The University of Gauhati was established in 1948 with a view to building up a home of its own in the field of higher education and research in Assam and also to create an atmosphere for the development of language,literature and culture of Assam through higher learning and academic research.

The Department of  Assamese was among the first ones to be started with the establishment of the University in 1948.It needs no insisting that this Department was conceived as a seminal institution of higher education and research in Assamese language,literature and culture and that of diverse ethnic groups inhabiting Assam.With this aim in view and all the resource at command ,this Department has contributed immediately towards the enrichment of the literary and cultural horizon of Assam and thus done a commendable job for the last six decades.With its glorious history and the signal constitution all the illustrious scholars associated with the Department since its inception,it has been playing a leading role in the development of modern Assamese life and culture,thus paving the way for the setting of an advance institute of academic research and learning.

The Department of initial stage was started with a nucleus by the introduction of the two year Post Graduate course and the first batch of the students appeared in the MA final examination in 1950.The undergraduate course was also a component of the Department which was later left to be undertaken by the affiliated colleges and the Post Graduate studies got expanded with more teachers and including of more course components.The Post Graduate course of studies includes two groups –Group A (literature) and Group B(language) having 8 papers in each group.The course in which cultural studies form and important component in each group,also offers several optional papers in both the groups covering the entire range of literary and linguistic studies of Assam and India.The syllabus was revised from time to time in keeping with the changing trends in language and literature studies in view.

The Department introduced the semester system for the post graduate course consisting of different components in the course in 2001.There were 20(Twenty) papers equally distributed for four semisters.The new components include Tibeto-Burman languages,dialectology ,comparative literature,translation studies,a general outline of Indian literature,western influence on Assamese literature etc.

The Department has gone for the CBCS syllabus in2016.There are now 18(Eightten) courses in four semesters.The first and second semester consist of 10(ten)courses having 1(one) Value Added course in each semester.The third semester consists of 4(four) courses of which 2(two) are elective while the 4^th semester syllabus consists of 2(two) core courses of which 1(one)elective and  1(one) elective open.

  The Department introduced Ph.D course programme and M.Phil. programmes from 2010.The number of the students admitted to the Ph.D and M.Phil. programmes are based on the clearance of the GU-RET.

The Department at present has 15(fifteen) members of faculty with an intake capacity of 88(eighty eight).It can take pride in the fact that nearly 10(ten) thousand students have earned post graduate degree(MA) in Assamese while more than 300(three hundred) scholars have attained Ph.D degree from this Department.Among the disciplines covered under the research scheme for the award of Ph.D include diverse factors of Assamese language,literature and culture ,folklore studies , comparative literature ,performing Arts while there have been collaborations with many other Departments of the University in conducting research,such as Modern Indian Languagese(MIL), folklore research,English,Hindi,Sanskrit,Bengali,Philosophy, foreign language etc.

The Department has a library of its own about 5000(five thousand) selected books besides a collection of about 200(two hundred) manuscripts.The Department has been publishing an annual research journal in Assamese namely ANVESAN since 1994.The Department also has two literary associations,namely,ASAMIYA SAHITYA CHORA since 1964 and CHATRA BHASA BIJNAN SAMITI since 1986.The Department and there association over the decades have organized many remarkable events like seminars,both regional and national,workshops Summer institute,Refresher course,Author Meet etc.In organizing the above events the Department has received support and collaboration from UGC,CIIL,Sahitya Akademi and many other institutions.Besides these publications,the teachers of the Department being distuinguished scholars and researchers in diverse field of linguistics,literature and cultural studies,have to their credit valued publications and attended national and international conferences,seminars,workshops with their presentations.

6.Heads of the Assamese Department since its inception:

   a) Professor Banikanta Kakati , MA. Ph.D , 1948-1952

   b) Professor Birinchi Kumar Boruah, MA. Ph.D,  1952-1964

   c) Professor Maheswar Neog, MA. Ph.D , 1964-1977

   d) Professor Golok Chandra Goswami, MA. Ph.D , 1977-1985

   e) Professor Upendra Nath Goswami, MA. Ph.D, Feb,1985-July,1985

   f) Professor Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi, MA. Ph.D, Aug,1985-July,1988,      July 1990-Apr,1993                                                                                                                                         

