Prof. Saket Kushwaha was born on 28th August, 1963 in Bhimsen village of Kanpur Dehat in a farming family of Lt. Brahmanand Kushwaha and Lt. Jagrani Devi. His father, Prof. Surendra Singh Kushwaha, a distinguished scientist of India was professor of Physics at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi who graced the most prestigious jury panels for Asia chapter of Nobel prize. He also served as the Vice Chancellor of Ranchi University, Ranchi, Jharkhand and also became Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi.
Dear Sir/Madam,
In the wake of Covid-19, the times have become challenging for us. We have been thrown face to face with situations that had never been heard or experienced before. The pandemic has affected all our regular activities and forced us to seek new methods and strategies for survival and continue with the onward march of progress. The mechanism for the continuity of education has been deeply impacted and we have been forced to move on to the virtual platforms for the dissemination of knowledge. Throughout these times, we have put forward our best discussions and undertaken actions that were considered best for our students and faculty members. At certain points during the pandemic, it was not an ways an easy task to arrive at suitable decisions considering all the issues and directives from the higher authorities of the Government.
Let me take this opportunity to congratulate you on the great celebration that our nation is preparing for – the 74th Independence Day of our country. As we make preparations towards this great celebration of our freedom from foreign rule, let us remember the nation-builders and pay our due homage to them. This is the right time to remember the great nation-builders who have contributed greatly in different fields of development. We pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation and great preacher of non-violence who brought all the Indians together in the struggle for independence. We also remember Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who worked tirelessly to frame the Constitution that governs us in all our deeds and decisions. At the same time, we remember and acknowledge the contributions of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai in developing Indian Space Program; Homi J. Bhabha in the field of Atomic Research; Bharat Ratna Dr. M. Visvesvaraya in the field of Engineering; M.S. Swaminathan in Agriculture and Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in Education. It is a time for us to re-dedicate ourselves to the great task of nation-building following the footsteps of these great masters.
This time the University has decided to go on with the online mode of filling up of the examinations forms for the first time for both the UG and the PG students. The result is heartening keeping in view the fact that more than twenty-five thousand (25000) students have successfully filled the online forms for examination. This success has been made possible because of the amazing support from your esteemed colleagues and all our students. The ability to use such online applications shall definitely equip our students to harness the power of technology for progression in their career. Sooner or later, we have to adopt this new normal and herein we shall lay the foundation of our firm future.
We must remember that systematic change is never aimed to negatively affect the students. Our aims should be to help and support our students in enduring this change successfully. We should not leave them alone; rather we should create a support base for them through proper counseling. In this way, our student community will imbibe the good things to attain greater quality of life. Though a little discomfiture at the beginning cannot be ruled out, it shall surely pave the way for our students to sustain themselves in these competitive times. We should send the message to them that in the demanding circumstances that we are placed in, it is only the fittest that will survive and this fitness is possible only through an acceptance of the changes taking place around us and our evolution according to the needs.
As we are aware of the issues of connectivity and infrastructure bottlenecks in the State, all grievances are being addressed in the best possible way. I must congratulate all the administrative staffs who are tirelessly working to ensure that the process arrives at a positive conclusion. At the same time, I appeal to all the esteemed faculty members to counsel the students on their problems and assure them that no one shall be left out during the process. In the rare case of any issue, the door of the University administration is always open to help resolve and find a way. As and when situations return to complete normalcy, let us come together for better governance that can shape the future of our young generations.
With best wishes and warm regards,
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Saket Kushwaha
The Secretary (Education), Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh
The Director, Higher Education, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh
The Principals of all Affiliated Colleges of Rajiv Gandhi University
Dear Teachers,
I feel great pleasure in greeting you in my capacity as the Vice-Chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the premier seat of higher education in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is indeed a privilege for me to lead this wonderful team of Rajiv Gandhi University as its captain, being fully aware of the fact that the captain is only as good as the team.
Rajiv Gandhi University takes pride in having carved a niche for itself up as an institution with industry-centered projects and cutting-edge research across its Faculties. Beginning its journey as Arunachal University on 4th February 1984, when the then Honourable Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi foundation stone of the University at Rono Hills, it has completed over thirty years in its service to provide higher education to the students of the State. From its inception till now, the University has collected several laurels in its journey towards excellence and the fulfillment of objectives as envisaged in the University Act. Rajiv Gandhi University has steadily maintained its academic excellence overcoming all the debacles such as the lack of proper infra-structure in its earlier days. It is really a matter of satisfaction that the University has strictly adhered to the academic calendar, conducting its examinations and declaring its results in time. The success of the University is proved by the fact that several of its students have found placements in prestigious State and Central Government services and also in various reputed institutions, industries and organizations.
