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Head of the Department
Dr. Arup Kr. Mitra (AKM)
M.Sc., Ph.D.,
Associate Professor |
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Course Structure | Faculty
Profile
| AdmissionThe
Department of Microbiology was started in 2003, initially as a
general department and subsequently as an Honours department in
2005. It presented its first batch of Calcutta University in
2008 and got five positions in the in the first ten candidates
in the University including the first and second position and
out of 29 students, 26 got admission in the different M.Sc.
programme all over India, including one position in NCBS
(National Centre for Biological Sciences). Every year at least
2-3 students get the opportunity in summer fellowship or POBE
programme of the JNCSR ((Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Scientific
Research). The Department participates actively in National
Seminar including the Indian Science Congress, where students
present papers as posters or oral presentation, perhaps as some
of the few undergraduate students participating in the seminar.
Students of this Department participated and successfully
involved in poster presentation in an International Seminar
organized by IBS (Indian Botanical Society). The Department has
already organized two National level seminars and the symposium
volumes are published. The annual event of the Department is an
in house seminar “Modern Trends in Microbiology” and every year
the extended abstract volume is published. The Department takes
the leading role in the publication of the official journal
“Aviskar: The Xaverian Journal of Research”. The students
actively participate in the Skilled Set Training in Science and
Technology and Entrepreneurship camps organized by the EDC of
St. Xavier’s College. The department has won the First prize in
the March Past competition on the College Sports Day. Students
actively participate in the different cultural programmes of the
College.
There is a unique student exchange programme operating with the
Department of Plant Biotechnology and Food Sciences and four
second year students will be going to Canada, in September,
2009.
There is a unique 2+2 programme operating with the University of
Manitoba, Canada and after two years of education in St.
Xavier’s, they will be going to complete their degree by
studying for the remaining two years in Canada. The degree will
be in Microbiology and Biotechnology. The students completing
their three year degree programme in Microbiology will also have
the opportunity to join the Master’s Programme in University of
Manitoba, Canada.
Thrust Areas:
Module based syllabus encompassing Microbiology, Biochemistry,
Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Instrumentation and
Biostatistics.
Students are taught with audio visual aids in the field of
modern Biology.
Active research in the different fields of Biology.
DST sponsored workshops and training programmes in molecular
biology.
Seminar presentation by students.
Achievements:
Staff Members:
Actively participates in research and publication of Books.
Recognized as PhD Guides.
Exposed to foreign Universities in terms of research and
training.
One major and two minor research projects running in the
Department.
Served as consultants to industries.
Prepared a unique text book on Environmental Studies.
Students from other colleges have completed their M.Sc
dissertation in Microbiology from the department.
Students from other technical colleges have completed their
summer training from the department.
Students have completed M.Phil thesis under the guidance of
departmental professors
Students:
Got five positions in the University including the first and
second position and out of 29 students, 26 got admission in the
different M.Sc. programme all over India.
Every year at least 2-3 students get the opportunity in summer
fellowship or POBE programme of the JNCSR ((Jawaharlal Nehru
Centre for Scientific Research).
One student was admitted to M.Sc programme in TIFR.
Participates actively in National Seminar including the Indian
Science Congress, where students present papers as posters or
oral presentation.
One student got the prestigious KVPY SCHOLARSHIP From Government
of India.
Results and student placement
Out of 38 students who passed out in June 2009, 29 received direct admission
to M.Sc. programmes at various universities and research institutes, across the
length and breadth of country namely:- TIFR, IIT, NCBS, IISC, JNU, BHU, NIV etc.
Several students have secured admission at prestigious Universities overseas:
Universities at U.K., Singapore University, to mention a few. About 12 of our
students cracked the admission tests in Biotechnology, Biochemistry and
Bio-physics and molecular biology and our outgoing student Prerana Agarwal
topped in all the three disciplines. In the finals of Microbiology Honours, 36
students secured 1st class with the topper scoring overall 81 % marks.
Research Projects:
One major Project under Dr. Mahasweta Mitra Ghosh sponsored by
CSIR worth Rs.14.5 lakhs.
One UGC minor Research project worth Rs 1 lakh under Prof
Dipanjali Saha and Dr. A. K. Mitra
Two minor project grant under EDC under Dr. A. K. Mitra sponsored
by DST worth Rs.2 lakhs.
Research Activities
The Department’s area of focus is student related research and accordingly
the following activities were recorded:
A student completed her M.Phil thesis under Dr. A. K. Mitra from the Sikkim
Manipal University. Dr. A. K. Mitra along with Prof. Dipanjali Saha received EDC
Minor Research Project. Dr. Mahashweta Mitra Ghosh and Dr. Kasturi Sarkar were
the recipients of Major Research Projects from CSIR and DST respectively. Mr.
Upal Das Ghosh and Arijit Ghosh joined the Department as a CSIR research scholar
under Dr. Mahashweta Mitra Ghosh.
