The Department of English was established in 1989 with 03 teachers and 15 students. It was a modest start considering the rural background of  the university. However, the department has made significant progress since then. There has been a steady increase in the number of both teachers and students. The department has undertaken research projects and Ph.D. programmes. Many research scholars have successfully completed their Ph.D. under the supervision of  the professors. Some teachers of the department have received prestigious fellowships for promoting their research works. Prof. S.P.Singha received the Commonwealth Fellowship for the session 2002-2003 and pursued his postdoctoral study at King’s College, Oxford. The department has also updated the syllabus many times to provide greater exposure to the students in the ever-expanding field of knowledge.

New inclusion from emerging fields in curriculum:

The department has placed special thrust on Postcolonial Studies- Theory and Criticism. It has also included the study of literatures of different countries for comparative analysis of several factors. Thus, Australian, Caribbean, Canadian & African texts have been prescribed in the syllabus.

Syllabus up-gradation:

The department revised its syllabus for the PG course in 2003. In 2008 the process is on to upgrade the syllabus with special care. The Undergraduate syllabus is ready for implementation in 2008-2009.

Research areas:

The teachers in the department have divergent areas of research interest. Renaissance Studies, Modernist Literature, Literature of the 1890s, Afro-American Literature, Arabic Literature are some major areas of interest for the faculty members.

Running projects:

Dr Indranil Acharya, Lecturer, is carrying on a UGC-Minor Research Project(no.F.PHW-101/06-07 ERO, dt.15.01.2007) on Australian Aboriginal Fiction.

Ph.D. running& Ph.D. awarded: 10 & 12 respectively

Seminars/ Workshops & Special Lectures held: At least one UGC Seminar is held every year. There have been several thrust areas like Postcolonial literatures, Empire & Literature, Dramatic theory & performance et al. Bill Ashcroft, eminent postcolonial theorist, delivered a special lecture in February, 2006.

NET/SET qualified candidates: 15

Placement status: Ex-students of the department are mostly employed in schools & colleges. Hundreds of them have joined school service all over West Bengal. Some students have pursued Management jobs later.

Publications of the department: The department has published its journal almost annually since 1996. Till date, there are 06 published issues of it. The ISSN of the journal is 0973-3671.

Future plans:

The Department wants to achieve SAP-DRS status for the overall development in the coming years. It has plans to collaborate with the Australia-India Council for the enrichment of library & scope for research in Australia. There has been a contribution of books made by the Australian High Commission & UCLA, America.

Highlights:

·         Ms Indrani Dutta Chaudhuri has received Fulbright fellowship for doctoral research in 2007.

·         The journal of the department has gained recognition with ISSN registration.

·         The Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal Sri G.K.Gandhi & the former President of Sahitya Akademi, Prof. U.R.Anantha Murthy have heaped praise on the literary merit of the journal published in 2007.

·         The teachers in the department are quite sensitive to the academic needs of the students mostly hailing from rural Bengal. The problem of communication in a foreign language is addressed with honest concern. At the same time, they are introduced to the world of literatures in English with great care and commitment.