It is also a matter of encouragement that a good number of research projects in the University have received sanctions from external funding agencies and that our University has the distinction of being the first ever University in the country to prepare the Human Development Report for the State. The presence of the Centre with potential for Excellence in Biodiversity attached with the Faculty of Life Sciences is a sign of how much this University can achieve when all of us put our head and heart together to tap its immense potential. It is also a pleasure to see all the Departments in the University engaged in a continuous dialogue to improve their research capabilities by organizing a good number of Seminars, Workshops, Conferences and Faculty Development Courses. Faculty members of the University regularly participate in national and international conferences and seminars held within the country and abroad. Eminent scholars and distinguished personalities have visited the University and delivered lectures on various disciplines.
While the outbreak of the Covid19 pandemic has pushed the entire world into a tight spot necessitating the re-orientation of our earlier ways and methods, Rajiv Gandhi University has proved how well it can adapt itself to the demands of changing times. The thrust of the University for academic excellence is perhaps best reflected in the fact that even during this period of Pandemic, the Departments, and Institutes of the University have been regularly conducting academic activities across disciplines involving scholars and researchers from different reputed circles of the nation and abroad.
There is now an urgent need to harness the rich possibilities of technology in education to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic. With the emphasis of the UGC on the inclusion of ODL mode with regular mode in teaching and evaluation practices, we should make ourselves comfortable with the use of ICT tools. We cannot let ourselves be left behind while the world adapts itself to the new ways.
I am sure that given the full utilization of the academic excellence of our teaching community, the sole objective of our University to extend the scholarly limits of our students will reap great dividends. By engaging them in academic discussions with the teachers/mentors even beyond the classroom, their passion for serious academic pursuit will flourish. We should provide ample opportunities to the students to participate in exercises and projects so that they may realize their true talents and improve their leadership quality in the society. As teachers of the lone Central University of the State, we should also conduct ourselves in a manner befitting our profession. We should not view the strict decisions of the University in certain matters of common benefit and development to foster ill-feeling either towards the institution or its administration. It is always wise to desist from activities that may vitiate the peaceful and progressive atmosphere of the University; all the more at a time when the Covid19 pandemic allows for the application of the Disaster Management Act (2005) in order to curb and control any such unwanted activity and/involvement.
I have firm belief that this University will stand true to the expectations of the society in creating an exemplary teaching-learning environment. Rajiv Gandhi University will secure a proud position by virtue of having established itself as a Central University that nurtures novel innovation and imaginative thinking; and it can be possible only by sheer dedication and sincere efforts.
I wish you every success in your future career.
Jai Bharat. Jai Arunachal.
Prof. Saket Kushwaha
Dear Students,
I feel highly privileged to welcome you to Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), the premier seat of higher education in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
I can understand that at the beginning of your career as a university student, you are both anxious and excited and you are filled with dreams of a bright future ahead. Rajiv Gandhi University takes pride in having set itself up as an institution with industry-centered projects and cutting-edge research across its Faculties.
Rajiv Gandhi University, which began its journey as Arunachal University, has completed over thirty years in its service to provide higher education to the students of the State. Beginning as a State University on 4th February 1984, when the then Honourable Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi foundation stone of the University at Rono Hills, the University has come a long way in its journey towards excellence and the fulfillment of objectives as envisaged in the University Act. In spite of infrastructural constraints, the University has steadily maintained its academic excellence. It has strictly adhered to the academic calendar, conducted its examinations and declared its results in time. The success of the University can be gauged from the fact that its students have found placements not in State and Central Government services but also in various institutions, industries and organizations. Till date, a good number of research projects in the University have received sanctions from external funding agencies. Rajiv Gandhi University has the distinction of being the first ever University in the country to prepare the Human Development Report for the State. The University is also awarded with a Centre with potential for Excellence in Biodiversity attached with the Faculty of Life Sciences. All the Departments in the University are engaged in a continuous dialogue to improve their research capabilities by organizing a good number of Seminars, Workshops, Conferences and Faculty Development Courses. Faculty members of the University regularly participate in national and international conferences and seminars held within the country and abroad. Eminent scholars and distinguished personalities have visited the University and delivered lectures on various disciplines. The thrust of the University for academic excellence is perhaps best reflected in the fact that even during this period of Pandemic, the Departments, and Institutes of the University have been regularly conducting academic activities across disciplines involving scholars and researchers from different reputed circles of the nation and abroad.
