) Persons wishing to pursue university education of four or five years duration had to travel to British India or to Europe.

University Education in post-annexation Goa: Within less than six months after the annexation of Goa, two colleges were started as a result of private initiatives and government backing:

In the very first year, the number of students who registered in these two colleges added up to 879. Other colleges soon followed suit:

As these institutions and more came into existence, the question of affiliation surfaced, and led to some debate since Goa was a Union Territory, and it was suggested they be affiliated to Delhi University. However the colleges opted to be affiliated to the University of Bombay, and at the request of the government of Goa, Daman and Diu, the Centre of Post-Graduate Instruction and Research was started in Goa by the University of Bombay with the support of the Goa administration. The Jha Committee proposed the establishment of a University in Goa, and recommended its gradual development from the Centre of Post-Graduate Instruction and Research (CPIR) into a full-fledged university over a period of five to ten years. The Committee made a number of additional recommendations in this regard, including the following:

1. The CPIR was to be developed as a nucleus for the proposed university.
2. The CPIR was to be placed under the administration of a Board set up by the Government of Goa with the cooperation of the University of Bombay.
3. The administrative work of the CPIR was to be carried out by an Executive Committee of the Board, headed by the Director of the CPIR.
4. The CPIR should be shifted to a proper site for the University.
5. The Board of the CPIR would have all powers of an educational institution, including financial ones for the conduct of its activities and the academic powers would be vested in the University of Bombay.
6. The Director would be have the responsibility to develop the CPIR on sound lines so as to develop it into a future university, and would be the fore-runner of the future Vice-Chancellor.
7. Other recommendations/suggestions were made with reference to Goa’s historical, geographic and cultural position.

The Goa University Act of 1984 brought Goa University into existence and it commenced operations on 1 June 1985. It moved to its present 175 hectare campus on the Taleigao Plateau.

Centre for education in Goa

Goa University is the centre for higher education in Goa, India's smallest state.

Campus

Goa University was designed by painter, sculptor, muralist, graphic designer and architect Satish Gujral.

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

Administration

The Governor of Goa, Mridula Sinha, is the chancellor of the university, Varun Sahny is the vice-chancellor, and Vijayendra P. Kamat is the registrar.

Statutory bodies

Statutory bodies of the university are as follows:

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.

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

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 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.

Role of the University in higher education in Goa

Goa University, Goa’s only university, is a university of affiliated colleges. 53 affiliated colleges: 29 in general education 24 professional education Enrollment ~27,000, mostly for undergraduate studies

Main Campus primarily for post-graduate studies Enrolment ~ 1,500

Affiliated colleges

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

The following are the professional colleges affiliated to Goa University:

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

Post-graduate departments, centres of studies

The main campus of Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, has:

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

Library

New courses

From the Academic Year 2013-14:

Enhanced intake in existing popular programmes

1. Chemistry: 36 to 76 (18 each in Organic, Inorganic, Physical and Analytical)
2. MCA: 30 to 60
3. M.Com: 40 to 60
4. MBA(Fin. Serv.) 25 to 40

New programmes

1. Library Science (restarted) intake: 20 for BLISc in 2013-14;
2. 20 for BLISc and 20 for MLISc in 2014-15mp.
3. M.Sc. (Biotechnology) intake: 20
4. M.Tech. (Computer Sci.) intake: 10

These steps led to 30% increase in post-graduate intake on the main campus, from ~650 to ~850.

Goa University’s Academic Staff College (ACS)

The ACS, 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 recognised by the Goa University for research.

Distance Education, Information & Training Infrastructure (DEITI)

The DEITI Studio, which is linked to the Indian dedicated education satellite ‘Edusat’, produces a number of educational programmes.

Visiting Research Professors Programme

The Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Goa, has funded and established six Visiting Research Professorship Chairs at the university. The first chair was set up in 2007 in memory of D. D. Kosambi during his birth centenary but it remained unoccupied until 2013. Subsequently, chairs were set up in honour of Balakrishna Bhagwant Borkar and Dayanand Bandodkar in 2010 and 2011 respectively, to commemorate their birth centenaries. In 2012, three more chairs were instituted in honour of Mario Miranda, Anthony Gonsalves and Nana Shirgaonkar. In 2014, the Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye in Marathi language and literature was established as a part of tercentenary birth anniversary celebrations of the Goan poet and saint. The Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara Chair in Portuguese Studies and Indo-Portuguese Comparative Studies was established in 2016.

The complete list of Chairs at the University is as under:

1. The D.D. Kosambi Visiting Research Professorship in Interdisciplinary Studies
2. The Dayanand Bandodkar Visiting Research Professorship in Political Economy
3. The Bakibab Borkar Visiting Research Professorship in Comparative Literature
4. The Mario Miranda Visiting Research Professorship in Fine Art, Painting, Illustrative Cartooning, etc.
5. The Anthony Gonsalves Visiting Research Professorship in Western Music
6. The Nana Shirgaonkar Visiting Research Professorship in Traditional Music
7. Sant Sohirobinath Ambiye Chair in Marathi language and literature
8. Joaquim Heliodoro da Cunha Rivara Chair in Portuguese Studies and Indo-Portuguese Comparative Studies

Those who have been appointed to these Chairs include Romila Thapar, Madhav Gadgil, Sudhir Kakar, Amit Bhaduri, Lord Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai, Shubha Mudgal, Githa Hariharan, Vidya Dehejia, etc.

Study India Programme

As per the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Goa University with Nihon University, Japan, a batch of students under the Study India Programme visits the University for about 6 months every year to study Indian culture, Indian politics and Indian society.

Konkani Encyclopedia

Konkani Vishvakosh is soon to be a part of Konkani Wikipedia.

Facts and figures

Recognised institutions

Recognised institutions functioning with Goa University recognition are:

Contacts

Goa University telephone is +0091-832-2451345-48/75; 2456480-85 and fax +0091-832-2451184/2452889.

Sports

Bambolim Athletic Indoor Stadium is an indoor stadium located on the campus of Goa University. The stadium was constructed for the 2014 Lusophony Games for events of volleyball and basketball. The stadium is named after Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee former Indian politician and the founder of Bhartiya Jana Sangh. The stadium has a seating capacity of 4000 and was inaugurated by Governor of Goa Bharat Vir Wanchoo in 2014. It cost 82 crore and was built in 11 months which is a record for the construction of an indoor stadium of international standard. With a 131-metre sheet, the stadium is Asia's first stadium which has the longest single-sheet roof.