Lady Brabourne College

History and evolution

The college is named after Lady Brabourne, the wife of then-governor of Bengal, Lord Michael Knatchbull, 5th Baron Brabourne, till February 1939. It is affiliated to the University of Calcutta. The foundation stone was laid by Sir J. Woodhead on 26 August 1939. In 2006, the college was accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council and was awarded an 'A' grade certification.

It was the first Muslim women's college in Calcutta, India. Lady Brabourne took the initiative in establishing this institution following complaints from Muslim girls that they were discriminated against by the Hindu establishment at the elite Bethune College, which was the first women's college in India. The school began with 35 Muslim women students and 9 faculty members.

The college celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1989 and its Diamond Jubilee in 1999 and has now emerged as a multicultural venue for students from many backgrounds.

While the founding faculty mostly belonged to the humanities stream, science courses at the pass level were introduced in July 1958.

Presently the college offers Honours courses in 18 subjects, five of which are in the languages, four in the social sciences and nine in the sciences.

B.A Honours

B.Sc Honours

Masters

Faculty

The college has the faculty strength of 90 full-time, about 31 part-time, and 11 guest teachers. Further the college has begun post-graduate courses in four subjects.

Campus

The college, spread over 6.1 acres (25,000 m²) of prime land, consists of two adjacent campuses, enclosing the main college building, the science buildings and the cottage amidst lush green gardens, open spaces and a playground. Over the years the infrastructure has developed and expanded to keep up with the demands of new requirements such as laboratories, computer facilities, a medical unit, canteens, a career counseling cell and a sky-gazing unit.

Sports

The college hosts the annual sports event before the Christmas holidays. Students, teachers and staff participate.

Students participate in the inter-college sports meet organised by the government colleges annually at the S.A.I. Complex, Salt Lake City, Kolkata.

National Service Scheme

Students may join a unit of the National Service Scheme (NSS) to take part in activities generating social awareness about environmental issues, female trafficking, drug abuse etc. Camping programmes are organized under teacher supervision by the NSS units.

Student union

As per government instructions, the college has a Student's Union.

The members of the Student's Union are involved with activities throughout the year including the organisation of the Orientation Programme for the first-year students, Fresher's welcome, Independence Day celebration, Reunion, Kaleidoscope, Annual Sports, Farewell of the third-year students, etc. as well as maintaining the cleanliness and environment of the campus throughout the year.

In the absence of political interference, elections take place in a healthy and democratic manner under the supervision of a committee of teachers led by the chief election officer, appointed by the principal.

Kaleidoscope

The annual college fest, 'Kaleidoscope', is an exciting programme organized by and for students. The event is a big attraction for students of Lady Brabourne College and other premier colleges of Kolkata.

Career counseling and job placements

In keeping with trends, the college has had a career counseling committee since 2002, which organizes programmes for career development of aspiring students.

Magazine

The multi-lingual college magazine is published annually. Teachers and students contribute articles on a wide range of topics.

Medical unit

A Medical Unit is equipped to provide first aid and preliminary treatment, if required, especially during examinations. A general physician and a psychiatrist attend the college once a month to provide counselling and general advice to students and teachers regarding health and related problems.

Hostel facility

The hostel with accommodation for about 207 students is in the adjacent premises, the second campus of the college. Admission to the hostel is mainly on the basis of performance in the last examination and the distance of the applicant's hometown. It is ensured that each department has a fair quota of seats in the hostel.

UGC Certificate Courses

The college has introduced two three-year UGC-sponsored career-oriented self-financing Certificate Courses in Public Relations and Advertising and Multimedia and Animation to provide students with the support, knowledge and aid to equip them to cope with the challenges of a globalized job market. Students are encouraged to enrol in these courses to enhance their skills professionally. Personal grooming and soft and interactive skills are an integral part of these courses, which will run in collaboration with WEBEL informatics with an up-to-date all-India level syllabi and a distinguished faculty.

Notable alumnae and faculty