Introduction

Acharya Prafulla Chandra College began its journey in 1960 under the leadership of Late Sri Haripada Biswas, a social activist. It was indeed a very humble, struggling and hasty beginning. The primary aim was to provide opportunities for higher education to students of refugee families settled in New Barrackpore colony. At that juncture, education was altogether a different challenge for the migrant children. In last several decades the college has elevated itself to a premier institution with an ambition of touching the level of excellence.

Today’s Higher Education has witnessed a paradigm shift from elitist esotericism to common man’s right to knowledge. This college is endeavoring utmost to adapt itself to this new way of thinking. The semi-urban location of the college caters to the needs of students who come from the grass-root level; some of them are even first generation learners. The college is striving hard to set a pedagogic goal that is less hectoring and instructional and more learner– centric.

The college is successfully running degree courses in more than 25 subjects at both Honours and General level, three vocational or Major courses, five Post Graduate courses and three distant learning centres such as Department of Distant Learning (Kalyani University), Netaji Subhas Open University and IGNOU. The requirement for a more job-oriented curriculum is addressed carefully by introducing a mixture of Honours degree courses, vocational courses such as Advertising, Sales Promotion & Sales Management (ASPV) and Industrial Fish & Fisheries (IFFV) as well as Post Graduate courses. In last four years three subjects were upgraded to Honours level. They are i) Food & Nutrition, ii) Education and iii) Human Development. APC College Computer Centre (DOEACC) provides opportunity to O, A and B level computer education.

Quality improvement in teaching, particularly in Post Graduate Studies, is not possible without research pursuit. Need based research along with basic science is promoted. Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has recommended our proposal for FIST programme DST, 2011 and sanctioned a sum of Rs. 79.5 lac for the scheme in 2012.

The college is well equipped with infrastructural facilities like Main Building (A three-storied building with a covered area of 1661.2 m2 on each floor), Vocational & Technological Block (A three storied building with acovered area of 656.1 m2 on each floor), Post Graduate Building in Second Campus (Five storied building with lift facilities (under construction)), Library (A well-stocked library of about 30,000 books and many journals and periodicals), Auditorium (A fully furnished 2-tier auditorium with 750 sitting capacity), Gymnasium (16-stationed multi-gym facility), Hostel (for girls and boys (SC/ST/OBC)), Seminar Room (ICT enabled), Laboratories. The college also provides facilities for extra-curricular activities like a play-ground along with a basketball court, a volleyball court, a badminton court, indoor games such as table tennis, carom and chess.

Recently, a policy has been adopted to bring the students under “Students Safety Insurance Policy” with a sum assured of Rs. one lakh only. A medical unit is run in the college. First aid facilities are available.

The Students’ Union of the college out of their Union fund has introduced a Merit Scholarship Scheme for the meritorious but poor students. There are as many as seven endowment funds in the college which are run by the fund donated by the existing and former teachers of the college.

A Student’s Benevolent Fund maintained by teachers provides financial aid by way of scholarships to needy students. At least 15% of the total students of the college are granted concession by way of partial remittance of fees from the college fund.