Teachers and students of the departments submitted 13 papers in the fields of
Plant Science, Medical Science, New Biology and Environmental Science at the
96th Session of the Indian National Science Congress, held at the University of
NEHU, Shillong.
Dr. A. K. Mitra, Prof. Sudeshna Bhattacharya and Prof. Dipanjali Saha, along
with students submitted papers at the International Conference at Allahabad
University. The department published 'Aviskar- Journal of Research’, St.
Xavier's College, with papers from the Depts. of Microbiology, Chemistry,
Economics and Statistics.
Dr. A.K.Mitra contributed an article on Ecofeminism in a book published by
the ICFAI University Press.
Infrastructure:
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Air conditioned Lab with different state of art instruments,
some of which are detailed below:
- Laminar Flow
- Incubator Shaker.
- Cold Centrifuge
- Deep Freeze.
- UV Visible Spectrophotometer
- Trinocular Microscope.
- Air Sampler.
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Gel Electrophoresis unit with transilluminator.
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Blotting Apparatus.
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Digital balance.
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Table top microcentrifuge.
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Multiple refrigerators.
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Microwave.
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Hot air oven.
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PCR machine.
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Multiple autoclaves.
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Summer Training, Seminar and Collaboration
Two students were selected for Summer Fellowship at JNCSR and a third one was
chosen for the same at Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP). Four students
received Summer Training at Dey's Medical. A (2+2) programme was initiated
between SXC, Kolkata and the University of Manitoba, Canada, in the fields of
Microbiology, Food Science, Plant Biotechnology and Agricultural Science. A
student exchange programme was also initiated with the same University and
accordingly four students from University of Manitoba, Canada came to visit us
and four students from the Department visited Manitoba in a three weeks exchange
programme.
Dr. A. K. Mitra joined as the Co-coordinator of EDC and successfully
accomplished a project worth Rs. 5 lakhs that was sponsored by DST, Govt. of
India. He also received a grant of Rs.52, 000/- from EDI, Ahmedabad.
The Department, in collaboration with ICFAI University, has undertaken the
responsibility of publishing the two volumes of the National Symposium on
Environmental Pollution, held in our college in 2008.
The annual seminar “Modern Trends in Microbiology - The 6th Chapter was
organized by the department. 22 papers were presented and lectures were
delivered by eminent scientists from Bose Institute and University of Calcutta.
Awards
Our Dept. participated in the S.N.Bose Fair, held in Scottish Church College,
Kolkata, and won the first prize. The projects were presented on: Carbon
Sequestration, Beyond Antibiotics and Microwaves. Our student Joydeep De was the
recipient of the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi National Talent Search Prize, 2009 in
Research for his outstanding research activities in JNCSR, Bangalore.
Course Outline:
Course Name:
- Microbiology Hons. (3 year undergraduate programme).
- 2+2 programme (Microbiology and Plant Biotechnology)
operating with the University of Manitoba, Canada and after two
years of education in St. Xavier’s, they will be going to
complete their degree by studying for the remaining two years in
Canada.
- Micro biology general (3 year undergraduate programme).
Objective of the course:
- To provide broad outline of classical microbiology.
- To give an opportunity to have hands on to modern instruments
used in molecular biology.
- To provide an overview of modern biology, genetics.
- To make the students aware of all the major changes and
development in the fields of modern biology.
- To give them adequate preparation for seminar presentation
and participate in National and International Seminar.
- The course content has been designed in such a way that they
get well prepared for any type of competitive entrance
examination for the different post Graduation courses.
Future Scope:
- Eligibility for M.Sc in offered by Calcutta University and
other National and International Universities in Microbiology,
Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Marine Sciences, Environmental
Sciences, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.
- Eligibility for integrated M.Sc and PhD offered by NCBS, TIFR.
- Eligibilities for Qualification of National based exams like
NET, GATE and International Entrance Exam like GRE or Ad GRE for
PhD programme in the International Universities.
- Eligibility for researches, summer trainings in Industries.
Genetics.
Evaluation System:
- For Microbiology Hons. 3 years undergraduate degree course:
- 20% Continuous Internal assessments (CIA) through seminar
presentation, Quiz, Field visit report, class tests.
- 80% External assessments through written exams, practical
exams, and viva-voce.
- For 2+2 programme (Microbiology and Plant Biotechnology)
organized by Manitoba University and St. Xavier’s College
- Continuous Internal assessments (CIA).
- Course Works.
- End semester exams.
- Micro biology general (3 year undergraduate programme)
- Continuous Internal assessments including field visit
report, class tests.
- End semester External assessments by theory examination and
practical examination and viva-voce.
Fees:
Microbiology (H)
Microbiology/Biotechnology 2+2 Programme:
Duration:
- Microbiology Hons. (3 years undergraduate degree course)
- 2+2 programme (Microbiology and Plant Biotechnology)
operating with the University of Manitoba, Canada and after two
years of education in St. Xavier’s, they will be going to
complete their degree by studying for the remaining two years in
Canada.
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