Department of Geography at Government College Chittur started in the year 1972. This is the first Geography Department in Kerala. It is also
only post graduate department in government sector under University of Calicut
and is well known for producing finest resourceful geographers.
The Department offers both Graduation and Post Graduation
programmes in Geography. Modern technology is being brought into use for
providing better learning experience to students. The Department has GIS
Laboratory and is also equipped with all the traditional and modern
geographical surveying equipments like Global Positioning System.
The research activities of department are in collaboration with
Centre for Earth Science Studies, Trivandrum, and Centre for Water Resources
Development and Management, Kozhikode, Integrated Rural Technology Centre,
Palakkad, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, New Delhi, Bharathiyar
University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madras University and various other
scientific institutions at state and national level.
The college location has a bearing on the department as well, and
is reflected in the composition of students from various socio-cultural and
economic backgrounds. The college is located in Chiitur-Tattamanagalam
Municipal limits. Chittur taluk is known as the one of the rice bowls of Kerala
and as well as on the drier regions being located in the Palghat gap. The major
chunk of departments students come from agrarian hinterland of college. Though from humble background, the students
of the department have proved their metal in clearing the UGC-NET / CSIR / Sate
Eligibility Test (SET) / Kerala Public Service Commission and Union Public
Service Commission Examinations and securing very good career opportunities.
The department has produced some of the best and finest
geographers, working with varied organizations at local, regional, national and
international levels. The prodigies of department are employed with State
Schools at various levels, Central Schools like Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya
etc. Some of the prodigies are working as professional with various corporate
organizations. Still further most of the present faculty members of Geography
Departments at various colleges are a product of this institution.
The department also has been very active in supporting the local
community and further contributing to the society by sharing knowledge of
watershed management and resource mapping. The department faculties along with
its students have conducted social research on critical issues such as well
being of tribal population of Attapadi in Palakkad district.
The faculty level expertise include Agricultural Geography,
Geomorphology, Medical Geography, Social Geography, Spatial Planning, Rural and
Urban Planning, Geographic Information System, Watershed Management, Cultural
resources conservation and Management being the prominent.
The
department takes special care in preparing the curriculum for both graduation
and post graduation through discussions with experts in the relevant fields and
further preparing the syllabus. The department ensures that appropriate changes
based on the latest research and developments in the field of geography are
incorporated into syllabus at regular intervals.