I am sure that your intellectual abilities will be greatly enhanced from the fruitful days that you will spend in the University gathering knowledge and pursuing your courses in a dedicated manner. The University tries to extend your scholarly limits by urging you to engage in academic discussions with the teachers/mentors even beyond the classroom. Rajiv Gandhi University also provides ample opportunities to its students to participate in exercises and projects so that they may pursue their interests and also improve their leadership potential. The only thing that is required to realize your dreams on your part is the dedication and sincerity that you will exhibit in pursuing academic excellence.
However, since the student community is a very important part of all communities, it has an important duty towards the latter; and as a student of the premier institution of the State, the responsibility weighs heavier on your shoulders. The society expects the students at your level to display such conduct as would set examples for others to emulate. It is a matter of regret that in the past there have been unfortunate events which do not present a pleasant picture to the society at large. It is my advice that as students, your focus should be primarily on your study and you should desist from lending ears to hearsay things or be swept away by bad counsel. Proper and disciplined conduct is more important in the present times of pandemic when the Disaster Management Act (2005) is in force.
As things will soon get evident to you, this University will stand true to your expectations in learning and exploring your potential. At Rajiv Gandhi University, we take pride in having established ourselves as a Central University that nurtures novel innovation and imaginative thinking. The world –class research facility provided by the University will surely add to the formation of new learning and also motivate you to find explanations regarding future difficulties that confront communities inhabiting tropical territories.
I wish you every success in your academic pursuits and future career.
Jai Bharat. Jai Arunachal.
Prof. Saket Kushwaha
Dear Teachers & Students,
It is my great privilege to welcome you to Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU).
With immense pleasure and gratitude, I take this opportunity to introduce myself as Vice Chancellor, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. I took office on 4th October 2018 and, in my capacity as the Vice-Chancellor, I now wish to formally greet you. We will have many opportunities to engage each other, to work together and to make change happen, but for now, I wish to express my profound gratitude to you all. I am grateful for the privilege to lead such a renowned university. So many of you have messaged, emailed or offered your support when we met in corridors, meetings or somewhere on campus. I am so grateful for your encouraging words.
As we have crossed the half way of first semester, preparations for the examinations of the new academic year are gearing up – and nothing focuses my mind more than clearing and adjustment, which I am pleased to report, has been very successful. Thanks to everyone who are involved, especially all the academic and supporting staffs who always stood united for RGU.
As a passionate believer in the importance of a university education, I am delighted to see that gaining a degree remains the preferred next step for many school-leavers. I know that our students here at RGU receive not only a top teaching experience, but are encouraged and supported in developing the skills and confidence that will enable them to be successful in their future chosen careers. The difference we can and do make to our students’ lives should never be under estimated and, while our excellence is recognized in many ways, it is always most gratifying when we hear about the impact we have made from our students themselves.
Education is a joint venture, an association between the teachers and students to ensure individual’s successful future and country as a whole. Moreover, I feel that in the field of education the foundation of a successful university depends on the kind of co-operation among the students, academicians, supporting staffs and the community. Both teaching and non-teaching staffs play a vital role in our journey towards excellence and this contribution shall be a priceless support to us. I look forward for your kind association, valuable support and a healthy rapport that shall assist us in the holistic development of the university.
“We cannot always build the future for youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
The above saying clearly reflects my vision for the university. My vision entails innovations, dynamism, inclusion and research orientations; important for university and the country. Today’s era demands people who are not only skilled but are innovative thinkers, dynamic and are confident to confront the future challenges. My job is to incorporate this vision and I will be demanding a great deal from students, faculties and staffs to play important role in making it a reality, just as I expect them to demand much from me.
India is a colourful country and its beauty lies in the astounding variety of cultures and communities. Each segment of the society has specific needs and requirements. Arunachal Pradesh is one of the 29 states of India and is known as the land of dawn-lit mountains. India has the world’s largest tribal population and out of huge lot the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh is thriving with a culture and heritage nowhere else to be found.
One of the first steps to develop any community is education. Education is the only primary agent, which can help individuals overcome income barriers, and expand the horizon of the community when it comes to making career choices, personal growth, build confidence, and a sustained development in well-being. It is the most supreme and vital parameter for a better tomorrow of the tribal population.
