Department Profile

Department of Geography, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur was established in 1949 with undergraduate classes as a unit of Maharana Bhupal College, popularly known as M.B.College, which was a Government College with undergraduate teaching since 1949 and post graduate teaching since 1955. Sh. Ganesh Narayan Mathur was the Head of the Department at that time. In 1962, the M.B. College was handed over to the Mohanlal Sukhadia University, then named as University of Udaipur, and Prof. A.N.Bhattacharya was entrusted with the responsibility of the Head of the Department. The Department has the proud distinction of being the first post graduate Department of Geography in the state of Rajasthan.

The Department has been one of the pioneer centres of geographical learning because of relevant and updated curriculum, and innovative pedagogy. Embracing the latest developments in the discipline, it has also been one of the pioneer centres in the State to integrate geospatial technology in its course curriculum. 

Programs Offered

Presently, the Department is a part of the Faculty of Earth Sciences, offering  undergraduate (UG), post graduate (PG) and Ph.D programme in Geography. UG program (Bachelor of Arts) offers 160 seats per session as Regular seats and 160 seats under Self Finance Scheme which may also be increased as per requirement. PG program offers 40 Regular seats. At present there are approximately 35 seats in Ph.D program under the working faculty of the Department. Choice Based Credit System has been introduced at PG level from academic session 2017-18. Major strength of the PG curriculum is competitive orientation and integration of skill based technical courses relating to software based quantitative analysis and geospatial technology. 

Faculty and Research Specialization

Eminent geographers have served the Department since its birth including Prof. A.N.Bhattacharya, Dr, D.C. Bhardwaj, Dr. D.N.Chaturvedi, Dr. L.N.Verma, Sh. R.S. Rathore, Prof. N.L.Gupta, Dr. R.M.Lodha, Prof. R.N.Vyas, Prof. Hemlata Joshi, Prof. L.C.Khatri, Prof. Sadhana Kothari, Prof. N.S.Rathore, Prof. I.M.Kayamkhani and Prof. P.R.Vyas.

Presently the Department has 06 faculty members including 01 Professor and 05 Assistant Professors. The faculty is actively engaged in research. Research thrust areas and specialization of faculty members span across majority of the sub-disciplines of Geography. Thrust areas of research in the department have been study of socio-cultural dynamics of Tribal Sub Plan Area (TSP) region; natural resource management in general with particular focus on water, soil, forest and land resources; process and impact  of urbanization; trends and patterns of urban development; urban ecology; urban morphology; urban transport management; patterns and trends of agricultural productivity and development and impact of climate change;  spatio-stratal disparities in socio-economic development with particular reference to the tribal dominated southern part of Rajasthan, industrial development and environmental issues with major focus on mining industry;  wetland and wasteland development; and  geo-ecological balance in the southern Aravalis. In recent years socio-geographical implications of electoral processes and their relationship with welfare/ development patterns has also developed as an important field of research. New studies are being undertaken relating to Sustainable Devlopment Goals. Application of geospatial techniques in all fields of research has also strengthened significantly in recent years.

Ongoing Research Projects

Presently 04 major research projects funded by Phase 2.0 of Rashtriya Ucchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA 2.0) are ongoing. These include two inter-institutional research projects titled 'Electoral Information System for Governance and Developmental Planning: A G-Governance Initiative'  and 'Impact of Water Quality on Health in Vagad Region of Rajasthan: An Application in Web-GIS'. Other two are 'Inclusive & Sustainable Development of Bombora, Bori, Sulawas, Sihad Gram Panchayat: Smart Village Initiatives' and 'Prediction Model for road accidents: A case study of Udaipur City, India'

Some recently completed projects include ICSSR funded 'A Geographical Analysis of Delimitation of Assembly Constituencies: A Case Study of Tonk and Dausa Districts (Rajasthan)'. Another important RUSA funded study titled "Gender Atlas of Rajasthan" has been completed which examines Gender demographics of the state based on geospatial technology. 

Infrastructure 

The Department has a rich infrastructure with a well-equipped state of the art GIS laboratory, Smart Class Room equipped with sophisticated audio-visual facilities, adequate faculty rooms, class rooms, a departmental library, and cartography laboratory. The GIS laboratory is equipped with proprietary statistical and geo-spatial data analysis softwares viz. ArcGIS, SPSS, survey equipment like GPS/GNSS receivers, Total Station etc.The Department has been generously funded under both phases of RUSA for expansion of its infrastructure and building. Presently 'Geospatial Skill Development Centre and Entrepreneurship Cell (GSDEC)' is being established under RUSA 2.0 with a Geospatial Laboratory, Lecture Theatre and a new Library with a mission to offer multi-level multi-disciplinary professional degree and certificate programs in the field of geospatial technology.