History

"History is not a burden on the memory but an illumination of the soul"

~ Lord Acton

The department has a rich tradition of all-round development of students. The approach is absolutely student centric. They are encouraged to develop a spirit of enquiry in all facts of daily life, not to mention their own cultural heritage and background. The department leaves no stone unturned to break the barriers of chalk and talk and makes learning a pleasant experience, with seminars, workshops, tutorials and group discussions as part of it. Honours in History was introduced in the year 2002. Earlier, Mrs Oindrila Chakraborty and Miss Sharmila Chanda have served this department. Presently, the Department has a strength of five teachers who keep up to this tradition.
PO1: (History as a discipline) Studying History as a social science discipline is about critically analysing the events/processes of the past and connecting it to the developments of the 'present'. In studying History analytically , one develops the requisite historical sense to understand the evolutionary patterns of state and varied societal developments in India and of the world as well.
PO2: (History as a necessary corrective) Studying History is all about understanding from the historical ill informed judgements/decisions of the past and make sure we don't repeat it as a society. Knowing our History provides us all the necessary correctives to the ills afflicting our society at present.
PO3: :( Histories of Non Indian Civilisations , Empires and States) Besides studying Indian history , the idea of introducing courses on Non Indian History seeks to make aware students to the pattern of connections, interconnections to their own world , if there exists any. That the world was a globalised space with concomitant exchange of ideas, economies and labour can be made out while studying these courses. Thereby giving students a holistic understanding of how the present system of nation states came to be in the first place. The dialectics between personalities , historical moments , environment are looked into while teaching them the nitty gritty of this important discipline of Social Sciences.
PSO1: :(Critical Scholarship in History)The semester system attempts to make students understand the nuances of history in an easy way by breaking the complicated big blocks into smaller ones . Although thematic and chronological, it seeks to understand the nitty gritty and problematic elements of our societies evolution and to form their own view against the simplistic reading of the extant historiography.
PSO2: :(Its all about multiple Histories and not History): Students will be made to understand that there are many viewpoints from which a historical event or a personality can be looked into. They will be taught the necessity of the many sources through which they can make an informed reading of the past.

Infrastructure

The Department has a seminar library for the use of the teachers and the students of the Department. In addition to the facilities available in the college central library, the seminar library of the Department helps the teachers and the students of the Department in greater ways.

Academic Activities

Recent activities: DATE EVENT 26.03.2022 Visit to Jadunath Bhawan Museum and Resource Centre DATE EVENT 04.02.2019 An educational visit to Sabarno Ray Choudhuri’s exhibition with first year semester students of the Department. 14.09.2018 An invitee Lecture on Bengal Divided: Peoples Issues and Reality delivered by Shri Golam Rabbani, Associate Professor, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka. 02 .01.2018 Invitee Lecture on Semaphore Towers: Pre Telegraphic Communication by Shri Rangan Datta. Earlier Events: 04.01.2016 Exhibition Visit at Gaganendra Pradarshan shala on Glimpses of the Past (Archaeology) 09.01.2016 Wall Magazine inauguration on History of Kathak Dance and Archaeological Exhibits 14.01.2016 Parent Teacher Meeting for 2nd Year HISA 15.01.2016 Parent Teacher Meeting for 1st Year HISA 29.01.2016 Invited Lecture By Dr.Piyasi Bharasa, Dept of Museology(C.U), on How History is preserved in Museum. 29.01.2016 Wall Magazine inauguration on Charter Act & God and Goddess of Egypt 17.02.2016 Stamp Exhibition in collaboration with Philatelic Promotion Society, Kolkata 17.02.2016 Wall Magazine for Women Cell on Agragotir Majhe Boishommo (Diversity within Development) 27.02.2016 Book Fair on History and Historical Books 05.03.2016 International Exhibition Visit at Victoria Memorial organized by Consulate General of Japan on Japanese Prefectural Culture 19.03.2016 Indian Museum Exhibition Visit with 1st Yr HISA on Japanese Prefectural Culture 11.08.2016 Teacher Exchange Programme –Prof.Alok Mandal from Behala College History Department took Class of 1st YR HISA, on Achievements of Sultan Iltutmish 13.08.2016 Exhibition in collaboration with Sabarna Sangrahashala, on Birth of Kolkata and Related Myth 17.08.2016 Semanti Banerjee took class of 1ST YR HISA at Behala College, on Indus Valley Civilization 27.08.2016 Museum Educational Visit to Police Museum 22.11.2016 Interdisciplinary class with Sociology on theme Land Revenue System in India by Sonali Roy 29.11.2016 Invited lecture on Japanese History by Tetsu Sato 16.12.2016 Excursion at Chuchro and Chadannagar for Honours students with Keya Banerjee Teaching-Learning Methods: Apart from the regular chalk and talk teaching, we have also used other methods of teaching like showing Maps, Historical Documents relate with the syllabus and Power point presentations in the classroom. The following activities are also held to inspire the students to know more about the subject. Tutorials: We take tutorial classes beyond scheduled lecture hours. Parent-Teacher meeting: We host formal parents-teachers meet during the whole session for the betterment in students’ results.

Faculties

Student Achievements

Highest Marks secured in the second Semester (Honours) in the session 2019-20 is 7.548 SGPA. Around 40 percent of total students have secured first class in their second Semester Calcutta University Examinations (2019-20 session). Highest Marks secured in the second Year Honours (1+1+1 ) is 60 percent (first class).

Course	Year	Percentage
History (Hons.)	2019	100%
History (Hons.)	2020	100%
History (Hons.)	2021	100%
History (Hons.)	2022	82.67%

Future Plans

In the present academic year, we have the following plans: Formation of History Club for the regular activities of students and teachers. Competitive examinations preparations for ex-students of J.C.C. College. Guiding students in Historical drama. Introduction of peer reviewed journal. Creation of magazine Oikko (unity). Orientations on travel and tourism for the future career of students.

Alumni

Some of our ex-students have done well in academics. Nabanita Dasgupta attained the highest marks in her bachelor’s degree and completed her post graduate degree from Jadavpur University. Many from the previous batch are pursuing their Masters degree from Calcutta University like Soumita Parel, Puja Jha, and others from various universities. Some of our students have been absorbed in Government jobs like Arijit Chakroborty , Abhishek Das.