Avadh Girls Degree College
A Milestone in Women’s Education
Always a centre of learning, Lucknow is a proud location of various colleges, which have great reputation and prestige. Several famous and eminent personalities have been alumni of these colleges. Avadh Girls’ Degree College is one such reputed institution.
Avadh Girls’ Degree College is an institution for higher education of women, run by the Avadh Educational Society. Founded in 1958 as the Loreto Degree College, it was taken over by the Avadh Educational Society in 1976 from Loreto Convent. The Degree College was taken over in entirety with Begum Hamida Habibullah as President and (Late) Mrs. Kamla Bhargava as Manager. (Late) Mrs. BC Sharma became its first Principal. Under her guidance the budding Institution began its march with eleven faculty members, one librarian, one office staff and four fourth-class employees. With the resolute efforts of the excellent and dedicated staff, the college navigated through the changeover smoothly. Today, it is a leading institution, having imparted value based education to innumerable students for over five decades. Today it stands proudly as a beacon of light for academic excellence and extra-curricular activities.
The college ventured, with eighty students in the year 2001, for B.Com classes but with the passage of time, reputation soared to the extent that it became imperative for the University to grant another Section in 2003 total being 160 students, but still to handle the increasing pressure, evening classes were opened in 2006.
The students are prepared for the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Commerce Degrees of Lucknow University. The medium of instruction is English. The Arts Faculty of the College has been Ranked No. 1 in Lucknow by India Today (dated 22, June 2009). The College administration has also kept up with the times and as per the demand of the hour the college opened up an entirely new faculty – the Faculty of Commerce. The college is most pursued after by the girl students and rated as second best Commerce faculty in the city by India Today (dated 22 June 2009) though it amounts to best if seen exclusively for girl students.
The endeavour of the college administration and the management is to embrace in its fold the needy, the deserving, the rural and the backward but talented girl students of Lucknow and surrounding areas. The college has the following scholarships to help the students financially and encourage those with potential in their academic careers:
SC/ST/OBC/General/Minority Scholarship given by the Government for those students whose parents’ income is below 1 lakh.
National Scholarship granted to those students who secure 60% and above in their Board Exam.
Scholarship from U.P. students’ welfare fund, Government of U.P. to those students who secured 55% and above marks in their Board Examination and whose parents’ income is below 1 lakh.
The college grants scholarship from the ‘Poor Boys Funds’ to those students who are good in studies but are financially weak, by way of fee or purchase of books.
The College inculcates and encourages academic and extra academic excellence in its students. Thousands of students have passed through its thresholds, equipped to successfully take their place in society. It is a matter of great pride that many of them have carved out a niche for themselves in a wide variety of areas, specially the Indian Administrative Services, Allied Services, Banking, Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary, and other top managerial Positions.
The college has not only provided the students with top-notch educational facilities, but has also given them avenues to discover and nourish their talents. The College has certain traditions and all students are expected to follow them. The College lays equal importance on curricular and extra-curricular activities. The Dean of Studies and the Dean of Students co-ordinate and take care of the academic and extra academic activities of the students. The Deans of Students also provides a link between the Principal, Staff and Students. The College has a tradition of Council of Students comprising the Student President, Vice-President from B.A./B.Com III, Presidents of the ten extra-curricular activity clubs, and Representatives & Secretaries of B.A./B.Com I & II.
The various clubs organize several functions during the session and the students are given ample opportunity to display and improve their talents. Each student is a member of the three obligatory clubs Social Service, Sports and Entertainment. Besides these she is expected to join at least one other club. Enrolment to these clubs must be completed within the stipulated period. The college has 11 clubs for the students, which have proper elected working members. The college also has 16 working committees for the students. The working committees for the session 2015-2016 are the Academic Council, Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Grievance redressal Cell, Women Cell, NAAC, IQAC, Advisor Advisory committee, Anti Ragging committee, Awards Committee, Editorial Board, Library Committee, Admission Committee, Aids Awareness Committee & The Red Ribbon Club (NSS), Purchase Committee, Equal Opportunity Cell and the Chatra Paramarsh Datri Committee. The clubs that are active for the session 2015-2016 are Debating, Drama, Eco-Restoration, Entertainment, Fine Arts, Literary, Music, NSS, Photography, Social Service and Sports.
Dr. Upma Chaturvedi, honourable principal of Awadh Girl’s Degree College says, “We make our students confident to face the world outside the college campus. We let them choose their own path and help them to move in the right direction.” She has been working here since 1989 as the professor of geography, and then was made the dean of students followed by the Vice Principal in 2013 and then the Principal of the college in the year 2014. When she started working here the college only had the Faculty of Arts as a department and by the year 2001 with the continuous efforts of the college management the college also started the Commerce department. In the current session the college has nearly 1500 students. The college also has Parent’s teacher’s meet initiated by the current working Principal Dr. Upma Chaturvedi, which the parents love to attend. The parents of the students having attendance less than the minimum as prescribed by the rules, are also sent notices to maintain regularity of the students in the college. It is one of the most prestigious girls’ college situated in the heart of the city. The students of the college are highly active and participate in different causes for social welfare.
It is necessary that the educational institutions be developed as a place of learning and a place where students get to realise their paths. It is imperative that instead of using the conventional rote learning approach, we opt for hands-on approach. Avadh Girls’ Degree College is taking a step in that direction by organising different clubs and working committees for the students. Being social active, the college has ensured that the students become better citizens of the city and help it develop.
Palack Agarwal
Writer is a student of Law. Reading and writing are her passion.
(Published in The Lucknow Observer, Volume 2 Issue 22, Dated 05 January 2016)