About the Department:

The Department of Geography was established in 1970 for teaching the subject at pre- university level, as per the prevailing curriculum, with a few students. Classes on B.A. (pass only) started a few years later, keeping in mind, the demand for graduation level studies from both students and guardians. With increasing demand for Honours in the subject from the stakeholders and approval from University of North Bengal, classes in Geography Honours commenced from the academic session 1990-91, with three teachers in substantive post and one part-time teacher. Standard of teaching has been high, with the opening of Honours studies. Results in university exams have been more than satisfactory, with quite a few students securing the topper’s position. A number of students who have graduated from the Department of Geography have qualified in either State Level or National Level Eligibility Tests (Research Fellow/ Assistant Professor). Several former students are employed as teachers in private/ state-aided secondary and higher secondary schools, as well as colleges of the state. One former student, who hails from an economically backward family, is pursuing her post graduate studies at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, with initial financial help from all of the teachers of the College. Keeping its views focused on imparting knowledge of the subject, including both traditional methods and modern techniques, the teachers of the department try heart and soul to cater to the needs of the students, especially those, coming from backward classes.

Notable activities:

(i) National Level Seminar on Population, Health and Regional Development: Issues and Challenges (2019)- Eminent professors, including, Prof. Sachidanand Sinha, from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Prof. (Dr.) Milindo Chakrabarti, Professor and Associate Dean, Sharda University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, Prof. Subir Sarkar and Dr. Ranjan Roy, Department of Geography and Applied Geography, University of North Bengal and Dr. Priyank P. Patel, Department of Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata, attended the seminar as Guests of Honour and Resource Persons, to deliver invited lectures on the theme, as well as, modern techniques in Population Studies. Teachers from several colleges of North Bengal attended the seminar, presented papers, and interacted with students of the Department.
(ii) Annual Departmental Reunion in December 2018:A good number of former and continuing students attended the programme. The Principal, Dr. Shanti Chhetry, the President of the College Governing Body, Dr. Md. A. Razzaque and other members of the College Governing Body as well as, former teachers attended the programme.
(iii) One-day workshop on Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (2017). Prof. Subir Sarkar and Sr. Deepak Kr. Mandal, Department of Geography and Applied Geography, University of North Bengal, spoke on the subject and interacted with the students on the popular techniques of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems.

1. Strength of the Department- The Department of Geography of the College has a total number of three (3) teachers in substantive posts, one being reserved for OBC. All of the posts are filled up at present; there are five (5) State Aided College Teachers.
2. About Laboratory/Field Work/ Excursion (with selected image) – The Department has one laboratory for Remote Sensing and G. I. S.
Field work/ field surveys have always been part of the syllabus; field work is thus, conducted once/twice every year, as per the syllabus prescribed by University of North Bengal. Sometimes, field work is conducted at neighboring villages/ towns, but more often, excursions are organized by the department, with approval from the competent authority. Details of excursions and field surveys, since 2016-17 are given below:

A Socio- Economic Study and Ethnographic composition of Sonajhuri Village, Dist. Birbhum, West Bengal

Session	Project Title	No. of students enrolled
2016- 17	A study of physical features and socio-economic and ethnographic composition of Netarhat, Dist. Hazaribagh,  Jharkhand	28
2017-18		27
2018-19	Socio-economic survey and Study of Land use and land coverage Socio- Economic Survey of Moynaguri Town, Dist. Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.	32
2019-20	A Study of Socio- Economic Survey of Denguajhar Tea Garden and the neighborhood, Dist. Jalpaiguri,  West Bengal	30
2020-21	No excursion due to Covid-19 and lockdown
2021-22	A Socio- Economic Survey of Sileri Gaon, Dist. Kalimpong, West Bengal	35
2022-23	A Study on the development of Tourism at Vishakhapatnam and Neighbouring Areas, Andhra Pradesh.	35