Overview
The University of Calicut is a state public university located at Thenhipalam in the Malappuram district of Kerala, India. Established in 1968, it is one of the largest universities in Kerala in terms of affiliated colleges and student enrolment, serving the northern districts of the state. The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes through its teaching departments, affiliated colleges, and centres of study, and conducts research across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, commerce, education, and professional disciplines.
Key Facts
| Name | University of Calicut |
|---|---|
| Type | State public university |
| Established | 1968 |
| Location | Thenhipalam, Malappuram district, Kerala, India |
| Country | India |
| Language of instruction | English (with provision for Malayalam in select programmes) |
Background
The university was created to decentralise higher education in Kerala, which until the late 1960s was served primarily by the University of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram. By carving out a new university for the northern part of the state, the government sought to expand access to higher education in the Malabar region, including the districts that historically had fewer institutions of higher learning. The campus is situated near Tirurangadi and Kottakkal, with the headquarters at Thenhipalam, off the National Highway connecting Kozhikode and Kochi.
History
The University of Calicut was established in 1968 by an Act of the Kerala Legislature, becoming the second university in the state. In its early years, the university took over the affiliation of a number of colleges in the Malabar region that had previously been affiliated to the University of Kerala. Over the following decades, it expanded its teaching departments at the main campus and set up satellite and study centres across the region.
Parts of the university's jurisdiction were later reorganised with the establishment of Kannur University in 1996, which took over affiliation of colleges in the northernmost districts of Kerala.
Academics and Structure
The university is organised into faculties covering the humanities, languages and literature, science, commerce and management studies, social sciences, education, fine arts, engineering, law, and journalism. Teaching and research are carried out through departments and schools located at the main campus, while affiliated arts and science colleges, professional colleges, and self-financing institutions across several districts of Kerala come under its academic jurisdiction.
The institution conducts examinations for affiliated colleges, awards degrees, and supervises doctoral research. It also runs a School of Distance Education, which offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to off-campus learners.
Campus
The main campus at Thenhipalam houses the administrative offices, the Central Library, departmental buildings, hostels, the university health centre, sports facilities, and a botanical garden. The campus is connected by road to Kozhikode and Malappuram, and the nearest railway station is at Parappanangadi, with Calicut International Airport at Karipur in the vicinity.
Significance
As one of the principal universities in Kerala, the University of Calicut plays a central role in higher education in the Malabar region. It is among the largest affiliating universities in the country by number of colleges and has been a major centre for research and teaching in Malayalam language and literature, history, and the social sciences relevant to Kerala. The university has produced graduates who have gone on to careers in academia, public service, journalism, literature, and the arts.
Related Topics
- Education in Kerala
- University of Kerala
- Kannur University
- Mahatma Gandhi University
- Malappuram district
- Kozhikode
- List of universities in India
References
- Wikidata entry: Q7895155
- University Grants Commission (India), list of recognised state universities.
- Government of Kerala, Higher Education Department.