About the Department


Department of Botany also known as Department of Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology, established in the year 1951 with the aim to provide complete knowledge regarding both conventional and recent trends in plant science. The course deals with educating students about the plant science and the utility of plants in relation to mankind. The program is a vast course covering number of branches like taxonomy, anatomy, genetics and cytology, giving an idea about the physiological functions and diversity of plants. In view of extending its curriculum and to introduce research-oriented programmes in the field of Botany, P.G. Department of Botany was established in the year 2019.


Department has a team of dedicated faculties contributing to the development of both,department and potential of students. The department promotes a culture of academics and research amongst its students. Keeping this in mind, Post Graduate students are encouraged to involve in research-oriented activities and present their research work in National and International conferences and publish research articles in peer reviewed journal as well.

The department library is raked with more than 1600 latest edition books, and subscribed science journals with access exclusively to the students and faculties of the Department which is being updated regularly. The department also maintains a heritage museum consist of some of the rare plant specimens ranging from thallophytes to angiosperms and a herbarium with flora of indigenous and nonindigenous varieties. The laboratories are equipped with instruments for practical purpose and other research-oriented activities, along with a well established plant tissue culture laboratory.

Department organises educational trips and takes students to domestic and out station excursions to make them gain knowledge in Biodiversity and ecology in relation to plant science. To bridge the gap between industry and academia, industrial visits and internships are also regularly organized. During the final year of the programme, it is mandatory for all the post-graduate students to work on a project in accord to topic of their interest which involves various fields like Plant Tissue Culture, Mycology, Pharmacognosy and Microbiology.

Department also regularly organises workshops, conferences, seminars and symposia with invited lectures with participation from faculties and students of other Universities and Colleges as well. The Department provides Hands on training on “Mushroom Technology”, Horticulture and Landscape Designing. An exclusive Unit for Mushroom farming has been established to provide hands on training to the students as a part of the student’s skill development programme. The Department has signed MoUs with reputed organizations like Care Earth, Early Mushrooms and Seed Center, Chennai.

Value added Course on Mushroom cultivation technique is organized regularly in every academic year to promote Bioentrepreneur skills among the students, in aid to the above objective an exclusive unit for mushroom farming is established and maintained in the College campus.

With the motive to impart knowledge about the description and importance of plants available in their surroundings, Flora of the day concept was introduced as best practice in the Department, where students are encouraged to bring plant on their own and place them in the department display. These activities help students to develop their Plant Identification Skills as well as medicinal knowledge of the plants. The major focussed area of teaching and research in the department takes part in Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, Cytogenetics, Environmental Botany, Plant Biotechnology and Plant taxonomy.


Vision
To strive for excellence in Plant Biology and Plant Biotechnology for the realization of a vibrant and inclusive society through knowledge creation and dissemination.
Mission
Encourage to motivate the students to pursue higher education in Plant Biology because of its immense scope and usefulness to society.
Impart quality education and promote scientific temper, research and publications.

Best Practices of the Department


As a part of Green initiative, every academic year students were provided with tree sapling and were invigorated to nurture it as a part of their respective academic duration.

Flora of the dayconcept is practiced as a day to day activity which involves students to collect and give description of the plant by themselves and place it in the department display. This practice increases identification of plant species as well as increases the knowledge of medicinal uses of plants.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), were signed with core organizations like Care Earth; Early Mushrooms and Seed Center, Chennai.

Classes are additionally handled during the period when the staff in charge has availed leave (No Class Cancellation).

Economically poor students are encouraged to pursue their studies by providing necessary monetary assistance.

Failure students are monitored individually and special classes are conducted.

Maintenance and naming of all tree species inside the college campus.

Recycling of solid waste generated in the campus (Hostel Mess waste/Canteen waste/Plant waste) through vermicomposting.


What if I do Botany…


Botany, along with its allied branches, is a prerequisite for studying medicine or pharmacy. There is also enormous employment scope in various sectors.

Industry is the major employer of plant biologists. Seed companies, Agricultural engineering, Science writing, Pharmaceutical, Plant Tissue Culture, Mushroom culture & Bio fertilizers all hire trained botanists for their firms.

Educational Institutions employ botanists in position like Professor, Scientist, Instructor, Technician, Data analyst/ Quality Controller.

Government needs Botanists in many different fields like Department of conservations, Biodiversity Board, Forestry services, IPR, Regulatory affairs Law, Horticulture.

Botany offers many interesting and worthwhile career opportunities in aspects such Botanical gardens, Museums, International service, Research and Development, Entrepreneurship.


Highlights of the Department


Hands on training on Mushroom Farming, Horticulture and Landscape Designing.

Mandatory internship, training programs and education trips.

Well qualified and Committed faculties (Eight faculties hold Doctoral Degree).

MoUs with core industries, NGOs and other organization.

Developing Bio entrepreneur skills through Herbal products (Herbal soap, Herbal face wash, Herbal hair wash & Herbal sanitizer).

Well-established Laboratory.

Exclusive Plant tissue culture and Mushroom Farming Unit.

Department library (more than 1600 books).

Department Museum (Thallophytes to Angiosperm specimens).

Well maintained Herbarium (more than 2000 specimens).

Concept of Flora of the day.

Special Guest lectures.

Various other Academic, Research and Skill development activities.


The department has organized several programmes that include Quiz and seminars programmes with contribution from both national and international renowned scholars.


Events organized by the department from 2016 are as follows


S. No. Seminar / Internship / Workshop Topic Date
1 Seminar Medicinal Plants in Human Welfare 06.10.2016
2 Seminar Recent Advances in Biological Sciences 11.01.2018
3 Seminar cum Workshop Recent trends in Plant Sciences 26.02.2018 & 27.02.2018
4 Indian Academies Lecture Workshop Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change (BCACC – 19) 23.01.2019 & 24.01.2019
5 Seminar Methods of Gene transfer in Plants 10.10.2019
6 Workshop Developing Bioentrepreneur skill through Herbal products 27.02.2020
7 E-Quiz Bio Quiz - 2020 22.06.2020 to 25.06.2020
8 International Webinar COVID-19: Facts and it's diagnosis by RT-PCR 07.08.2020
9 National Webinar Recent trends in Biopharmaceuticals and Green nanotechnology 09.07.2020
10 Tree Plantation Programme Grow Your Own Oxygen - Tree Plantation Programme 25.02.2021
11 National Webinar Developing Bio-entrepreneur Skills through Mushroom Cultivation 09.04.2021 & 10.04.2021
12 National Level Internship Programme Tools and Techniques in Applied Bioinformatics 19.07.2021 to 02.08.2021
13 Health Awareness Lecture Traditional system of medicine - Unani 02.09.2021
14 Awareness lecture The challenges of pollution and its abatement in Tamil Nadu 07.12.2021
15 Tree Plantation Programme Grow Your Own Oxygen - Tree Plantation Programme 16.12.2021
16 Workshop Two days workshop on Mushroom Farming Skills 20.12.201 &21.12.2021
17 Special Lecture Tolerance and Harmony among the Youth 27.12.2021
18 Special Lecture Gender Equality, a must Reality 28.12.2021
19 Special Lecture Competitive Exams-Opportunities and strategies for Life Science graduates 29.12.2021
20 Special Lecture Uniqueness of Indian Constitution 30.12.2021