Asutosh College's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glance

Asutosh College, a premier institute in Kolkata, West Bengal, was established in 1916 under the leadership of renowned mathematician Sir Asutosh Mukherjee. Originally known as South Suburban College, it was renamed after Sir Asutosh's death in 1924. The college is affiliated with the University of Calcutta and is the first institute in the state to be accredited by NAAC with an ‘A’ grade, with a CPGA of 3.22.

What began as an intermediate-level college in pre-independent India has now become a center for postgraduate studies and research, with 28 departments offering diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. courses. The campus, covering an area of 12 acres, offers various facilities to its 6,000 students and 430 staff members. These facilities include libraries, boys' and girls' hostels, an auditorium, a seminar hall, canteens, playgrounds for different sports, a medical center, laboratories, an alumni association, and more.

Asutosh College's location is idealistic, with the metro station and bus stand being nearby, making it easier for students to travel around the city.  It is one of the few colleges in West Bengal that has a completely ragging-free campus. The college has a separate counselling cell for both victims of ragging as well as possible aggressors, as part of an anti-ragging initiative. Despite the college's academic excellence, some students feel that politics in the college sometimes hampers their studies.

Is Asutosh College the right fit for you and does it match your expectations? Let's find out!

Asutosh College Rankings

Here are a few achievements of the college in the past years:

• It was accredited with an ‘A‘ grade by the National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC) in 2002, securing a CGPA score of 3.22 out of 4.
• It is the first college in the state which was accredited by NAAC in 2002.
• It was awarded the Mother Teresa International Award for outstanding achievement and contribution to the field of education in 2012.
• The college was ranked #2 in Kolkata under best science colleges by India Today in 2022.

Our Take:

Asutosh College has not yet grabbed any position in the QS World University Rankings or NIRF Rankings lists. So, if you do want to study at a top-ranked Indian college, this college might not be the right choice.

Asutosh College Academia & Batch Size

Asutosh College offers a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in different streams such as IT & Software, Science, Engineering, Humanities & Social Sciences, Business & Management Studies, and Mass Communication & Media. The college has one of the best English Departments in Eastern India right after Jadavpur University and St. Xaviers at the Graduation level.

Courses Offered

Asutosh College courses include a total of 52 undergraduate and 6 postgraduate courses in full-time mode. Asutosh College is known for its excellent programs in UG Diploma, B.Sc., B.A., M.Sc., M.A., B.Voc, BBA, and B.A. (Hons). The college has a highly qualified faculty in different fields such as Fisheries Science, Electronics Engineering, Botany, Chemistry, Electronics, English, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, Statistics, Zoology, Computer Science, and Biochemistry.

Admission Process

Asutosh College admissions are based on merit as well as entrance exams. For undergraduate courses, the college prepares a merit list based on the candidate's marks in the 12th standard. In postgraduate programs, both merit-based (60% seats) and entrance exam-based (40% seats) admissions are available. For entrance exam-based admissions, the candidate's score in the entrance exam conducted by Calcutta University is considered.

Our Take:

There is a major imbalance in the student-to-teacher ratio at Asutosh College. Many students have complained that teachers don’t pay proper attention to everyone due to the large batch size, mostly in UG courses. Although the faculty is well-qualified and very helpful in clearing students’ doubts.

Asutosh College Infrastructure

Asutosh College is spread across an area of 12 acres with the main building having a blend of European and Indian styles. The colleges offer the following facilities to students.

Classrooms

The infrastructure of classrooms is nothing impressive but they are well-maintained having all the necessary facilities. They are airy and spacious enough to accommodate a huge number of students. There are a few digital classrooms that are fully air-conditioned and have other facilities like projectors, sound systems, etc.

Library

All the departments have their own libraries and the college has a central library with over 90,000 books and spacious reading rooms. Asutosh College also has a Reading Room Library. The central library of the college provides 4 Mbps internet facilities as well. These libraries include an abundant collection of books, subscriptions to various national and international journals, reference books, and more. Students can easily find course-related study material in the library.

Labs

Every department has its own laboratories. Asutosh College lab facilities help students to perform practicals without any hindrance. However, many students have complained that the equipment in various labs does not function properly.

Auditorium

Asutosh Memorial Hall at the college conducts numerous academic and non-academic events. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 1000 people and is equipped with all the modern facilities. The college has other auditoriums and seminar halls across various departments.

