Cotton University

Cotton University

Motto	Apramattena Veddhavyam
Motto in English	Knowledge in any field
Type	Public state university
Established	1901 (1901) (as Cotton College) 2017 (2017) (as Cotton University)
Founder	Sir Henry Stedman Cotton
Chancellor	Governor of Assam
Vice-Chancellor	Dr. Ramesh Ch. Deka
Location	Guwahati , Assam , India 26.1868°N 91.7476°E / 26.1868; 91.7476
Campus	urban
Colors	Orange, Blue, Green
Affiliations	UGC
Website	cottonuniversity.ac.in

Cotton University (formerly known as Cotton College) is a public state university located in Guwahati, Assam, India. It was established in 2017 by the provisions of an Act from the Assam Legislative Assembly which merged Cotton College State University and Cotton College. The university has progressed to become one of the top 200 institutions of the country (appearing on the list of 150–200 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework rank list in May 2020). However, as of 2024, Cotton University is ranked 373rd in the NIRF, whereas Gauhati University holds a commendable 40th position in the same ranking.

Cotton College was established in 1901 by Sir Henry Stedman Cotton, chief commissioner of the former British province of Assam. It was the oldest institute of higher education in Assam and all of Northeast India. Cotton College became a constituent college of Gauhati University in 1948, and then of Cotton College State University when it was established in 2011, by an Act (Act XIX of 2011) of the Assam Government. The Cotton University Act, 2017, was enacted to resolve problems between the college and the university.

Accreditation

A 2002 stamp dedicated to Cotton University

Cotton University, then Cotton College, was accredited with an "A++" grade and a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.76 on a four-point scale by the 18th SC Executive Committee of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) on November 5, 2016, reflecting high institutional quality. As of September 6, 2024, the university's accreditation status was revised to an "A" grade with a CGPA of 3.05 on a seven-point scale.

History

Main structure of the University

In 1899 Manick Chandra wrote to the British government asking to open a college in Guwahati, in so far as Assam was the only province with no college and that Guwahati was the most convenient location. In response, Sir Henry Stedman Cotton, K.C.S.I., then the Chief Commissioner of Assam, announced on 3 November 1899 that a college would be opened in Guwahati. Cotton College, named by the public, was inaugurated on 27 May 1901 by Cotton himself. Before 1948, It was affiliated with Calcutta University and began with five professors which included Frederick William Sudmerson, the first principal of the college, and 39 students.

The college was the centre of the freedom movement as well as literary and cultural movements of the state, which aimed to build Assam's identity as a distinct, integral component of India. When Gauhati University was established in 1948, Cotton College became affiliated with it as a constituent college. In 2015, the college was declared a Special Heritage College.

On 16 October 1992, the college was named as a center of excellence, an occasion celebrated in a solemn ceremony with Shankar Dayal Sharma, then President of India, and it officially became a post-graduate college.

Cotton College State University

First Block of Cotton College

Cotton College State University was created through an Act of the Government of Assam (Act XIX of 2011). This act received the assent of the Governor of Assam on 3 September 2011, published in the Assam Gazette on 5 September 2011. The Cotton College became its constituent college.

The election for the university's first Academic Council and University Court was held on 22 February 2013 with three and five members elected respectively.

Cotton University

Over time, conflicts emerged between the university and the college chiefly over the custody of properties. The Assam Legislative Assembly passed an amendment in 2015 that the university and the college be run as separate institutes. The bill, called The Cotton University Act 2017, was passed by the Assam Legislative Assembly on 2 March 2017 in order to resolve these problems. By this act, the university and college would be completely merged. Upon enforcement, the university was renamed Cotton University. By ordinance, the governor of Assam, Banwarilal Purohit became chancellor, who then appointed Bhabesh Chandra Goswami as the first vice chancellor in July 2017.

Campus

A structure at Cotton University

Cotton University's campus spans 39.82 acres in Panbazar, Guwahati, an area known for its bustling streets and key landmarks, including the BSNL office, Reserve Bank of India, High Court, and Handique Girls College. The Dighalipukhuri bus stop, situated nearby, connects to several key townships, contributing to the area's vibrant atmosphere.

Academics

Academic programmes

HSSLC

In keeping with the former Cotton College's traditions, courses leading to Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate are possible in the Arts and Science streams. This qualification is awarded upon successful completion of two years of study followed by relevant examinations under the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council.

Bachelors degrees

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Computer Application, Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Mass Communication and Journalism and Bachelor of Science (Hons) Biotechnology graduate degrees are offered. The degrees are awarded upon successful completion of three years of study followed by relevant examinations under Cotton University.

