English

Introduction

The history of the Department of English dates back to the very foundation of Women’s Christian College in 1945. Ms Stella Bose, Founder Principal of the College, headed the Department, and with the help of Ms Allen and Mr P.D. Bose, created a strong base for the study of English language and literature in this small college.

The Honours option in the 3-year B.A. Degree Course (under the University of Calcutta) came into existence in the late 1940s. Since then, Ms Anjali Chatterjee, Ms Jyotsna Chatterjee, Ms Premi Gergen, Ms Asha Biswas, Ms.Smritituku Roy, Dr Dora A. Mondal, Ms Soma Chatterjee and Dr Sunetra Sinha were, over the years, inductees into the departmental faculty. In terms of student number and activity, the Department of English has grown into one of the largest and most vibrant of the constituent units of Women’s Christian College.

At present, it is a matter of great pride that our Principal Dr Ajanta Paul is a part of this Department, whose other faculty members are Ms Soma Roy, Mr Kushal A. Biswas, Ms Devalina Gopalan and Ms Adharshila Chatterjee.

Departmental Activities: Curricular

• Besides teaching English in the various courses offered by the college, the Department organizes and participates in seminars and special lectures to supplement the teaching process and help to build up a rich academic and cultural environment in the college. Quizzes based on the syllabus, presentations by reputed academics in observance of special days or events related to literary giants; writing and reading academic papers: the Department has regularly been part of all these activities, intended to augment the teaching-learning process, sometimes in collaboration with other institutions.
• The Department regularly arranges film and documentary screenings, including those related to texts being studied, to supplement textual reading/discussions and help students get a broader perspective of the way textual issues are treated in another medium. The college’s smart classrooms enable this to be done as part of the regular classes being conducted; the most recent screenings include versions of The Rivals, Arms and the Man, Macbeth and The Secret Sharer. Students have also been taken to dramatic performances of texts media, to broaden the horizons of students’ understanding and appreciation.
• The faculty members closely monitor the overall progress in the studies of the students. The department holds meetings between teachers and parents/guardians of the students/wards, to review the strengths and weaknesses of the students/wards and suggest corrective measures to be taken for desired results. The most recent teachers-parents meeting was held in October 2016.

Faculty Directory

Dr Ajanta Paul Principal M.A., Ph.D. Profile

Ms Soma Ray Associate Professor M.A., M.Phil. Profile

Kushal A. Biswas Associate Professor M.A. Profile

Dr. Devalina Gopalan Assistant Professor & HOD M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D Profile

Adharshila Chatterjee Assistant Professor M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D (Pursuing) Profile