   g) Profesor Sailendra Prasad Bharali, MA. Ph.D, Aug,1988-June,1990, Apr,1993-Aug,1996

   h) Professor Pariksit Hazarika , MA. Ph.D, Sep,1996-Nov,1998

   i) Professor Bhaba Prasad Chaliha, MA. Ph.D, Dec,1998-Feb,1999

   j) Professor Nagen Thakur , MA. Ph.D, Mar,1999-Feb,2001

   K) Professor Lilabati Saikia Bora, MA. Ph.D,  Mar,2001-Feb,2004

   l) Professor Dipti Phukan Patgiri, MA. Ph.D, D.Litt  Mar,2004-    Feb,2007, Mar,2013-Apr,2015

   m) Professor Malinee Goswami, MA. Ph.D, Mar,2007-Feb,2008

   n) Professor Upen Chandra Rabha, MA. Ph.D, Mar,2010-Feb,2013

   o) Professor Taranee Deka, MA. Ph.D, May,2015-

It may be mentioned that among the Heads of the Assamese Department Dr. Banikanta Kakati , Dr. Birinchi Kumar Boruah, Dr. Maheswar Neog and Dr.Satyendra Nath Sarma were the four pillars of the Department from the beginning and were great scholars who rendered distinguished service in the fields of language,literature and culture of Assam.With their association with various national organizations like Sahitya Akademi, CIIL, Forum on literary theory,Sangeet Natak Akademi,Asam Sahitya Sabha, they acted as torch bearers of studies on Assam and its heritage and thus were looked up to be pioneers at large.

 Seminars/Conferences/Workshops/Special Lecture/Summer School Programe organized and the source of funding (National/International) with details of outstanding/eminent participants if any:

 Number of Students who qualified UGC  NET , SET :

 List of selected alumni of thes Department :

 Number of Teaching posts: 

 The Department has a library of its own about 5000(five thousand) selected books besides a collection of about 200(two hundred) manuscripts.

The Department has been publishing an annual research journal in Assamese namely ANVESAN since 1994. The journal bears an ISSN number.

The Department also has two literary associations,namely, ASAMIYA SAHITYA CHORA since 1964 and CHATRA BHASA BIJNAN SAMITI since 1986.

The Department and there association over the decades have organized many remarkable events like seminars,both regional and national,workshops Summer institute,Refresher course,Author Meet etc.In organizing the above events the Department has received support and collaboration from UGC,CIIL,Sahitya Akademi and many other institutions.Besides these publications,the teachers of the Department being distuinguished scholars and researchers in diverse field of linguistics,literature and cultural studies,have to their credit valued publications and attended national and international conferences,seminars,workshops with their presentations.

 COURSE OUTCOME

Syllabus for  M.Phil/Ph.D in Assamese

MPCASM 1016: Research Methodology

1.       Trace the Methods and techniques of Research.  

2.       Design a dissertation .

3.       Prepare the bibliography.

MPCASM 1026 Advanced Research

Design a research project according to relevant methodologies with knowledge of different aspects of theoretical and ethical concerns.

MPCASM 1036 : Text Critical Studies

1. Trace the History of critical study of India and Assam taking into consideration of Europe.

MPCASM 1046 Language Studies

1.Illustrate the recent trends of modern linguistics.

2.Justify the significance of sociolinguistics in the area of multilingual domains of the region.

3.Explain the maintenance procedure of endangered language of North-East.

MPCASM 1056 Literary Studies

Critique a piece of literature with knowledge of modern post-modern critical theories.

MPCASM 1066 Cultural Studies

1.Trace and describe the different social factors for the formation of greater Assamese society.

2.Draw different aspects Assamese society cultural aspects.

3.Create an awareness for the preservation and conservation of culture in the light of modernization and globalization.

 Objectives:

 a) To impart Higher Education in Assamese Language,Literature and Culture and other relevant disciplines.

  b)To conduct research programmes in the fields of Assamese language and linguistics,and all disciplines related to literary and cultural studies with particular reference to Assamese.

 c)To conduct research and extension projects and programmes in relation to above disciplines and language of various ethnic groups of Assam and North-East.

Mission:

     To contribute towards enrichment of academic research,learning and overall development of Assamese language ,literature and culture.