Masters degrees

Postgraduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Library and Information Science, Master of Law, Master in Computer Application and Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are offered. The degrees are awarded upon successful completion of two years of study followed by relevant examinations under Cotton University.

Doctoral programme (PhD)

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is offered in all postgraduate departments. Admission opens annually in June/July.

Courses

Science

Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences

• Physics
• Chemistry
• Statistics
• Computer Science
• Library and Information Science.

Life Sciences

• Botany
• Zoology
• Environmental Biology and Wildlife Sciences
• Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.

Earth Sciences

• Geology
• Geography.

Languages, Literature and Linguistics

Mordern Indian Languages (MIL)

• Assamese
• Bengali
• Bodo
• Hindi
• Sanskrit.

Foreign Languages

• Arabic
• English
• Persian.

Human and Social Sciences

Humanities

• Anthropology
• Ancient Indian Culture, History and Archeology
• Economics
• Education
• History
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology.

Communication and Legal Studies

• Mass communication
• Journalism
• Media studies
• Law.

Seat Capacity

HSSLC

The institution offers Higher Secondary (HS) courses in two streams: Science and Arts. The Science stream has four sections, each with an intake capacity of 380 students, resulting in a total of 1,520 seats. The Arts stream consists of one section with an intake capacity of 160 students. In total, the institution offers 1,680 seats for Higher Secondary (HSSLC) courses.

Arts

Intake Capacity

#	Stream	Sections	Capacity per Section	Total Capacity
1	Arts	1	160	160

Science

Intake Capacity

#	Stream	Sections	Capacity per Section	Total Capacity
1	Science	4	380	1,520

Undergraduate

In the Undergraduate (UG) programs, there are a total of 511 seats available for Arts subjects and 480 seats for Science subjects. Combined, the institution offers 991 seats for UG Arts and Science courses.

Arts

Intake Capacity

#	Subject	Capacity
1	Anthropology	25
2	Arabic	10
3	Assamese	50
4	Bengali	10
5	Bodo	16
6	Economics	60
7	Education	25
8	Hindi	20
9	English	60
10	History	40
11	Mass Communication & Journalism	20
12	Political Science	60
13	Sociology	30
14	Sanskrit	15
15	Psychology	30
16	Philosophy	40
Total Capacity		511

Science

Intake Capacity

#	Subject	Capacity
1	Botany	45
2	Chemistry	65
3	Computer Science	20
4	Statistics	30
5	Physics	65
6	Mathematics	80
7	Zoology	60
8	Geology	40
9	Geography	30
10	Molecular Biology and Biotechnology	45
Total Capacity		480

Postgraduate

In the Postgraduate (PG) programs, there are 670 seats available for Arts subjects and 278 seats for Science subjects. Altogether, the institution offers 948 seats for PG Arts and Science courses.

Arts

Intake Capacity

#	Subject	Capacity
1	Assamese	56
2	Hindi	36
3	English	56
4	Bengali	20
5	Bodo	20
6	Sanskrit	20
7	Arabic	40
8	Anthropology	26
9	History	44
10	Mass Communication & Journalism	40
11	Psychology	26
12	Political Science	60
13	Economics	54
14	Education	40
15	Sociology	26
16	Philosophy	50
Total Capacity		670

Science

Intake Capacity

#	Subject	Capacity
1	Botany	24
2	Chemistry	34
3	Geography	30
4	Geology	20
5	Statistics	24
6	Mathematics	44
7	Physics	34
8	Zoology	28
9	Molecular Biology and Biotechnology	20
10	Environmental Science	20
Total Capacity		278

Admission

Higher Secondary

Cotton University (CU) has released tentative cut-off marks for higher secondary admissions, with 87% for the science stream and 84% for the arts stream. The cut-offs may vary depending on the number of applicants. There are 180 seats in the arts stream and 320 in the science stream. Applicants must complete the application process on both the DARPAN and Cotton University websites. Admissions will be based on a merit list from the candidates' qualifying exam results, followed by counselling and seat allocation.

Undergraduate Courses

Cotton University allocates 40 percent of undergraduate seats across all departments to candidates who have taken the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). The remaining 60 percent of seats will be filled based on academic performance. According to Academic Registrar Bedanta Bora, priority will be given to CUET candidates.

On September 8, 2021, Cotton University (CU) launched its online UG admission portal, increasing its intake by 25% due to high pass rates in class XII boards. The additional seats are reserved for Assam state board students, and a new 10% quota has been introduced for economically weaker sections (EWS). The intake increase aims to support state board students, while admissions will be based on merit. A conflicting reservation policy, initially mandating 75% seats for state board students, was later adjusted by the education minister to exclude urban areas.

