Dr. Avnish Jolly, Chandigarh, 21st July :The Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh is known for high quality of teaching and research and has been UGC’s Centre of Advanced Study (CAS) since 1988. After the expiry of Phase- III of the CAS Programe (1.4.2003 to 31.3.2008), the UGC Review/Expert Committee visited the Department in May 2008.
After a very careful and critical in-depth examination of the academic achievements made by the Department during the previous phase (2003-2008) the Review Committee recommended to the University Grants Commission that the Department should continue CAS Programme for the IVth Phase w.e.f.1.4.2008 to 31.3.2013. In this Phase, the Department has been given financial grant to the tune of Rs. One Crore for further improving the infrastructure and strengthening the teaching and research activities as well as the following thrust areas has been recognized in the Department:
1. High Energy (Particle) and low energy (Nuclear) Physics (Theoretical and Experimental).
2. Condensed Matter Physics (Theoretical and Experimental)
The Department has excellent record as far as research and teaching activities are concerned during the last five years. Briefly speaking, during this period, 617 Research Papers have been published in refereed journals (mostly international), and a large number of research papers have been contributed/presented in international and national seminars, conferences, workshops etc. Further, 4 books (including 3 proceedings of seminars/Conf./SERC School) have been edited/published. Furthermore, the Department, at present, is running the Theoretical Physics
Seminar Circuit (TPSC) Programme, 27 individual/group projects, 1 Ramanna Fellowship and 2 Emeritus Scientist Schemes. The Department was also having D.S.T’s Fist level-II Programme from 1.4.2003 to 31.3.2008 with a financial grant of Rs. 35 Lakh with which facilities of Monochromatic Photon Source tunable over a wide energy range [4 to 40 keV] in the X-ray region alongwith a high resolution X-ray Detector have been established. During the last 5 years, 29 individual/group research projects (including 5 Emeritus Scientist Schemes) were also completed. A good number of faculty members attended international and national Seminars/ Symposia and Conferences etc.
During the last 5 years, the Department organized 24 Seminars/Symposia/SERC School and Conferences/TPSC Seminars etc. and organized more than 50 lectures by distinguished faculty/scholar from India and abroad. During this period, 45 scholars were awarded Ph.D. degree and 12 more thesis were submitted for Ph.D degree. Many scholars participated in international conferences/workshops held abroad.
The Department has been very active in starting new courses and improving the existing teaching programmes. From the academic session 2008- 09, two new courses, namely,
B.Sc. (H.S.) Physics and Electronics and M.Sc.(H.S.)
Physics and Electronics have been started. These two courses have been designed keeping in mind the advice of several experts in the filed of electronics, including international experts. There was an overwhelming response for admission to M.Sc. (H.S.) Physics and Electronics-I For B.Sc. (H.S.) Physics and Electronics-I, the last date of receipt of applications
in the Department is 21st July, 2008. The Department plans to make these courses well recognized courses at the national as well as international level according to Prof. Manmohan Gupta, Chairperson CAS Coordinator, Dept. of Physics, P.U.