Rajiv Gandhi University in Rono Hills, Doimukh, is observing its 39th foundation day on 4 February.
Thirty-eight years ago, on the same day in 1984, the foundation stone of the erstwhile Arunachal University was laid by the then prime minister of India, late Indira Gandhi. On 9 April, 2007, the Arunachal University was renamed as Rajiv Gandhi University with a central university status. Prof CL Anand was appointed in 1987 as the first vice chancellor of the university. Then in 1992, Madan Jha, and in 1993 Raghunathan were acting vice chancellors. In 1993, Prof AC Bagabati was appointed as full time VC. Thereafter, in 1999 Dr KK Dwivedi, in 2003 Prof Atul Sarma, in 2006 Prof SC Saha, in 2007 Prof KC Belliappa, in 2011 Prof David R Syiemlieh, and in 2012 Prof Tamo Mibang were appointed as full-time VCs.
Currently, Prof Saket Kushwaha is serving as the 17th VC of the university.
Madan Jha was the first pro-VC (PVC), who served from 1992 to 1993. Prof Amitava Mitra is the 5th PVC, serving since 2019.
AP Srivastava was the first registrar of the university who served from 1985 to 1988. Dr Joram Begi served the university as registrar for 10 years. Dr Tai Nyori served the university as controller of examinations for 17 years and as registrar for six years. Dr NT Rikam is the present registrar of RGU, serving since 2020.
The university started its academic journey in 1988 with 48 students, 18 faculty members, and three departments, namely, history, political science and education. BEd was started in the current campus, whereas postgraduate programmes in history and political science were initiated at Jawaharlal Nehru College (JNC) in East Siang HQ Pasighat. The university currently offers postgraduate and graduate programmes in 33 courses conducted through 30 departments, two institutes and one centre.
Additionally, diploma and certificate courses are offered in nine subjects. RGU also offers graduate, postgraduate and many certificate courses through distance education.
There has been an exponential growth in the number of students over the years. Currently, a total of 2,634 students are enrolled with the university. The numbers of students in undergraduate courses currently stands at 558, out of which 254 are females and 304 are males.
In postgraduate programmes, 2,076 students are currently enrolled, comprising 1,101 female and 975 male students. Currently, a total of 81 female PhD scholars and 94 male scholars are registered with the university. So far, nearly 500 PhD degrees have been awarded by the university, whereas those of MPhil degrees stand close to 600. Currently, the university has more than 200 full-time teachers. Also, the university has 205 administrative and other non-teaching full-time staffers.
The university has about 45 affiliated colleges, nearly half of which are government colleges and one government medical college (TRIHMS).
The university’s library has 74,500 books. Apart from printed books, the library also has 12,700 e-books. A total of 462 PhD theses have been uploaded under the ETD Shodhganga project till date. The university library subscribed to I-Thenticate (Turnitin) anti-plagiarism software in 2021. This year, the RGU’s central library started the IR (institutional repository), and its portal (http://rguir.inflibnet.ac.in) was inaugurated on 20 May, 2021. A total of 7066 e-books have already been uploaded to the institutional repository. Besides, the library has subscribed IEEE CSDL for its users in the current academic session.
RGU has more than a dozen students’ hostels with a capacity to accommodate nearly 60 percent of its students as on date. Nearly a dozen buses of the university ply everyday on fixed schedules to facilitate smooth transportation of students and staff.
The university has two senior medical officers, two nurses, one pharmacist, one health assistant and three MPW staffers serving in its health centre, which has three beds for emergency service.
To promote and protect the rights of women and human rights of the minorities, the university has a proactive anti-sexual harassment committee and minority cell, respectively, which organizes awareness programmes for different stakeholders and takes remedial measures.
The university has upgraded its basic infrastructure and currently has 11 bore-wells functioning with full capacity and a 250 kilowatt 3DG sets to serve during emergency electricity requirements. Additionally, the university has eight rooftop solar power plants instituted by the Arunachal Pradesh Energy Development Agency.
The university has planted hundreds of trees in the last few years, and there is a complete ban on cutting of trees and bird hunting in the campus. Last year, the RGU campus was declared a fully plastic-free zone.
Keeping in view the educational needs of the state, the university has opened 10 new departments, including the departments of agricultural sciences and physical education. The faculty of sports sciences has been established under the aegis of the ministry of sports with five departments, comprising 25 posts.
In its academic expansion, the university is planning to open three more extension campuses in the state. The university received financial support of Rs 10 crores from the department of science and technology, ministry of science and technology, government of India, under PURSE 2021 programme. The university is assigned by the government of Arunachal Pradesh to document the unsung heroes of Arunachal Pradesh who fought against British invasion. RGU is a part of the Consortium of Himalayan Central Universities on five major themes funded by the UGC Stride and supported by the NITI Aayog.
This year, the university is partnering with the state government’s golden jubilee celebration, and is also celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav with a series of events.
In light of Covid-19, the university has provided laptops to faculty members, enabling them to provide quality, uninterrupted online teaching and academic activities.
Twenty-nine new faculty members were recruited during 2021, while 69 faculty members were promoted under the CAS at different levels.
A draft recruitment rule is ready to be placed before the executive council for seeking positions from UGC for non-academic positions. Document of cadre positions roster is prepared and the remaining vacant positions will be advertised soon.
The pension issue of the university employees has been taken positively by the UGC to resolve in a time-bound manner with the ministry of education. Smart classroom facility has been provided to all the departments. This year, nearly half a dozen faculty members of the university successfully got registered for their patents. The university, for its academic expansion, has entered into MoUs with several institutions.
Continuing its tradition of adhering to the university calendar year after year, RGU successfully organized its 19th convocation on 30 November, 2021 in the blended mode. Numerous university faculty members have been awarded with prestigious fellowships and research grants by national and international agencies.
RGU, the easternmost located central university, has kept behind many central universities in the race of academic achievement. It has bagged the 2nd rank in the country among the universities as per the rating of the UGC and the ministry of education. Based on the performance of the universities during the Covid-19 pandemic period, RGU has been rated the best university among the Himalayan universities.
The RGU’s Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS) inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state research directorate for extensive heritage documentation and to formulate a state culture policy (SCP) on 16 October, 2020 – one of few such moves in the country. The state directorate of youth affairs has constituted a drafting committee for examining the state youth policy of Arunachal Pradesh, taking into account the National Education Policy, 2020, as well as the latest youth policy of the government of India and other states.
Though RGU is a central university, the state government of has also contributed much in developing the university in terms of infrastructural support. The governor of Arunachal Pradesh, BD Mishra, is the chief rector, who keeps interacting with the RGU fraternity on a regular basis in the best interest of the students and long-term development of the institution.
Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of current VC Prof Saket Kushwaha, RGU has assiduously maintained its scholastic distinction, as a result of which, in 2020, RGU secured the second position in the ranking of central universities of the country with a score of 83 percent. The university continued with its academic commitments and quality education even during the difficult period of the Covid-19 pandemic. RGU is creditably matching the new trends in the field of higher education to enable aspiring students to stay abreast of their fellow students across the nation. (Courtesy: PRO, RGU)