Chemistry recorded the highest cut-off percentage among all BSc major courses, with the general category cut-off at 90.66%, followed by physics at 89.33% and zoology at 87.66%. The cut-off for mathematics was 87.33%, while botany had a cut-off of 85.33%.

Postgraduate Courses

Cotton University reserves 50 percent of seats in each postgraduate course for its own graduates, based on their CGPA results, subject to certain conditions. The minimum CGPA required is 5.5 for Unreserved Category, 5.3 for Other Backward Class/MOBC, and 5.0 for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (plains/hills) at the undergraduate level. The remaining 50 percent, designated as 'Open Category' seats, are available to graduates with honors or majors in the relevant or related disciplines from recognized universities. Admission to the 'Open Category' seats will be based on performance in the Cotton PG Entrance Examination (CPGEE). In some subjects, all seats, including those reserved for CU graduates, will be filled through CPGEE. The registration fee is Rs 800 per subject. The CPGEE comprises 50 questions, with each question carrying a weight of 4 marks, resulting in a total of 200 marks. There is also a negative marking system in place, where 1 mark is deducted for each incorrect answer. The entrance exam lasts for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Out of CPGEE's 200 marks, a maximum of 100 marks and a minimum of 50 marks are required for an Unreserved Category (UR) student to secure a seat. Admission calls are conducted in three rounds based on the availability of seats in respective categories and courses.

The subject-wise previous years' question papers for the Cotton Post Graduate Entrance Exam (CPGEE) are available for review on the websites Bohikitap.in and FreshersNow.com.

PhD Courses

The Candidates applying for the PhD program must have 55% marks (50% for SC/ST) in a Master’s degree from a University Grants Commission-recognized university. Admission requires qualifying the National Eligibility Test or the university’s entrance examination, followed by a viva voce and counselling session. Selected students must complete coursework, including three 4-credit and one 2-credit courses. After passing the coursework, candidates are provisionally registered and must apply for final registration within 18-24 months. The PhD registration is valid for five years, with a possible extension of up to seven years under special circumstances.

Facilities

Library

The Dr. Surya Kumar Bhuyan Library of Cotton University, one of Northeast India's oldest libraries, has a rich history dating back to the institution's inception. Initially located in a spacious hall of a single-story building, the library’s evolution began in the 1907-1912 quinquennium with the appointment of its first librarian and the establishment of a faculty committee to oversee its management by 1913. As its collection grew, the library moved to a dedicated building formerly occupied by the Physics department. In 1986, it was renamed in honor of Dr. Suryya Kumar Bhuyan. The library's growth continued with the laying of the foundation stone for a new three-story building by President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1992. This new facility was officially inaugurated on May 29, 2001, by former Chief Minister Sri Tarun Gogoi. Today, the library boasts an extensive collection of 130,968 textbooks, 4,935 reference books, 56 theses, 6,365 donated books, 648 braille books, and 3,263 bound volumes, reflecting its long-standing commitment to knowledge and scholarship.

Hostels

Cotton University is home to four boys' hostels: Rajani Kanta Bordoloi Hostel, Seeta Nath Brahma Choudhury Hostel, Mahendra Nath Deka Phukan Hostel, and Swahid Ranjit Barpuzari Hostel, collectively accommodating up to 320 students. For female students, the university offers three hostels: Nalini Bala Devi Hostel, Swahid Kanak Lata Hostel, and Dr. Kamala Roy Hostel, which together house 335 students. In total, the seven hostels provide accommodation for 655 students.

