College of the Week: Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University

USP: The Department of Gandhian Studies is one of the few institutes in the country offering postgraduate programmes in Gandhian studies. 

Faculty: The college has two professors, two senior assistant professors and five members of the guest faculty. The chairperson of the department, Professor Manohar Lal Sharma, is the recipient of Gandhi-Vinoba Peace Award-2008

Programmes: The college offers a master’s programme in Gandhian and peace studies – a two years’ course (semester based), the entry criteria for which is graduation in any stream with 50% marks. An aptitude test is compulsory. It also offers a MPhil in Gandhian studies – a one-year course that may be extended by another year in special circumstances, duly approved by the Joint Research Board. The entry criterion for this programme is a master’s degree with 55% marks in any art and social sciences subject. The department also offers a PhD programme. Students can enroll if they have a master’s degree in arts or social sciences subjects with 55% marks, and are UGC NET qualified in Gandhian and Peace Studies or if they have cleared the PhD entrance test conducted by the university.

IT quotient: The college website is very comprehensive and presents a good insight into life at the department.

Infrastructure: The department has a library with a special focus on Gandhian studies and the national freedom struggle. Besides good teaching faculty, the department has a library of its own, research guidance and supervision and hostel to some of the students. The department library has 7,000 (approximate) books and more are available in the main university library and with students. 

Studentspeak: “My search for truth brought me to this department. After the Anna Hazare movement, all I can urge people to do is to be truthful. If they are true to themselves and others, no weapon is required. Truth shall produce only good. But on the contrary, falsity is ruling everywhere,” adds Panghal.

Clubs and societies: The department has no clubs but has a society that organises a few functions.

Placements: “Gandhian studies will not help you get a plush job instantly. It’s not like any other course where your degree gets you employed. It’s much more, it doesn’t help you be a big man but a good man,” adds Panghal. Even then, some students in the past were and continue to be placed in prominent NGOs, judicial and civil services as well as in the teaching profession in India and abroad. For instance, an alumni, Justice (Dr) Jagdish Singh Khehar, who was the chief justice of Karnataka High Court, has been appointed judge of the Supreme Court of India. Another one, Dr BB Parsoon, sometime back was the additional district and sessions judge in Chandigarh. Parmod Sharma, chief coordinator of Yuvsatta, an NGO, is an international figure.

Factfile:

The Department of Gandhian Studies, Panjab University came into existence in 1965. Initially, a one-year certificate course in Gandhian philosophy was all that was on offer. In 1972, it was replaced by a postgraduate diploma course in the same subject. After getting UGC special assistance, the department also started a postgraduate diploma in Gandhian studies through correspondence. In 1977-78, the department also started offering an MPhil degree in Gandhian Studies.

Source: HT Horizons