Government considered education as indispensable for helping tribal people to cope with national integration. Education will also determine their prosperity, success and security in life. For the progress of the state, the varsity needs to blend well with the tribal background and lifestyle. They should be encouraged to take up regional languages together with national and foreign languages. The university should provide resources, which they deserve for their development as well as the development of the state. The education should be of varied range of skill development programs. The education should not only be career oriented but to safeguard their own rights and resolve to combat exploitation against them. Education is an input not only for economic development of tribes but also for inner strength of the tribal communities, which helps them in meeting the new challenges of life. The Government and the university is providing sincere and concerted efforts for the overall development of the tribes through various programs and policies made for their upliftment. We hope to continue journeying with our indigenous brothers and sisters as they articulate and define an education system that will once again nurture their tribe, communities and culture, before it is too late. Social inclusion plays a vital role in strengthening the resilience of people, families and communities, achieving greater equity and supporting national human and economic development. The centre, state and the university should recognize and nurture the cultural diversity together with giving equal respect and opportunities to the religions and languages of the people.
In a globalized and interconnected world, both individuals and institutions need to make an impact for which certain endeavors are to be undertaken.
Looking at the potentials of the region, there is a need to boost vocational education on a larger scale. In the past the Government has supported such vocational centres during XII plan period in form of ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Centres’ for Knowledge Acquisition and Up-gradation of Skilled Human Abilities and Livelihood (KAUSHAL)’. These centers are meant to take-up the vocational education to new levels and offer courses beyond traditional education. The courses are designed in a way to have provision of multiple entry and exit at various levels culminating up-to a research degree level. This helps to create skilled manpower for industry requirements at various levels together with supporting to local talent.
Discovery centre is needed to support students’ cognitive growth through hands on learning experiences. Each student should be seen as an individual and be able to flourish in a small group size. The primary goal of discovery centre is for students and researchers to come together and form a community that encourages a successful introduction to education and research. Discovery centre will aim to strike a balance between state-of-theart infrastructure and an internationally acceptable research culture, fostering an interest in learning that will last a lifetime.
Incubation centre is the need of the hour and even Government is laying emphasis on it. Incubation centre is a unique and highly flexible combination of development processes, infrastructure and people designed to nurture new ideas and startups by helping them to survive and grow through the difficult and vulnerable early stages of development. Basically, incubators act as a catalyst tool for either regional or national economic development. They are collaborative programs, which help people solve problems associated with launching a startup by providing a space to work, seed funding, mentoring, training and other benefits.
I know times may come when we may not be able to find each other on a specific issue. Rest assured that even during these moments you would remain one of my top priorities. There are multiple challenges on our campus and in our society, but also multiple opportunities. Every decision I make will be in your best interest. I believe that our success rests on remaining focused on our students by enriching the educational environment through value addition to the curriculum, fostering innovation in teaching and learning skills, by synthesizing new knowledge for developing a niche in the offered programs and fostering a culture of critical thinking.
I assure you of my deepest commitment to carry on serving you during my term. It is my intention to work closely with and alongside the different university structures across campus. I am committed to dealing with the many complexities we face, the issues that you, feel strongly about, and to work tirelessly with you to resolve them and make RGU feel like home for each and every one of you.
As the Vice-Chancellor, I wish for you to know that I am here for your success. Your success is our proudest offering to the world. I hope to create relationships with you that will be mutually respectful and supportive, and that we will challenge each other to improve the university and ourselves.
Professor Saket Kushwaha
Vice Chancellor
Dear Teachers & Students,
It is my great privilege to welcome you to Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU).
I can visualize you are feeling both energized and maybe a little on edge about beginning your voyage as a university student. The University takes awesome pride in having set up solid, industry centered encouraging projects and cutting-edge research.
Rajiv Gandhi University (formerly Arunachal University) is the premier institution of higher learning in the state of Arunachal Pradesh and has completed over thirty years of its existence. Late Smt. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, laid the foundation stone of the university on 4th February 1984 at Rono Hills, where the present campus is located. Ever since its inception, the university has been trying to achieve excellence and fulfill the objectives as envisaged in the University Act. In spite of infrastructural constraints, the University has been maintaining its academic excellence. The University has strictly adhered to the academic calendar, conducted the examinations and declared the results in time. The students from the University have found placements not only in State and Central Government Services, but also in various institutions, industries and organizations. Since inception, a number of proposals on research projects have been sanctioned by various external funding agencies to the university. I am happy to know that our university earned the distinction of being the first ever university in India to prepare the Human Development Report for the state. The University is also awarded with Centre with potential for Excellence in Biodiversity attached with faculty of Life Sciences. The departments are continuously involved in organizing a number of Seminars, Workshops and Conferences. Many faculty members participated in national and international conferences and seminars held within the country and abroad. Eminent scholars and distinguished personalities have visited the University and delivered lectures on various disciplines.
Your abilities will be completely enhanced after learning at RGU. We try to extend your scholarly limit by urging you to draw in our Teachers/Mentors in intriguing academic talks and far from the classroom, you will have sufficient chance to participate in exercises and projects that will enable you to pursue your interests and improve your leadership potential.
