The Department of Botany is among the oldest academic units of the institution, established in June 1963 along with the college itself. Botany is offered as one of the three optional subjects in the B.Sc. programme, a three-year undergraduate course. As a fundamental life science, Botany focuses on the study of plants, their structure, function, diversity, and ecological significance.
Horticulture was introduced in 1980 as an optional subject in the B.Sc. programme. The department has been functioning in close association with the Botany with Horticulture since its inception. It represents the applied dimension of plant sciences, encompassing areas such as floriculture, olericulture, pomology, processing of vegetable and fruit products, and preservation technologies.
The department has been recognized as a research centre since 1991, contributing actively to academic and scientific advancement. In response to growing student interest, the M.Sc. programme in Botany, a two-year postgraduate course, was introduced in 2021.Over the years, the Department of Botany and Horticulture has maintained a strong academic record at the university level, both in terms of examination results and research output. It provides a range of student-support facilities to enhance learning and practical exposure. The department maintains a well-developed botanical garden featuring a diverse collection of naturally occurring and cultivated plant species of academic interest. It also houses a botanical museum with plant models, preserved specimens, charts, and an extensive herbarium comprising over a thousand specimens collected by students, faculty, and researchers.
To complement classroom learning, the department regularly organizes field excursions for undergraduate and postgraduate students, along with seminars, guest lectures, and conferences. The laboratories are spacious and well-equipped with modern instruments, including PCR systems, gel documentation units, electrophoresis apparatus, ELISA reader, microscopes with imaging systems, laminar airflow units, BOD incubators, lyophilizer, microtome, and various horticultural processing machines such as fruit crushers, pulpers, and bottle filling units.
The Department of Botany and Horticulture effectively integrates ICT-based teaching to enhance the learning experience of students enrolled in B.Sc. Botany, B.Sc. Horticulture, and M.Sc. Botany programmes. Classroom instruction is supported through the use of modern digital tools such as LED projectors, an intelligent interactive panel, and K-Yan projectors, enabling faculty to deliver content in a more visual, interactive, and engaging manner. These technologies facilitate the use of presentations, animations, virtual lab demonstrations, and multimedia resources, helping students better understand complex biological concepts, plant processes, and applied horticultural techniques. The interactive panel further promotes participatory learning by allowing real-time annotations, discussions, and student involvement during lectures. In addition, access to digital resources, online databases, and e-learning platforms complements traditional teaching methods, making the learning process more dynamic, student-centered, and aligned with contemporary educational practices.
The consistent progress and achievements of the department are a result of the vision, dedication, and collective efforts of both past and present faculty members, whose contributions continue to support the institution’s mission and academic excellence.
