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Body and presently its
President who deserves the highest plaudits for having
chosen this location for the convenience of the girl
students. Mere words are but too meager to express the
blood and sweat with which this gracious and sagacious soul
has worked for the establishment and growth of the
institution. A host of other dedicated persons from various
walks of life joined hands with him in his earnest Endeavour
among whom the names of Sj. Janaki Ballav Pattanayak, the
then Chief Minister of Orissa, his wife Smt. Jayanti
Pattanayak who functioned as the President of the College
Governing Body for 7 years, Smt. Bina Devi, Sj. Bansidhar
Jethi, Sj. Pathani Pattanayak, Sj. Srikanta Panda, Sj.
Sadananda Rout and many others are note worthy.
The college initially named as
"Cuttack City Women's College" began functionig with only
fifty-two students in Intermediate Arts in the premises of
Mansinghpatna Municipal High School. Following the demise of
Smt. Indira Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India and one
of the greatest epoch-making woman leaders of the world, the
college Governing Body most appropriately decided to name
the college as Indira Gandhi Women's College.
From the date of its inception
till today the college has gone through many ups and downs
but yet, has emerged as one of the fore running womens
educational institutions in the city. The untiring efforts
of Sj. Asirbad Behera and the dedicated services of Late
Basanti Mohapatra the first Principal of the college who
served for a marathon span of sixteen years had set the ball
rolling and here we hare celebrate the 'Silver Jubilee' year
of the College in September, 2005.
The college grew its wings
under the aegis of the Teachers Training College which had
also been established here earlier by Sj. Asirbad Behera.
For a short period of time the college functioned at
Sanatnalini Girls High School after having shifted from the
premises of Mansinghpatna Municipal High School.
Subsequently in 1986 the college started functioning in
'its' own building at Shelter Square.
Classes in +2 Arts started in
the College in 1983 with due Concurrence of the State
Government and afilliation from the council of Higher
Secondary Education. Four years later in 1987, the college
received recognition of the government and affiliation of
the Utkal University to impart teaching in +3 Arts courses
in all the subjects being taught at +2 stage except
psychology. Subsequently, in 1991 the college was accorded
permission to admit students into honours course in
Education and shortly later, in 1993, permission was granted
by the Higher Education department of the Government of
Orissa to open honours classes in History, Political
Science, Home Science and Oriya. Later in 2003 permission
was granted to open honours class in one more subject i.e.
Economics. Realising the need for science education, the
management decided to introduce the +2 Science Course in the
college in 1993. The institution with a sparse strength of
fifty two students has grown considerably in a decade and a
half, with an average of 1000 to 1500 students on its rolls
every year, over the past ten years. The strength of the
staff of the college has also grown commensurately. The
college presently functions with a staff strength of 40
teaching 32 non-teaching members.
The curriculum vitae of each
member of the teaching staff and their academic proficiency
speaks for itself of the caliber of teaching imparted in the
institution. Almost 21 teachers in the college have either
attained higher research qualifications in the form of Ph. D
or M.Phil degrees or are actively engaged in the same.
Eleven members of staff are in the UGC payfold. As far as
academic and extra curricular activities are concerned
students of this college have excelled at the state,
national and international levels. Facilities for extra
curricular and co-curricular activities in the form of N.S.S.,
N.C.C., Computer training and application programmes sports,
arts and cultural programmes etc have been extended for the
innate development of the potentials in the students and to
widen the horizon and their outlook and actions.
Despite of the fact that the
college has had to wobble through rough waters on account of
dire financial constraints, it has learnt to live through
such difficult times with dignity and determination, hopes
and prospects of a brighter future have opened up with the
extension of financial assistance from the University Grants
Commission under 2 (f) and 12 (b) which has come into effect
from its ensuing 10th plan schedule. This has already begun
to facilitate a series of developmental activities in the
college. This being a quantum leap for the college within a
short span of a year or so, certainly speaks of what is to
come in the years ahead with the onset of the 11th plan
allocations. Another event of significance is the opening of
the Girls N.C.C. wing in 2004-2005 with fifty cadets.
Surging ahead with greater
hopes and determination we are earnestly confident that each
new year will be a leap forward for the institution in the
fulfilment of all its hopes and aspirations. Having seen
more difficult times, we now nourish greater confidence in
our own potentials, while we look forward with positive
anticipations to be accredited with a national grade as we
await the visit of NAAC sometime in July or August this
year. |
