Banasthali Vidyapith, also known as Banasthali University, is a private university located in the Tonk district in the Indian state of Rajasthan.[2] The university offers programs at the secondary, senior secondary, undergraduate, and postgraduate degree levels.[3]
Banasthali Vidyapith was founded on 6 October 1935 by freedom fighters and educationists,Hiralal Shastri and Ratan Shastri. The institution was declared as a 'Deemed University' in 1983.[3][4] While NAAC re-accredited Banasthali Vidyapith[5] at the highest possible ‘Grade A’ level in 2011, the Review Committee (Tandon Committee) of Ministry of HRD also appreciated the overall efforts of Vidyapith in the areas of Institutional Governance, Academic Achievements, Research, Student Progression, Infrastructure etc. and categorized Banasthali Vidyapith under ‘Category A’ list of ‘Institutions Deemed to be University’ in 2010. The university is featured in NIRF,[6] QS I Gauge,[7][8] and Times Higher Education[9] rankings. In 2020, NAAC accredited this university with an A++ grade.[10][11]
The Vidyapith has had virtual autonomy for its school programs since the beginning and was affiliated with an outside agency for its university programs in 1983. In 1983, the government of India, on the advice of the University Grants Commission, notified the Vidyapith as an institution deemed to be a university.[3]
Along with professional programs such as MBA and MCA,[5] all postgraduate courses in the Faculty of Science have a semester based system. Since 2004, all Social Science, Humanities, and Home Science post-graduate programs are running as the semester courses.[citation needed]
Campus
The campus is sprawling 850 acres, located about 80 kilometers from the capital city of Jaipur, in the Tonk district of Rajasthan, India.[2] The campus has been broadly divided into the school division, the University division, and the residential blocks. The residential blocks feature 29 hostels each with the capacity of housing up to 438 students.[12]
The Laxmi Bai maidan (field) which is approximately 2660 square km. is used for parades and annual fairs, whereas the Vidula maidan (4195 sq. km. approx.) has fields for games such as hockey, volleyball, tennis, yoga, martial arts and mass physical display activities. The Veer Bala maidan is used for horse riding and the Shakuntlam playground is the cricket ground of the campus. The campus also features a swimming pool.[12] The campus also features a licensed airstrip of 50,191,418 sq. meters, which is used to train the students in flying and guiding.[12][13][14] Banasthali Vidyapith also features its own hospital called Apaji Arogya Mandir, a guest house for parents and official guests, and a community radio station called Radio Banasthali.[12]
Organization and administration
Management
The main statutory bodies of Banasthali Vidyapith are:
General Council
Executive Council
Finance Council
Academic Council
Officers
President
Vice-President
Vice-Chancellor
Pro Vice-Chancellor
Treasurer
Secretary
Deans, including Deans/Heads of the Centres of Higher Education
Co-ordinator, School Education
Academics
Academic programmes
School Education
Banasthali Vidyapith provides school education from elementary to senior secondary. At the senior secondary level, the student can opt for Science, Commerce, or Humanities as their stream.[15]
Undergraduate programs
The university offers 18 undergraduate programs in the disciplines of Mathematics, Science, Management, Commerce, Arts, Engineering, Aviation, Education, Design, Law, and Journalism. All the programs are of three-year duration except for the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) which is 2 years, BA LLB which is 5 years, and the Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) which is 4 years.[16]
Postgraduate Programs
The university offers 61 master's programs and 32 Doctorates in the disciplines of Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Law, Education, Commerce and Management.[17]
Accreditation
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accredited Banasthali University with an ‘A++' grade.[11] The Ministry of HRD has listed the university under the top 'MHRD A Category.
Atal Incubation Center
Banasthali Vidyapith has partnered with Atal Innovation Mission,[18]NITI Aayog to establish first of its kind women Atal Incubation Centre.[19]
National Resource Center in Management
MHRD has set up a Center of Excellence in Management at Banasthali Vidyapith to develop an Annual Refresher Program in Teaching.[20] The online modules are hosted by SWAYAM Portal.[21]
