1926
University Grants Commission (UGC)
Public
Co-Ed
About
Us
Andhra University is not just one of the oldest educational
institutions in the country, but is also the first to be conceived as a
residential and teaching-cum-affiliating University, mainly devoted to
post-graduate teaching and research.
The people of
the State have an emotional attachment to the institution, since it came into
being after a prolonged and collective struggle of the Telugu elite for a
University in the educationally backward northern Circars and Ceded districts
of the erstwhile Madras Presidency.
Andhra
University was constituted in the year 1926 by the Madras Act of 1926. The
94-year-old institution is fortunate to have Sir C.R. Reddy as its founder
Vice-Chancellor, as the steps taken by this visionary proved to be fruitful in
the long run.
Former
President of India Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was one of its Vice-Chancellors
who succeed Dr. C. R. Reddy in 1931. The University College of Arts was
inaugurated on 1 st July, 1931. The inaugural courses were Telugu language and
literature, History, Economics and Politics. A year later, the College of
Science and Technology came into being with Honours courses in Physics and
Chemistry. The University pioneered in introducing many new courses in Science,
Arts, Management and Engineering in the country.
The leaders
of the university always believed that excellence in higher education is the
best investment for the country and engaged the services of famous
educationists such as Dr. T.R. Seshadri, Dr. S. Bhagavantham, Professor Hiren
Mukherjee, Professor Humayan Kabir and Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao, to mention a few who
set high standards for teaching and research. Nobel Lariat C V Raman was the
proud alumnus of the University and closely associated in laying research
foundations in Physics. Padmavibhushan Prof. C R Rao, the renowned statistician
of the world, was also the proud alumnus of the University.
Keeping in
pace with the global needs and challenges under the leadership and guidance of
successive Vice-chancellors, the University is offering several new Courses of
relevance and Contemporary significance.
Ever since
its inception in 1926 Andhra University has an impeccable record of catering to
the educational needs and solving the sociological problems of the region. The
University is relentless in its efforts in maintaining standards in teaching
and research, ensuring proper character building and development among the
students, encouraging community developmental programmes, nurturing leadership
in young men and women and imbibing a sense of responsibility to become good
citizens, while striving for excellence in all fronts.
As a sequel
to this, the University has always subjected itself for continuous
self-evaluation for maintaining standards and to reach set targets. Further, to
assure quality in Higher Education the University has gone through the process
of assessment and accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation
Council (NAAC) in April 2002. The Peer Committee has analyzed the strengths and
weaknesses of the institution and has assessed the University with ‘A' grade
awarding it with the best percentage among the State Universities of Andhra
Pradesh. The University designed and implemented Quality Management System
successfully and became the first general University in the country to get ISO
9001: 2000 Certification in 2006.
The
University Presently is Offering 313 Courses in Arts, Commerce, Management,
Science & Technology, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy and Education. The
University has five constituent colleges and four AU Campuses. The Colleges of
Arts and Commerce is the biggest constituent college in the University with 26
Departments offering 42 courses including four Diploma Courses. The College of
Science and Technology has 21 Departments, which offers 63 Courses including
one PG Diploma. The College of Engineering has 15 Departments offering
Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Research Programmes. The College of Law has
been identified as an advanced Center in Law by UGC. The college of
Pharmaceutical Sciences is first of its kind in South India, which is offering
one UG Programme and six PG Programmes, besides Research Programmes leading to
Ph.D. Degree. The AU campus at Kakinada (East Godavari District) has five
Departments and the AU Campus at Etcherla (Srikakulam Dist) has Eleven
Departments. The AU Campus at Tadepalli Gudem has four departments and AU
Campus at Vizianagaram has five Departments.
The
University is spread in a sprawling campus of 422 acres dotted with 121
buildings of Academic, Administrative and support services with a plinth area
of about 20 lakhs sq.ft., and 324 staff quarters. Presently the University
catering the Educational needs of five green districts of Andhra Pradesh namely
Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Vizinagaram and Srikakulam.
The
University campus is having 23 hostels for men which can accommodate more than
3200 students and 10 hostels exclusively for women with a capacity of more than
2000 seats. Two Hostels are specially constructed for foreign students. The
University has also two Residential Health Centres one at south campus and the
other at north campus and a homoeo Dispensary. The University has four Guest
Houses, Central Canteen and four canteens at various locations, Press and
Publication division, Women Waiting Halls, Faculty Club and Schools for
Employees Children.
The
University is also having student services and welfare centres in the campus
like post and Telegraph office, Banking facilities, University employment and
Guidance bureau, training and placement centre and a sports complex including a
Gymnasium Hall.
The other
infrastructural facilities available in the University include Academic Staff
College, Computer Centre and Press & Publications division. The University
is also having 25 Research centers/institution in the campus like Agro-
Economic research Centre, Centre for Religious studies, Centre for Women s
Studies, Delta studies Institute , Institute of public sector management,
Institute for yoga and Consciousness and population Research Centre, OASTC, Bay
of Bengal, etc.,
The
University has started school of Distance Education in the campus in 1972. It
offers Courses ranging from Certificate Courses to Post Graduate and
Professional Courses. The School of Distance Education presently offering 4 UG
Programs, 18 PG Programs, 5 Certification Courses, 9 PG Diploma Courses, 15
Professional Courses and 7 Collaborative Courses through Distance Education Mode.
The School has 35 study centres across the State. The enrolment in UG, PG, and
Professional Programmes in the School of Distance Education is about 80,000
students. The School has 23 permanent faculty. It is Equipped with the latest
infrastructure.
The
University has well experienced and export faculty known world wide for their
research contributions. There are 354 Professors, 198 Associate. Professors and
115 Asst. Professors serving the University. Organization of International and
National events is a regular feature of the University. There are more than
2500 support staff working in the University.
The alumni of
the University occupy important positions in government administration,
Industry and research organizations with in and out side the country. The
Government of Andhra Pradesh has appointed the professors of the University as
chairman and vice-chairman of the APSCHE and presently ten Universities had
Vice-chancellors from Andhra University.
The
University has recently organized the 95 th session of the Indian Science
Congress, from 3 rd to 7 th January, 2008. The Prime Minister of India, Dr.
Manmohan Singh has inaugurated the Congress and in his address he refered to
the University as a Magnificient University and has all appreciation for the way
the mega event was organized.
There are 365
affiliated colleges spread across five districts under the territorial
jurisdiction of Andhra University. The enrolment in Affiliated Colleges is
about one Lakh.