University of Lucknow

The idea of establishing a university at Lucknow was conceived by Raja Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad Khan, Khan Bahadur, K.C.I.E. of Mahmudabad. He contributed an article in then popular newspaper, The Pioneer, urging the foundation of a University at Lucknow. Later Sir Harcourt Butler was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the United Provinces, and was also made Mohammad Khan's well-known interest in all matters, specially in educational matters. The first step to bring the University into being was taken when a General Committee of educationists and persons interested in university education appointed for the purpose, met in conference at Government House, Lucknow, on 10 November 1919. At this meeting Sir Harcourt Butler, being the chairman of the committee, outlined the proposed scheme for the new university.

After an elaborate discussion, it was later decided that Lucknow University should be a unitary, teaching, and residential University as recommended by the Calcutta University Mission, 1919, and should consist of Faculties of Arts, including Oriental Studies, Science, Medicine, Law, etc. Six sub-committees were formed, five of them to consider questions connected with the University and one to consider the arrangements for providing Intermediate Education. These sub-committees met during the months of November and December, 1919, and January, 1920; and the reports of their meetings were laid before a second Conference of the General Committee at Lucknow on 26 January 1920; their proceedings were considered and discussed, and the reports of five of the sub-committees were, after certain amendments, confirmed. The question of incorporation of the Medical College in the University, however, was for the time being left open for further discussion. At the close of the Conference, Rs. one lakh each from the Raja of Mahmudabad and Jahangirabad were announced as the capital funds.

The resolutions of the first Conference together with the recommendations of the sub-committees as confirmed at the second Conference were laid before a meeting of the University of Allahabad on 12 March 1920, and it was decided to appoint a sub-committee to consider them and report to the Senate.

The report of the sub-committee was considered at an extraordinary meeting of the Senate on 7 August 1920, at which the Chancellor presided, and the scheme was generally approved. In the meantime, the difficulty of incorporating the Medical College in the University had been removed. During April 1920, Mr. C.F. de la Fosse, the then Director of Public Instruction of the United Provinces, drew up a draft Bill for the establishment of Lucknow University which was introduced in the Legislative Council on 12 August 1920. It was then referred to a Select Committee which suggested a number of amendments, the most important being the liberalizing of the constitution of the various University bodies and the inclusion of a Faculty of Commerce. This bill, in an amended form, was passed by the council on 8 October 1920. The Lucknow University Act, No. V of 1920, received the assent of the Lieutenant-Governor on 1 November, and of the Governor-General on 25 November 1920.

The Court of the University was constituted in March, 1921 with the first meeting being held on 21 March 1921, at which the Chancellor presided. The other University authorities such as the Executive Council, the Academic Council, and Faculties came into existence in August and September, 1921. Other Committees and Boards, both statutory and otherwise, were constituted in course of time. On 17 July 1921, the University undertook teaching—both formal and informal. Teaching in the Faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, and Law was being done in the Canning College and teaching in the Faculty of Medicine in the King George's Medical College and Hospital. The Canning College was handed over to the University on 1 July 1922, although previous to this date the buildings, equipment, staff, etc., belonging to the Canning College had been ungrudgingly placed at the disposal of the University for the purposes of teaching and residence. The King George's Medical College and the King George's Hospital were transferred by the Government to the University on the 1 March 1921.

Eventually, The King George's Medical College (today's King George's Medical University), The Canning College, The Isabella Thoburn College provided structural as well as educational and administrational help for the establishment of the university.[4]

Old Campus Of Lucknow University

In the early days, the Canning College had no building of its own, and the scene of its activity periodically changed as one or other building proved unsuitable or insufficient. During the first twelve years, the college was shifted from its original location, the Aminuddaulah Palace, to a number of places, one after another, including the Lal Baradari. At last, it was housed in its own building at Kaisar Bagh. The foundation stone of this new building was laid by the Viceroy, Sir John Lawrence, as far back as 13 November 1867, but the work of construction was not completed until 1878. On 15 November of that year, Sir George Couper, Lt. Commissioner of Avadh, formally opened the new building.

For well over 30 years the Canning College remained in the Kaisar Bagh building, but this site was not suitable for the development of a big residential institution. The provincial Government was prevailed upon to come to its assistance and it readily consented to purchase the college building for a sum of Rs. 2,10,000/- to house the Provincial Museum. In 1905 the Government handed over to the college the extensive walled garden of about 90 acres on the north of the river Gomti, popularly known as "Badshah Bagh", originally a garden house of King Nasir-ud-Din Haidar, and, since the pacification of Avadh, the Lucknow residence of the Maharaja of Kapurthala. Of the old royal building of this garden, only the Lal Baradari, one lofty and handsome gate and one canal are still present today.

After another financial aid by Maharaja Sir Bhagwati Singh of Balrampur, the implementation of a new building started taking shape. The plans of the building were entrusted to the well-known architect. Sir Swinton Jacob, who prepared an impressive design in the Indo-Saracenic style. The plans of the building were considered by the experts to be so distinctive and elegant that they were subsequently sent for demonstration at the Exhibition held in London on the occasion of the Festival of Empire in 1911.

The Central Library of the university known as the Tagore Library is one of the richest libraries in the country. It was designed by Sir Walter Burley Griffin, the designer of Australian capital city of Canberra.[5] It has 5.25 lakh books, 50,000 journals and approximately 10,000 copies of approved Ph.D. and D.Litt. dissertations. The whole library is online with its own website.

For a healthy relationship among the teachers, students and non-teaching staff, the University has created three independent bodies - Lucknow University Teachers' Association, Lucknow University Students' Union and Lucknow University Karmachari Parishad. (Workers Union) The Students' Union has organized a few national seminars on relevant issues, worked in the direction of improving the living conditions of the students on the campus and in the hostels. It has also undertaken tree plantation and blood donation camps.

The University also provides residential facilities to teachers, students and non-teaching staff. There are overall 17 hostels for boys and girls in the University.[6][7] Kailash Hall and Nivedita Hall can house nearly 600 female students.[6] Extra-curricular and employment needs of the students are taken care of by various centres and associations, such as Delegacies, Athletic Association, Centre for Cultural Activities, Information and Employment Bureau and Centre for Information, Publication and Public Relations. An important feature of the University is the organization of regular National Service Scheme programmes to create awareness for social service amongst the students. The University also imparts military training to the students through its NCC Wing.

During the past 20 years, there has been an extension of the University Campus. This is borne out by the fact that a huge and majestic building, as part of the New Campus, has been constructed on 75 acres of land provided by the State Government on Sitapur Road near the Institute of Engineering and Technology.[8]

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