 MA in Assamese:

The Department of initial stage was started with a nucleus by the introduction of the two year Post Graduate course and the first batch of the students appeared in the MA final examination in 1950.The undergraduate course was also a component of the Department which was later left to be undertaken by the affiliated colleges and the Post Graduate studies got expanded with more teachers and including of more course components.The Post Graduate course of studies includes two groups –Group A (literature) and Group B(language) having 8 papers in each group.The course in which cultural studies form and important component in each group,also offers several optional papers in both the groups covering the entire range of literary and linguistic studies of Assam and India.The syllabus was revised from time to time in keeping with the changing trends in language and literature studies in view.

The Department introduced the semester system for the post graduate course consisting of different components in the course in 2001.There were 20(Twenty) papers equally distributed for four semisters.The new components include Tibeto-Burman languages,dialectology ,comparative literature,translation studies,a general outline of Indian literature,western influence on Assamese literature etc.

The Department has gone for the CBCS syllabus in2016.There are now 18(Eightten) courses in four semesters.The first and second semester consist of 10(ten)courses having 1(one) Value Added course in each semester.The third semester consists of 4(four) courses of which 2(two) are elective while the 4^th semester syllabus consists of 2(two) core courses of which 1(one)elective and  1(one) elective open.

MPhil and PhD:

The Department introduced Ph.D course programme after its inception and M.Phil. programmes from 2010.The number of the students admitted to the Ph.D and M.Phil. programmes are based on the clearance of the GU-RET.

The Department at present has 15(fifteen) members of faculty with an intake capacity of 88(eighty eight).It can take pride in the fact that nearly 10(ten) thousand students have earned post graduate degree(MA) in Assamese while more than 300(three hundred) scholars have attained Ph.D degree from this Department.Among the disciplines covered under the research scheme for the award of Ph.D include diverse factors of Assamese language,literature and culture ,folklore studies , comparative literature ,performing Arts while there have been collaborations with many other Departments of the University in conducting research,such as Modern Indian Languagese(MIL), folklore research,English,Hindi,Sanskrit,Bengali,Philosophy, foreign language etc.

 Centere for Sankardeva Studies:

The centre to be Annex of the Department of Assamese of the University and first of its kind,is envisaged as an institute of research and extension to facilitate comprehensive study and exploration of the renaissance portals of the Sankardeva movement including the life and works of the saint and his principal apostles and the abiding value of the multitudinous contributions and it’s a reaching impact and influence on the social, cultural,economic and religious life and above all,on the mindset of Assam through the centuries.The centre would open up new possibilities of research on the huge corpus of literary production of epic drama,theological treatises,translation of and transcreation on great scriptures,charits-comparable only with hagiographic of the biblical tradition and Janam Sakhi of Sikkim as well conjoined with this is also the study of manuscripts-both to be taken up in phases. It may be remembered that four manuscripts of this tradition preserved in the MS section of the Krishnakanta Handique library have been selected as works of heritage and were honored at the International Book Fair at Frankfurt.The centre would also open up new possibilities of research on the heritage of music,dance and drama,the philosophy and theology of the religion and also the soci-cultural significance of the movement in the context of multi-ethnic social matrix of Assam.Thus the centre will be a major resource base in terms of information and knowledge relating to major area of the cultural history of Assam,and thus a light house in relation of knowledge  and learning and also in the promotion of peace and harmony,unity and togetherness among social groups of organized Assam and region as well as India at large.

Presently, Prof. Malinee Goswami is the President and Prof. Prafulla Kumar Nath is the Coordinator of the Centre.

 There is a Language Laboratory in the department.

The Laboratory was established by the late Prof. Dipankar Moral, who taught liguistics in the department for several years till 2008, in 2007. It was revamped in 2018. Prof. Dipti Phukan Patgiri is the Coordinator and Dr. Dipamani Haloi is the Deputy Coordinator of the Laboratory.

The Laboratory has a few computers with sound-analysis facilities. It is designed for teaching the students and the researchers of the department linguistics in a better and methodical way.

 Facalities and assets:

  a)Books:6000(Six thousand)

  b)Computers:40(Forty)

 c)Laptops:1(One)

 d)TV:1(One)

e)Public address system:1(One)

f)Building presently situated in New Academic Building

 Recent Research Projects:

 Special Assistance Programme (SAP)