About the Department

 Established: 1948

 Founder Head: Madhab Chandra Goswami

In 1956, with the setting up of the Gauhati University's permanent campus, the Department shifted to Jalukbari. In the same year, the department launched its Post Graduate programme. In the last 67 years of existence the Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University has been imparting quality education in its three major branches: Physical Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology.

The Department offers Post graduate and PhD courses in all the three branches. Twenty eight students are admitted to the semester system PG programme every year. Ethnographic field works is a compulsory part of the PG course which is conducted every year. In addition, the students have to undertake dissertation field work in their chosen branch of specialization. The department has the facilities of Bio-chemical laboratory, Osteometric and Craniometric laboratory, Dermatoglyphics laboratory, Prehistoric Archaeology laboratory and Museum Specimen preservation laboratory. There is also a computer laboratory with internet facility to access e-journals. The PhD programme is for 5 years with one semester compulsory course work.

The Department is actively involved in Anthropological Research in the region. It has received the UGC, Special Assistance Programme in the year 2015 for conducting research in the two thrust areas of Cultural Heritage: Tangible and Intangible and Population Ageing and Health. It has previously received and completed UGC DSA in the year 1992 on the topic -Community Contact cum Extension Education Research. Besides faculty members of the Department have conducted a number of short term programmes, long term research projects sponsored by various financial organizations. National and regional seminars, workshops special lectures, etc. are organized from time to time to enhance the academic quality of the department.

The Department also has a library. It has books on all the areas of anthropology and other allied subjects and disciplines. Volumes of old journal of national and international repute are also preserved. The field reports and dissertations are well kept in the library. The library has about 1300 books and it is updated at regular intervals.

The Bulletin of Department of Anthropology is published annually. It is a peer-reviewed research journal (ISSN 2230-9527).

The Department of Anthropology has a museum named as Madhab Chandra Goswami Anthropological Museum. The North Eastern part of India has a diverse geographical, etnological and cultural background, this unique situation makes the region anthropologically very significant. it is also referred to as a 'Paradise for Anthropologists'. The museum has been collecting, preserving and documenting the cultural materials from the different parts of the region since its establishment. It can be said to be a repository of the documents of the cultural history of the region.

The museum houses both ethnographic and archaeological specimens. In addition there are skeletons of chimpanzee, gorilla and other primates. The museum has a large collection of basketry items, ornaments belonging to different tribes of the North East India, wooden figurines and other items of every day use made of wood, masks, iron objects and a rich collection of fiber and textiles of the region.

 

Department of Anthropology Gauhati University,

Guwahati 781014, Assam

Phone : +91-361-2570248

Email : anthopology@gauhati.ac.in

Web : gauhati.ac.in/science/anthropology

 

Alumni Association

 

Dr. Nripen Barkataki in the memory of his late wife Dr. Manju Rani Barkataki (alumni of this department) awards a gold medal to the topper in PG Course every year.  

 

7 th Dr. Manju Rani (Goswami) Barkataki Memorial Gold Medal Award
Ceremony (2022)

 

 

8th Dr. Manju Rani (Goswami) Barkataki Memorial Gold Medal Award

Ceremony (2023)

Masters Degree Course

Minimum eligibility criteria: Graduation in Arts or Science with Anthropology as a subject

The Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University offers two years Post Graduate Course in Anthropology. It is a semester based curriculum with four semesters. The students receive Masters degree in Science and Arts after the completion of the course. The students have the option of specializing in Physical Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology and Archaeological Anthropology from the third semester.

The first semester has three theory papers of 100 marks each and one practical paper of 100 marks. The theory papers cover aspects of process and principles human evolution, methods and principles of archaeological anthropology, society and culture. Practical paper includes Craniometry, Osteometry and Bio-Statistics. Archaeological anthropology practical deals with prehistoric technology covering stone tool and pottery technology. 


The second semester has three theory papers of 100 marks each and two practical papers of 150 marks. The theory papers deal with human variation, prehistoric man and culture and other aspects of society and culture. Ethnographic field work of 100 marks, including material culture, methods of preserving museum materials, is a compulsory practical work in this semester. The other practical paper of 50 marks covers Serology, Physiology, Dermatoglyphics and sense perception.

In the third semester, the students have to choose their specialization from Physical Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology or Archaeological Anthropology. There are three 100 marks compulsory theory papers for all students and two papers of 100 and 50 marks each from the chosen specialization. The compulsory papers cover applied anthropology, ecological anthropology and anthropology of North East India (Open Paper). Each of the optional papers from the three branches has a paper on research methodology for 50 marks.

In the fourth semester there are two general papers of 100 marks each. The first general paper is on society and culture in India and the second one is a dissertation  based on field-work on the chosen specialization.  Each of the specialization have two 100 marks theory papers. The Physical Anthropology optional papers cover formal genetics and population genetics. Social and Cultural Anthropology covers anthropology of complex societie and study of monographs. Archaeological Anthropology includes prehistoric economic patterns and social archaeology and prehistory of South East Asia.

