At present, we have 20 faculty members involved in the teaching of the three programmes offered namely, B.Sc. Zoology, B.Sc. BT&SP and M.Sc. Biotechnology (see list of teachers in the E-format). We have eminent, veteran teachers with more than 35 years of teaching experience, and also junior teachers who have recently obtained their Master’s degrees. Some of our teachers have their PhDs from Universities in Europe, U.S.A and Canada, and one has received postdoctoral fellowships from two Canadian Universities, and has several publications in refereed international scientific journals. Some of the faculty members have current collaboration with foreign Universities/ Agencies. Our objective is to enlist experts in the various fields to teach those subjects to our students.

Our College stands in a semi-rural setting with a substantial number of students coming from economically and socially weaker sections of the society. Many are first-generation learners in Higher Education. The vast majority of our students are women.

Our Department would very much like to update the content of our three programmes, making them more relevant to the present times and incorporating cutting-edge material of study. We have competent faculty to do so; however, being only an affiliated College under a University, we have virtually no power to effect such changes. This is a serious handicap. Unless we obtain the autonomous status, there is little we can do in this respect.

The trend in success rate during the past 5 years has been an increasing one, the Department securing over 90% pass of students, with more than 80% of them passing out with first class. However during the last two years, there has been an increase in drop-outs, the students joining of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Engineering.

Courses Offered

         Under graduate Courses:

                        BSc. Zoology

                        B.Sc. BT&SP (Biological Techniques & Specimen Preparation) 

         Post Graduate Courses:

                        M.Sc Biotechnology

AcademicProgrammes

Faculty Details
         Teachers in charge of tutorial groups

Full time guest

Part –time Guest

The Department has a small library of selected reference text books, in addition to the General Library of the College. Most of the books in the Department library are foreign editions authored by well-known international authors, and hence very expensive. In order to facilitate their use by our students, we photocopy them (2 or 3 copies) and have them spiral-bound. The originals are kept in the library for reference in the Department. The student can, however, take the spiral-bound copes home or to their hostels for reading. This is one area which we want to make more extensive by acquiring several more International Text Books and Manuals for the use of students and faculty.

We have 3 computers, with Internet facility in one of them. The PG students make special use of the computes for their projects(reference collection, writing etc). We have a very good DNA/Molecular Biology laboratory, in addition to Microbiology, Biochemistry, Histology, Zoology laboratories. All 14 students of our final MSc have done their projects (tissue culture, microbiology, biotechnology, disease diagnosis etc) in our won laboratories.

Although the primary teaching method is giving lectures, specific topic are allotted to both the UG and Pg students for Seminars and Assignments. Addition, Quizzes and discussions are encouraged in many classes.

We also have active tutorial groups where the students and their teachers freely interact as a group or in a one-to-one fashion. The tutorial groups are very effective in interacting with the students in an informal and personal manner. We are pleased with the tutorial groups in that many of the students have remarked about how valuable and edifying these meetings have been.

The members of the faculty update themselves by attending refresher courses, national/state-level seminars and workshops. Many of our faculty participate in retreats organized by the College or other agencies. These help us to become up-to-date, in orienting our perspectives to the social and ethical issues in the community, and in introspection.

Some of our faculty are sought after as resource persons for Refresher Courses, as invited speakers in other Colleges, Schools and such other institutions. One of the faculty members is on the editorial board of Discource(s), a a multidisciplinary journal published by the College.

Our BT&SP students undergo 4 weeks of practical training in Haematology, Microbiology, and Clinical aspects in the Malalnkara Orthodox Syrian Church Medical College, Kolencherry, and receive Certificates from this institution. In addition, they also undergo a 3 week training in plant tissue culture at SYNTHITE Industrial Chemicals Ltd., and receive their Certificates. These Certificates have been found to be a great bonus to these students in their higher studies and in obtaining jobs.

We are always happy to have scientists from abroad. As mentioned in the E-format, we have had a few renowned international scientists visiting the Department and leading seminars on subjects of current international significance. We are planning to conduct an International Seminar in Biotechnology during the academic year 2005-2006.

In commemoration of the Platinum Jubilee of the College (1996) our department presented an exhibition which was enjoyed by the public. We have also done blood group testing of the students of our College and the public, and have compiled a list of possible blood donors to needy people in hospitals. We are currently in the process of compiling a reference collection of a variety of Microbiological specimens for use in our teaching and also for making the public aware of the importance of sanitation, good work habits, health etc. we organized more extensive exhibition on the 26^th and 27^th of November 2004.

Just as we assess the students through tests, Terminal examinations, seminars, assignments etc, we also allow the students to assess us by providing them with a questionnaire that evaluates different aspects of our teaching. We give great importance to such evaluations by our students.

A manuscript submitted by one of these students has been accepted for publication as a full paper in the Journal of the Society for Biology and Biotechnology. This is a great achievement, considering the fact that this person is only 4^th semester student.

Engaging in full-fledged research at the doctoral level is one of our long-cherished dreams, and we are hopeful of launching into this, most probably in the 2005-2006 academic year. The HOD has submitted a research proposal to a Canadian University, on Gene expression during infection and stress. We are awaiting the outcome of this proposal.

We are also thinking seriously of moving out into a larger facility to do full justice to our teaching, our proposed research, and for extension activities. The Management of our College has been most encouraging and supportive to our Department, and was the key factor responsible for our Department’s present state of development. And we have been privileged to have the services of dedicated and competent faculty and supporting staff so far. With the Almighty’s blessings and with the continued support of our Management, and the Community at large, we hope to grow into a Centre of Excellence.

Department Library is with 133 books.Department subscribes one journal ---  “ BIOTECH ”

b )  Community Extension activities

c )   Alumini

( d ) Other highlights

The primary objective of our Department is to impart the best education to our students in the broad areas of Zoology, Biological Techniques and Biotechnology. Hence we have enlisted the services of a number of guest faculty in addition to the “permanent” faculty, who have expertise in various disciplines and many of whom have obtained their PhDs from Europe & U.S and are engaged in research /Consultation with international collaborators/agencies. We also have had the privilage of seminars/Lectures by international scientists. For example, we had Prof.Dr.George K Iwama, director general, National Research Council of Canada & Dr. Anil .N. (a  former students of ours), Researcher in Neurophysiology at New York state University, USA visiting us and leading Seminars in 2003. In the present year 2004 we had Dr.John Nadakkavukaran (from Malden,Massachusetts, USA) with us , who gave  a lecture on techniques employed for elucidation of structures biologically important molecules. In January 2005, Dr. Mat Vijayan (Assoc. Professor of Biology & Research chair ,  University of Waterloo, Canada) will be visiting us and will lead seminars on molecular basis of stress in organisms.

Now that we have established a DNA lab and acquired a number of sophisticated equipment, we are venturing into full-fledged research in the area of Molecular Biology/Microbiology/Biotechnology.

We conducted an exhibition of Zoology and Biotechnology items on 26^th & 27^th of November 2004

 ( e ) Association activities

Onam celebration. Won first prize in the Departmental  Floral carpet competition 2004  held in the college.  One day picnic on 20.11.04 to Athirampilly ,Thumbormuzhi. Two days exhibition on Zoology and Biotechnology items on 26^th and 27^th of November 2004.

( f ) Seminars/endowment lecture series 
Seminar on AIDS – on World Aids Day December 1^st 2004 by Anju Mary Philip


Roll of Honour

 ( a ) Special achievements of students.