University of Calcutta

The University of Calcutta, India, founded on January 24, 1857, is a renowned academic institution with a rich legacy of over 150 years. Initially established during British colonial rule to promote Western knowledge and colonial interests, the university quickly emerged as a hub of academic excellence. With a diverse student body and passionate faculty, Calcutta University has produced countless luminaries who have made a lasting impact on the world, fostering cutting-edge research and innovative pedagogy. The university is always at the forefront of education and discovery and continues to be a hub of intellectual excitement and creative energy. Despite its historical roots, the university has remained agile and responsive to the changing political, social, and economic landscape, continuously adapting to meet new challenges with dynamic energy and steadfast determination. 

A TRADITION OF NOTABLE FIRSTS

The first University is located to the east of Suez to teach European Classics, English Literature, European and Indian Philosophy, and Occidental and Oriental History.

The first medical school in Asia, the Calcutta Medical College, was set up in 1835 and was affiliated to the University.

The first college for women in India, the Bethune College, was set up in 1879 as a College affiliated to the University.

The nation’s first homeopathy college was established in 1880 and was affiliated to the University.

The University Science College was established in 1914, the first in India.

The first blind school in India came into being in 1925, which was affiliated to the University.

The first University Museum in India, the Asutosh Museum of the University, was established in 1937.

The Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management (IISWBM) was set up in 1953 as the country’s first Management Institute.

The Institute remains affiliated to the University.

FIRST TWO GRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY

Bankimchandra Chatterjee

Juddoonath Bose

FIRST TWO LADY GRADUATES OF THE UNIVERSITY

Chandramukhi Basu

Kadambini Ganguli

The University of Calcutta has been the Alma Mater of a number of distinguished Indians who have left their marks in different walks of life. They include academics, educationists, artists, litterateurs, freedom fighters, and politicians.

NOBEL LAUREATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALCUTTA

Rabindranath Tagore

Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman

Amartya Sen

The University of Calcutta is not, however, a prisoner of its glorious past. The University community has been engaged in a ceaseless quest for excellence, constantly breaking new ground in the teaching-learning process.