Department Profile

In view of lively rural surroundings and rich diversity in plants, animals and bio- culture, there has been a candid demand for opening a Biological Sciences department here in St. Thomas College and therefore in 1968 the Departments of Botany and Zoology was opened. Since the inception of the Department, the founder members of its teaching faculty and their successors have worked relentlessly to establish high standards of teaching that brought recognition to the department at university level.

The Department was established in the year 1968. The first Principal Late Prof. K.A. Mathew was the HOD. The Teaching faculties were Prof. K.A. Mathew (1968-1983), Prof. P.T. Abraham (1968-1999), Prof. Santhamma Markose (1969-1999), Prof. K.O. Kuriakose (1970-2000), Prof. K.U. Chachiyamma (1970-2003), Prof. Annamma Chacko (1981-2009), Prof. Roshni Zachariah (1984-2006). There are 32 seats for B.Sc. students sanctioned by the university on regular basis. Earlier we had conducted pre-Degree and Degree courses but now only Degree programme is conducting with 4 faculties (3 permanent and 1 Guest).

Mission

• To explore and protect the plant world.
• To be a centre of excellence for plant sciences.
• To maintain our position as the premier department of higher learning and research in Botany /Plant Sciences and to further commit ourselves to academic excellence.

Vision

• To provide a student centred and profession oriented higher education that hastens the academic environment.
• To demonstrate and promote creativity and spirit for intellectual inquiry with positive relationships among students, faculty and staff that enhance a fruitful and outstanding learning experience for future application.
• To demonstrate and promote the excellence in Plant Sciences on a positive perspective to suit the dynamic world offering holistic education with apt practical orientation to produce leaders and researchers in various fields of Plant Sciences.

Objectives

The course introduces students to the importance of plants as an integral part of existence on the planet. The motto of this department is “Live with Nature”. A Medicinal Garden has been maintained for the same and it contains more than 50 medicinally important plants, of which some are considered to be rare and endangered. By conducting seminars and the commercial sale of plantlets and herbal seedlings we encourage the local people to know more about the value of the medicinal plants. As part of a community development programme, we have had a mushroom cultivation unit since 2004. We conduct seminars and workshops on mushroom cultivation and distribute spawns among locals annually. With the aim of ‘Earn while you Learn’ we engage our students in mushroom cultivation. In order to develop the interpersonal relationship among teachers and students, who are expected to look after the academic non-academic requirements of the students for that particular year, every week one hour is set apart for tutorial work. Skill and knowledge development of the students are enhanced through the conduct of debates, seminars, workshops, quiz programmes etc. on a regular basis. Every year we conduct field trips for Year I and Year III students to widen their knowledge about vegetation in various natural habitats. These activities enable the students to understand the subject and gain valuable insights outside the classroom environment pertaining to their discipline.