Department of CHEMISTRY

Department of Chemistry came into existence since the inception of R.P.D. College in the year 1945 at Sawantwadi originally, later moved to Belgaum so as to fulfill the need of the larger mass of the society. The department started to offer Chemistry as the major subject for the students. Initially it started as a small department with fewer students opting Chemistry as their major subject for their graduation. Prof. V.V. Kogekar, Prof. Ketkar and Prof. M.N.S. Murti were few of the initial faculty members who worked for the development of the department. However, because of increased demand for its quality education in the early 1960s, R.P.D College was fragmented into R.P.D. Arts College and G.S.S. Science College in 1966 and since then the department of Chemistry is under the flagship of G.S.S. College. Prof. M.K. Bhandare was the first Head of the Department under the bifurcated G.S.S. College in 1966. Because of the Karnatak University policies of three subjects of equal importance, in 1991 Chemistry subject was transformed from major subject to an optional subject.

  

Chemistry

  

Chemistry

  

Undergraduate and PU courses:
The department of Chemistry is the largest among all the departments of the College. Chemistry is one of the optional subjects of 5 combinations of out of 7 combinations available in the College. There is a year-on-year increment in the enrolment of students for B.Sc. I semester with Chemistry as one of the optional subjects. For the academic year 2014-15, Chemistry admissions for B.Sc. I semester increased to as high as 260. Presently there are about 600 students studying Chemistry, as one of the optional subjects, at different levels of B.Sc. There are nearly 1800 students studying in PUC with Chemistry as one of the subjects. Today the number of faculty members has reached to 23, out of which 13 members are for degree and 10 are teaching at PU level. There are 7 non-teaching staff members working for the department. At present, the degree department is successfully headed by Prof. A.K. Samant and PUC department by Prof. P.K. Pitre.
 
Postgraduate course:
The department took the initiative to start the post-graduate course in Organic Chemistry which was the long time objective of the department to get into the field of Master's degree. For the first time in the history of University (then Karnatak University, Dharwad), Chemistry department of G.S.S. College became the pioneer to start the P.G. course from the academic year of 2009-10. The distinctive vision and the endeavor of the then Chairman of the College Managing Committee, late Dr. M.R. Shanbhag was instrumental in getting the PG course in Organic Chemistry. With solid ground work of well equipped laboratories, chemicals and other infrastructure, the department started the PG course. Prof. A.A. Khanolkar was the founder co-ordinator of the PG department. Now it is serving the need of quality higher education for the northern Karnataka part, Goa and Southern part of Maharashtra. Many senior teachers from the universities of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra take lectures as the visiting Professors along with many in-house teachers. There are 3 full time teaching and 4 non-teaching staff working for PG. At present, Prof. A.K. Samant is the co-ordinator of the PG department.

 

Chemistry

  

Chemistry

  

A view of the PG Organic Chemistry laboratory:
Initially the intake of students for the PG course of Organic Chemistry was 24 which is now raised to 30 by Rani Channamma University, Belgaum. Five batches of the students have passed out successfully, among whom many are working in reputed industries and Colleges.
 
Research:
The department of Chemistry has also made noteworthy achievements in research with a DST major project and three UGC minor projects completed and another three UGC minor projects presently going on. The major project is in the field of Polymer Science and a Polymer Research Laboratory is established under the same grant. In this academic year, one more minor project has been applied to UGC for the grant. Department has also got state-of-the-art research facilities like Gas Chromatograph, digital refractometer, ultra sonicator and etc.

 

Chemistry

  

<< A view of the staff room
 
       

Courses offered:
1. Bachelor of Science, B. Sc.
2. Master of Science in Organic Chemistry, M. Sc.

Experimental facilities (selected):
1. Gas chromatography with high sensitivity TCD
2. Ultra sonicator
3. Digitally controlled refractometer
4. Ultra centrifuge
5. Flame photometry
6. Polarimeter
7. pH meter
8. Colorimeter
9. Conductometer
10. Potentiometer
FACULTY -      
   
     
››  Mrs. M. S. Deshpande M.Sc.
››  Shri A. K. Samant M.Sc.
››  Dr. S. M. Deshpande M.Sc., Ph.D.
››  Dr. S. G. Adoor M.Sc.,Ph.D
››  Dr. V. A. Sunagar M.Sc., Ph.D
››  Mrs. Ambuja Chitnis M.Sc.
››  Shri. R.T. Katamble M.Sc., M.Phil. B Ed.
››   Miss Vinaya S. Chandorkar, M.Sc
››   Shri. Anand Nayak M.Sc.
››  Shri. Ajit P. Birje M.Sc.
››  Mrs. Charushela V. Balikai M.Sc
››  Miss Pratima S. Kamath M.Sc