Hostels

Asutosh College has hostel facilities for boys and girls within the campus. There are separate buildings for male and female students which have basic amenities like a bed, table, almirah, chair, etc. The number of beds in each hostel is 60 ad the allocation is based on a merit cum distance basis. The hostels have a mess but the food is not liked very much by the students.

Canteens & Hang-outs

Asutosh College has a canteen on the campus with a basic menu. Students can come here after classes to grab a quick bite or hang out with their friends. There are also many hang-out spots on the campus where students can socialize and chill. Outside the campus, one can find numerous food joints and other shops.

Our Take:

The infrastructure of Asutosh College is nothing extraordinary, but students do have all the basic facilities required. The college management can take some initiatives to improve the infrastructure so that students can get the best environment to study and involve themselves in other activities.

Asutosh College Placements

Asutosh College has a dedicated job placement cell that works towards organizing placement drives on campus. The main objective of this cell is to ensure that students are provided with ample job opportunities once they complete their academic studies. Every year, both Indian and multinational companies participate in Asutosh College placements and select eligible students. The placement cell remains in constant touch with various corporations to provide job opportunities to the students.

Placement Statistics 2022 (Management & Business Administration)

Placement Statistics 2022 (Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences)

Our Take:

The placement report of Asutosh College is not very impressive; however, the institute is making efforts to train students and get them placed in some renowned companies that it invites. If you have a good academic record, you will likely get a good placement offer here.

Asutosh College Diversity Representation

Check the diversity representation of students at Asutosh College provided in the table below:

Our Take:

Most of the students studying at the Asutosh College are from the state of West Bengal. Only a few students are from other states, which indicates that the college is mostly famous among the locals of the state. The male-to-female ratio in the UG courses is good; however, for PG courses, it can be improved.

Asutosh College Management/ Administration

Asutosh College’s website states that it has 430 faculty members across various departments who are highly qualified and well-versed in their respective fields. However, the number of faculty members per student is quite low, due to which, it becomes difficult to pay attention to each one. The college administration is quite concerned about this issue and trying to create a balance in the faculty-to-student ratio. The college administration is actively involved in organizing various academic and non-academic activities for students for their holistic development.

Asutosh College is one of the few colleges in West Bengal that has a completely ragging-free campus. It has a separate counselling cell for both victims of ragging as well as possible aggressors, as part of an anti-ragging initiative. Another great thing is that the college administration keeps a check on the Student Union and politics happening there. Those who don’t want to be a part of college politics are not bothered by anyone. Also, the college has no strict issues with students’ choice of clothes, food, or even their ideals.

Our Take:

The anti-ragging policy at the college allows students to study freely here. Many students have shared that they have to stand in long queues for hours to fill out their exam forms or get their marksheets. The management must take some serious action in the best interest of students. 

Asutosh College Location

Asutosh College is located at 92 Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road, in the bustling southern area of Bhowanipore, Kolkata, West Bengal. The college is easily accessible by all modes of public transport, which makes it convenient for the students to reach. The nearest metro station to the institute is Jatin Das Park Metro Station, which is only 180 meters away from the college. The closest bus depot to the institution is Lake Bus Depot, situated at a distance of 3.2 km. The Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, located 27.6 km away from the campus, is the nearest airport to the college.

Around the college, there are many places where students can hang out with their friends, and the best part is that there are numerous food outlets nearby. There is a unique spot beside the main building of the college called 'The Rocks', which is a perfect place for adda-sessions. Asutosh College is an ideal destination for students who want to get a quality education in the City of Joy while enjoying their college life to the fullest amidst a little politics.

Asutosh College Expectation vs Reality: CollegeDekho Verdict!

While Asutsosh College may not have the same recognition as St. Xavier’s or Presidency College, it can still be considered an ideal place to study as it is known for its academic excellence, political legacy, and numerous opportunities for personal growth. The college's legacy and location make it an ideal place to develop "Bangaliana" and make a distinct impression on employers during job interviews.

The college can surely focus on improving its facilities like hostels, mess, canteen, etc. so that students can feel at home and study peacefully. The number of students from other states is too low in the college which can worked on. Since many students feel that the college has too much politics, the administration should take proper measures to ensure that it doesn’t hamper the studies of those not involved in it.

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