In the year 2001, Jadavpur University earned many accolades. It was declared a centre of excellence and one among the top five universities of India by UGC (University Grants Commission- the commission that gives grants and controls the policies governing the universities in India). By NAEC (National Accreditation of Education Council) it was given the Five ***** status (surprisingly the same honour was bestowed on Calcutta University as well, which hardly deserved it). Academically Jadavpur University has been a front ranking university for many years, but the acknowledgements rarely came. Many people didn't (and many still don't) recognize its name, while JNU, BHU and others brought instant recognition. It is disappointing for the many students studying here, especially those in the Arts and Science faculties - the Engineering faculty is largely recognizable in spite of the other faculties being as meritorious, if not more. One can only hope that the recent accolades would bear this university's claim to fame to far corners of India.

But being an insider means being in the know of things and facts which fail to come to light during a formal inspection. Inspections, as they happen in India, is a charade. They cannot be held arbitor as regards merit. They are good to hook the grants, and mean nothing more to the students, who might be filled with an empty pride, courtesy a good ranking. Studies happen as they happened, classes are bunked as they were, and professors are absent as they always are. Nothing changes in the campus life except perhaps a new gloss on the university exteriors, and a few lights and fans in the interiors.

Yes, being a student of Jadavpur University remains a cause of pride for most students. Inevitably the comparison crops up with Calcutta University, and for whatever reasons we are far better placed. But a real comparison cannot be legitimately held if we overlook a few facts concerning the two universities of this city. Calcutta University is a huge university, with a student population that far exceeds JU's student population. Calcutta University is an aggregate of dozens of colleges in the city and in its fringes, while Jadavpur University is what we call, a Home University with only one centre of education (there's another center at Salt Lake, where a few Engineering subjects are taught, but that is not a separate institution). This makes JU compared to CU far more manageable, and controlled, with greater quality control not only over the syllabi, but also the actual teaching. Any comparison amidst such disparity is not generous. The real competition shall come when the premier city colleges like Presidency and St. Xavier's attain their autonomy and become Home Universities. However, this is still some years ahead.

But what are the factors which induces pride among the students. As looks come JU is one of the most ugly and unseemly of institutions. The huge campus is never properly maintained, and the large open spaces are more an albatross than an asset. The student and faculty attendance is shoddy like no other college in the city, thanks to the no compulsory attendance policy of the university. No faculty is as callous towards the studies of students as it is in JU (and yet JU consistently gives the best academic performance in the city, and produces some of the best minds). How does it then score so high? What makes this university so special? Why is it that the students adore it so much, without having those direct sort of interaction with the objectives of any academic institution - namely classes and studies? The answers are numerous. 

But what about the factors which make students ashamed when they are honest? What about the hidden skeletons which are so much obvious to the insiders, and so elusive to the casual observers?

Project Jadavpur University is an attempt to answer these unanswered questions. It will try to bring forward those unique features which make it the boast of the town, and will expose those shortcomings which are only whispered among its own students. More than that it will try to provide some ideas as to how to make this university even better. This will also try to provide the insiders comments on the English Department, and will propose some improvements.