Notable alumni and faculty

Noted alumni

• Amulya Barua, Assamese poet
• Nayandeep Deka Baruah, Indian mathematician and professor
• Bhupen Hazarika, Bharat Ratna, Renowned playback singer, musician and filmmaker
• Birendra Kumar Bhattacharya, Indian writer
• Surya Kumar Bhuyan, former president of Asom Sahitya Sabha
• Kopil Bora, Assamese actor
• Gopinath Bordoloi, Bharat Ratna, Former Chief Minister of Assam
• Homen Borgohain, Indian writer
• Nirupama Borgohain, Indian journalist
• Parineeta Borthakur, Assamese actor
• Upendranath Brahma, former president of the All Bodo Students' Union.
• Ambika Charan Choudhury, Indian litterateur, historian and activist
• Moinul Hoque Choudhury, Indian politician
• Rita Chowdhury, Indian writer
• Arup Jyoti Das, Author
• Ardhendu Kumar Dey, Indian politician
• Lalit Kumar Doley, Indian politician
• Akhil Gogoi, Peasant leader and MLA, Sibsagar, Assam
• Ranjan Gogoi, 46th Chief Justice of India
• Bhupendra Nath Goswami, Indian meteorologist
• Indira Goswami, Indian writer
• Jitendra Nath Goswami, Indian scientist
• Parbati Kumar Goswami, Judge of India
• Krishna Kanta Handique, Sanskrit scholar
• Satish Chandra Kakati, ex-editor of The Assam Tribune
• Gauri Shankar Kalita, Journalist
• Kamalendu Deb Krori, Indian physicist
• Jyotiprasad Medhi, Indian statistician
• Okhil Kumar Medhi, former Vice Chancellor of Gauhati University
• Motiur Rohman Mondal, Indian politician and physician
• Arupa Kalita Patangia, Indian Novelist
• Maitrayee Patar, Indian writer and singer
• Kalpana Patowary, playback and folk singer (Bhojpuri and others)
• Anuradha Sharma Pujari, Assamese journalist and author
• Debapratim Purkayastha, Indian academic
• Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, former governor of Arunachal Pradesh
• Muhammed Saadulah, Prime Minister of Assam Province
• Anupam Saikia, Indian mathematician.
• Bhabendra Nath Saikia, Indian film director, famous writer
• Hiteswar Saikia, former Chief Minister of Assam
• Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister Of Assam
• Sarat Chandra Sinha, former Chief Minister of Assam
• Sonaram Sutiya, scholar, freedom fighter and educationist
• Zerifa Wahid, Actor
• Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, Indian businesswoman

Noted faculty

• Abu Nasr Waheed, educationist, was a professor of Arabic and Persian at Cotton College.

List of principals

The institute had 50 principals from 1901 till 2012.

No.	Principal	Tenure
1	F.W. Sudmersen	1901–1926
2	D. Thomson	1926–1933
3	A.E. Brown	1933–1934
4	D.E. Roberts	1934–1937
5	S.C. Roy	1937–1940
6	B.C. Sengupta	1940–1942
7	H.N. Sen	1942–1943
8	Ankushjyoti Kalita	1943
9	S.N. Sen	1943–1944
10	R.R. Thomas	1945–1946
11	S.K. Bhuyan	1946
12	P.C. Sanyal	1946–1947
13	S.M. Mahibullah	1947
14	B.Kalita	1993 –
15	U.K. Goswami	1949
16	S.N. Chakravarty	1949–1952
17	H.C. Bhuyan	1952–1954
18	U.K. Dutta	1954–1958
19	H.C. Goswami	1958–1963
20	H.K. Barpujari	1963
21	N. Islam	1963–1969
22	K. Roy	1969
23	p.c. Goswami	1969–1970
24	Mada Mitra	1970–1972
25	Abdul Jalil	1972 – 1974
26	Manash Kumar Baishya	1996 –

S.No.	Name	Tenure
27.	A. Sarma	1975
28.	A. Ali	1975–1979
29.	A. Latif	1979
30.	G.C. Deka	1979–1986
31.	R.K. Das	1986–1987
32.	K.D. Krori	1987–1991
33.	A.K. Goswami	1991–1993
34.	B.C. Choudhury	1993–1994
35.	M.C. Ghose	1994–1995, 1995–1996 (dean)
36.	T. Mahanta	1996–1997 (dean)
37.	J. Datta	1 January 1998 – 31 January 1998 (dean)
38.	K.C. Paul	1 February 1998 – 30 June 1998 (dean)
39.	P. Kakati	1 July 1998 – 30 November 1998 (dean)
40.	D.K. Kakati	1 December 1998 – 31 May 1999 (dean)
41.	M. Dev Choudhury	1 June 1999 – 29 February 2000 (dean)
42.	D.K. Barua	1 March 2000 – 7 March 2000 (dean), 8 March 2000 – 7 November 2000(Principal)
43.	R. Thakuria	8 November 2000 – 31 December 2002
44.	J. Medhi	1 January 2003 – 31 August 2003
45.	U.A. Bharali	1 September 2003 – 31 August 2006
46.	T. Sircar	1 September 2006 – 8 January 2007
47.	I.K Bhattacharyya	9 January 2007 to 31 October 2011
48.	S. Barua	1 November 2011 – 30 November 2011
49.	Jamuna Sharma Choudhury	1 December 2011 – 31 December 2011
50.	Prasanta Kumar Bordoloi	1 January 2012 – 17 March 2012
51.	Nirada Devi	18 March 2012 – 2017