 

 PhD Course

Minimum eligibility criteria: A Post Graduate degree from a recognised University or Institute with not less than 55% marks or equivalent grade in the Anthropology or in an allied subject. Admission is through Central Application Process (CAP). [Refer to the GU website]

The PhD programme of the Department is for 5 years duration with compulsory one semester course work.

The Department presently has 6 (six) research guides. The areas of research in Physical Anthropology are broadly Human Auxology, demography, population genetics, ageing, medical anthropology, etc. Research on Social and Cultural Anthropology include studies on socio-cultural change, rural and urban anthropology, health, etc. Archaeological Anthropological research is mostly in the areas of ethno-archaeology, geo-archaeology, environmental archaeology, prehistoric archaeology, etc.

The Department presently has 62 PhD students pursuing research under this programme. Two Post Doctoral Research Scholars got degree from the Department. Between 2001 and 2013, 47 students have received PhD degree from the Department.

 Departmental Research

The Department has received Special Assistance Programme, DRS I under University Grants Commission in 2015 to undertake research in the following two thrust areas:

  • (a) Cultural Heritage: Tangible and Intangible
  • (b) Population Ageing and Health

 

M.Sc. in Anthropology (CBCS) Syllabus. Visit:http://web.gauhati.ac.in/syllabus/home/postgraduate-cbcs/anthropology

M.A. in Anthropology (CBCS) Syllabus. Visit:http://web.gauhati.ac.in/syllabus/home/postgraduate-cbcs/anthropology

 

WORKSHOP AND SEMINAR

 

1. Indian Anthropological Congress-2018 has been organized by the Department Of Anthropology in collaboration with Guwahati Regional Committee of INCAA, Guwahati, Assam from February 21-23,2018  under the aegis of Indian National Confederation and Academy of Anthropologists (INCAA).

 2. Department of Anthropology has Organized a consultative seminar on UGC Special Assistance Programme DRS-1on Road map for studies on “Cultural Heritage And Population Aging And Health Among The Karbis And The Tiwas Of Assam” on 17th March, 2017.

 

3. North Eastern Regional Centre of Indira Gandhi National Centre for arts, Guwahati in collaboration withy Department of anthropology, Gauhati University, Gauhati, has organised a three day workshop on “Indigenous methods of Water Resource Management in North East India” in the premises of the Department of Anthropology, Gauhati University from 9th -11th March, 2016.

 

4. Department of anthropology, Gauhati University in collaboration with Indian Science News association, Kolkata, Anthropological Survey of India and Indian Council of Social science Research, Shillong   has organized  a two days National seminar on 10-11th, Sept, 2015, on “ Science , Technology and Innovation: Its impact on Communities of North East India. The seminar was inaugurated by the chief guest Prof. H.P. Sarma, Rector, Gauhati University.

 

5. Department of Anthropology has organized a three day National Seminar on “ Cultural Heritage of Assam" in collaboration with Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal ofrom 23-25th April, 2015, in the Department of Anthropology.  

 

INVITED LECTURES

 A lecture series was orgnaised in the Department of Anthropology from 17th -20th November, 2015 on the following topics:

    1. Prof. Debkumar Chakrabarti, IIT, Guwahati has delivered a lecture on, Ergonomic relevance in Anthropology.
    2. Prof. Jibon Kumar Singh, Manipur University has delivered a lecture on, Emerging areas of research in physical anthropological research in the North East.
    3. Prof. Jibon Kumar Singh, Manipur University has delivered a lecture on, The modern approaches in physical anthropological research in the North East India.
    4. Prof. Romendra Khongsdier, NEHU has delivered a lecture on , Application of statistics in Anthropological research.

 

 

 FILM SHOWS

 

A ethnographic biopic on “Angels of aboriginals: Dr. Verrier Elwin “ directed by Mr.Biswajit Bora and produced by Ms. Maya Kholie was screened on 1stSeptember at the Department of Anthropology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Departmental Projects

1. UGC Special Assistance Programme SAP-DRS-1(2016-2021).

2. Impact of consanguinity on health: A study in Barpeta district, Assam; Major research Project under Dr. Gulrukh Begum, Project Director (Completed). 

3. Rock Art and Allied subject in North-East; Major research Project under Dr. Dwipen Bezbaruah, Project Director.

4. Bio-social aspects of Aging: A study among two tribes of Morigaon district Assam; Minor research Project under Dr. Chandana Sarma, Project Director (Completed).

5. A climate change mitigation and food protection in Assam: Indigenous management system of natural resources among tribal and non-tribal; Minor research project  under Dr. Jyotishman Taye, Project Director (Running).

 

Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology

The department takes pride in publishing a national peer reviewed research journal named "Bulletin of the Department of Anthropology" since 1972.