As a tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his 150th Birth Anniversary, the Department of Bangla, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata introduced the 3-year Honours course from the academic session 2012-2013. Since then the growth of this department has been consistent. The department has a rich past even when it offered only General and Ancillary courses. The activities of this department were prominent also for the illuminated existence of the Bengali Literary Society.
The faculty members of Bangla Department work truly with the team-spirit to deliver a course in Bangla Language & Literature that is rated as one of the bests at the undergraduate level. We feel proud, when we look back at our previous syllabus, framed for the session 2015 which seemed almost prepared to be offered as a CBCS type of modern one. It could take a meaningful shape only because of the constant support & encouragement from the College authority, the dedication of our teachers, hard work and determination of our students.
The aim of the Bangla Honours course is to give a holistic idea of the subject as well as to develop and to have the analytical abilities of the students, empowering them to address issues on language and literature with the contemporary points of view. The course and the teaching-learning procedure help to increase academic or scholastic abilities in them, and also to enhance the skill of a book-maker or book-designer or to establish themselves as translators or interpreters. Department of Bangla offers not only the Honours Course, but also a unique Generic Elective course under CBCS mode that is Comparative Bengali. Students from the own department and other departments can avail this course that gives an introduction to the wide range of Indian literature and World literature.
With immense hope and success the department has started its PG course in Raghabpur Campus from 2019. The students from the UG department feel comfortable to continue their higher studies under the same atmosphere. The Department is also planning to offer Ph.D. programme with great support from the authority, especially our respected Principal.
Post Graduate and Research Department of Bengali at the Raghabpur campus of the St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata started its journey in 2014. The department is dedicated to provide quality education in language and literature with a vision of reaching out to the larger sections of student community. The department is successfully offering four years Under-Graduate programme in Bengali (Hons.) designed as per NEP 2020 Where major, minor, multidisciplinary, ability enhancement and skill enhancement courses are being offered along with internship programme, and compulsory language courses for the students registered under various other programmes. The Bengali (Hons.) programme has been truly well received and the department saw an ever-increasing enthusiasm among the prospective pursuant over the years.
The college now offers a Postgraduate programme in Bengali, affiliated to the University of Calcutta, from the session 2019-2020, with an intake capacity of 50 students per batch.
The course envisions a rigorous training in the major areas of Bengali literature while providing detailed knowledge of specific domains. The programme offers papers in Ancient and Medieval and Modern periods of Bengali literature, Folkloristics, Linguistics and Literary theory. The students are also able to opt for specialization in Medieval Studies, Literature and Culture of the 19th and 20th Centuries or Modern Indian Literature. The PG programme is designed to enhance research aptitude and analytical skills among its students and special guidance is provided towards that effect.
The department currently has fourteen faculty members in the campus (along with five other faculty members at its Park Street campus), who specialise in 19th Century studies, Tagore Studies, Linguistics, Literary Historiography, Feminism, Modernity and Aesthetics. Apart from classroom teaching, the students regularly attend workshops and seminars specially designed and organised for the students in tandem with their curriculum— during the very first semester of the PG programme. They also take part in various events organised by Sahaj Path, a Bengali literary society motivating creative prowess within the students. The college is equipped with smart classrooms and a very fast-growing library, which also offers access to digital resources.
The department currently has more than 200 students enrolled for the UG and PG programmes. The department receives students from all over West Bengal, although a large section comes from adjoining localities in South 24 Parganas.
The department started its new journey towards offering PhD programme, where 13 research scholars got admitted already.