As you will soon get, this university is considerably more than the heaven to get learn and explore your potential. At RGU we take pride in being a central university that is available with new thoughts and imaginative thinking. The world-class research facility by RGU not just adds to the formation of new learning but at the same time is intended to motivate you to explain future difficulties confronting tropical communities and make a more promising time to come for life in the tropics around the world.
I wish you every success in your academic studies and future career.
Professor Saket Kushwaha
Vice Chancellor
HUMBLE APPEAL
My dear respected Colleagues,
My Heartiest Greetings to all of you.
At the very outset, I feel extreme pleasure in sharing the good news with everyone that we have completed all necessary preparations pertaining to NAAC and IQAR. Not only these, we have also successfully uploaded all the related necessary documents. I am completely satisfied with the preparations and I am hopeful that this time we shall score higher in our NAAC Assessment and secure better ranking. You all deserve congratulations for it. The credit goes to our untiring and united efforts even during this turbulent period of the COVID-19 pandemic that we have been able to successfully discharge our day-to-day administrative and academic duties. I also feel satisfaction in letting you know that the university will provide new laptops within the next fifteen days.
During the last 14 to 15 months, the world has been under the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus and nations have been devising strategies for tackling this dreadful disease. Lockdown has been imposed several times around the world in order to break the chain of transmission of this virus and contain its spread and the world has gained considerably from such lockdowns. It makes me both proud and happy that the Rajiv Gandhi Community has continued with all its activities and realized them fruitfully while maintaining all the necessary SOPs in force. Scientists claim that the 2nd wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is more dangerous with higher fatality rate as compared to the 1st wave. The number of deaths in the 2nd wave has been more and as a result, several Indian cities have imposed lockdown as a precautionary measure. Arunachal Pradesh is also facing the same situation and the Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh has also imposed lockdown from 10 May to 31 May 2021 but keeping in view the increased infection rate within the state, the lockdown has been extended for one more week.
Friends, as per the resolution adopted during the meeting of the Academic Council, Rajiv Gandhi University is also going to offer Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) from this academic session. Towards this, all the Departments have conducted the BUGS meeting and prepared the syllabus. However, it saddens me to say that some Departments have not completed the task of completing the syllabus. Under such circumstances, I would like to request the members, especially the Heads of these Departments to utilize their energy and experience to the maximum benefit of the University and the nation. At the same time, it is for us to retrospect that the colleagues from many other Departments have successfully completed this exercise in the month of April itself. The extension of the lockdown has increased my anxiety in this matter further. I sincerely request the Departments to submit the completed CBCS syllabus to the Academic Branch latest by the 2nd of June 2021. As you are aware that we do not have enough time and we have to roll out the new CBCS syllabus either by the end of June or the beginning of July this year in the Colleges and the University. We are going to hold a special meeting of the Academic Council on the 8th of June on blended for the approval of the new syllabus.
It is worth pondering that the CBCS is a new academic structure for the teachers of colleges and the students as well. Under its provisions a student will begin the study of Honours from the first year itself. Therefore, it has been proposed that after receiving the approval from the Academic Council, a One-day Orientation programme will be held for the college teachers to make them familiar with the intricacies of the new syllabus. Simultaneously, it is also desirable that the syllabus should be made available to the college teachers at the earliest so that they will have enough time to understand it and prepare themselves for teaching students under this new system. We must also keep in mind that almost all the universities of the North East have implemented CBCS and it is not in our interests to delay it any further as it may create a negative impression of the Government on our capabilities and tarnish the image of RGU. Let the exercise be completed not under compulsion but as a part of our dedication to our duty. It is also in the goodwill of our students that they should follow the CBCS pattern of syllabus as not passing through it may deprive them of their future prospects in higher education – whether it is for taking admission into Masters Courses or Research Courses. Therefore, it is important that we should adopt this new pattern at the earliest.
Our resolve has been rock-solid during this period of the pandemic. We have successfully completed the syllabus of the fourth semester and are moving ahead with our decision to conduct examination from the 7th of June 2021. All necessary preparations for the examination have been made. I am sure that we shall not fall short in any of our duties. We should not search for excuses that may raise a question mark on our capacity and potency. We must remember that institutions prosper and bloom on the basis of hard work and not on excuses. I am confident that everyone will understand and accept the deeper meaning of my exhortation.
It is my sincere prayer to the Almighty to bless us and all our loved ones with health and happiness. I extend my best wishes to everyone once again.
Saket Kushwaha