75 YEAR OF EXCELLENCE

Platinum Jubilee Celebration (1948 to 2023)

The Department of Botany at the erstwhile Jaswant College was established in 1948 and was taken over by the then Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur in 1962. Department of Botany has a strong foundation laid by stalwarts such as Prof. U.N. Chatterjee (Plant Physiologist), Prof. K.S. Bilgrami (Mycologist), Prof. H.C. Arya (Plant Pathologist), Prof. M.M. Bhandari (Plant Taxonomist), Prof. Narendra Sankhla (Plant Physiologist), Prof. David N. Sen (Desert Ecologist), Prof. B.D. Sharma (Palaeobotanist), Prof. N.S. Shekhawat (Plant Biotechnologist) and Prof. H.S. Gehlot (Plant Microbes Interactions). Their legacy was carried forward by their disciples. The botany department has made remarkable progress in research and teaching activities over the last 75 years. At present,21 faculty members (6 Professors, 1 Associate Professor and 14 Assistant Professors) are working in the department. Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Ph.D, and D.Sc. Degree courses are run by the department. Different plant science laboratories are actively engaged in different areas of plant research. The department has well equipped smart classrooms for teaching. The research and development activities have gained attention at the national and international levels. Research and development projects in the department are funded by national and international agencies. These include: the European Economic Community, FAO, UNDP/UNIDO, US-PL-480, CSIR, UGC, DST, DBT, DRDO, DOEn, World Bank, MAB, ICAR, ICFRE, CSB, Ministry of Health, State DST, etc. Since 1980, this department has been receiving grants under the Special Assistance Program (SAP) of the University Grants Commission of India. The UGC-sponsored SAP-DSA Phase III program has been successfully completed, and after review by the UGC team in 2014, the department has been upgraded to the Centre of Advanced Study (CAS).

The department of botany has been selected for implementation of the COSIST program by the UGC since April 1999 to raise the standard of postgraduate education and research to the international level. This department was selected by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, for support under FIST (Funds for Improvement of Science and Technology Infrastructure). FIST programs I and II have been successfully completed. DST has evaluated the Department Progress as “Very Good”for both phases and accordingly awarded FIST-III with a financial outlay for the next five years, 2017–2022. Every year, the department publishes more than 50 research papers, review articles, and book chapters in scientific index  . Various academic, research, botanical excursion, and other co-curriculum activities (sports and cultural events) are being organized by the Botanical Society of the Department. Under the COSIST programme, the Department of Botany offers a two years integrated program leading to a Master's (M.Sc.) degree in Botany. From the academic year 2015-2016, the Department is offering to students Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) under the semester system of the examination pattern. Students are admitted on an all-India merit basis. The basic specializations offered are in the areas of Stress Physiology and Biochemistry, Physiology of Plant Growth, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Plant Microbe-Interactions, Mycology & Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Plant Resources Utilization, Systematics and Biodiversity Conservation, Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

Department has implemented NEP-2020 and offers certificate, diploma, degree and post graduate degree programme. The department also offers research facilities for advanced research in major areas of plant biology leading to Ph.D. and D.Sc. Degree. Interested candidates get admission for the Ph.D. programme through the All India level entrance exam of MPET.