Department of Geology

Department of Geology

About the Department

geology

Welcome to Department of Geology, which promotes teaching and fundamental research across a wide range of topics in geoscience. The department came into existence in the year 2015 under the School of Environmental and Earth Sciences. The earlier name ‘Department of Geography and Geology’ was renamed as Department of Geology in July 2019 under the same school after its separation from Department of Geography. The department aims to study and monitor the earth processes and geo-resources such as minerals, oil and water, while extending the results of these efforts to the benefits of the students and the society; and to prepare students for careers in the fields of geoscience. The department endorses the concept of smart teaching using ICT multimedia, online pedagogy, green/white board, 3D models, animation, surprise test/quiz, seminars, projects, extensive field works etc. to enable students at the forefront of education and research internationally.
MSc. Geology programme covers a wide range of core courses in Geology and allied disciplines. These courses are designed such that the students shall well acquainted with blend of traditional basics of Earth Sciences and the emerging cutting-edge techniques of geological importance. It provides wide range of knowledge covering from foundation to  recent methods and problems, both in the laboratory and in the field of different aspects of Geology including geomorphology, mineralogy, petrology, geochemistry, sedimentology, stratigraphy, palaeontology, hydrogeology, remote sensing & GIS, environmental geology, geophysics, and economic geology. Our student numbers have effectively increased since the inception of the department. We have been revamping the curriculum and updating the teaching resource to match the ambitions of our students. Currently, we have  40 Masters students and five research students enrolled under these programmes, and have correspondingly invested in research facilities to support them.

Vision and Mission 

  • To build a department of international standard with state-of-the-art facility for research to produce well-trained, competent, academic and professional geoscientists capable of responding to societal needs and to lead geoscience community by providing utmost levels of education through teaching and research programs.
  • This department will create a collegial, collaborative and inspiring environment for faculty and students, resilient and well-funded Centre of Excellence in the emerging areas of Geology.
  • Efforts will be made to have many national/international collaborations of common interest with various educational institutes and industries to formulate the projects and mobilization of funds.
  • To impart knowledge with blend of traditional basics of Earth Sciences and the emerging cutting-edge techniques of geological importance.
  • To conduct frontier geoscience research to enhance scientific understanding for sustainable future.
  • Efforts to be made for understanding the geogenic cause for local and region issues related to environment and health.

Objectives and Scope

  • To build a pre-eminence department for the post graduate studies and Ph.D. research in the field of Geosciences.
  • To develop certain core facilities and appropriate world class research laboratories to synergies both the teaching and research.
  • To establish an advanced research centre for geosciences with state-of-the-art facility. This will enable faculty members to have collaboration with other institute, to have consultancy work and to mobilize grant from various funding agencies.
  • To generate well-acquainted and proficient faculties of international standard having the pure dedication on research and teaching profession in the field of Geology.
  • To expand the program from graduation to the doctoral level so that students from this department will serve the nation with ease and pride in different capacities at various scientific organization like ISRO, CSIR, GSI, DRDO, DAE etc., and in the teaching profession in institutes and universities of the country.
  • To aspire and encourage the younger generation in taking up the academic career in pure and applied sciences through various outreach program.

Faculty

  1. Prof. (Dr.) Jitendra Kumar Pattnaik, Professor
    Profile     Publications
  2. Prof. (Dr.) Kshetrimayum Krishnakanta Singh, Professor & HOD
    Profile     Publications
  3. Prof. (Dr.) Bandana Samant, Professor
    Profile     Publications
  4. Dr. Kongrailatpam Milankumar Sharma, Assistant Professor (On Lien)
    Profile     Publications
  5. Dr. Rahul Mukherjee, Assistant Professor
    Profile     Publications
  6. Dr. Vamdev Pathak, Assistant Professor
    Profile     Publications
  7. Dr. Suparna Tewari, Assistant Professor
    Profile     Publications
  8. Dr. Saurabh Gupta, Assistant Professor
    Profile     Publications

Adjunct Faculty

  1. Prof. Ashok Shahni, FNA, FTWAS, FASc, FNASc, Emeritus Professor, Punjab University, Chandigarh, Senior Scientist, INSA.,

Academic Programmes

  • 2023-25
    • M.Sc Geology
    • Ph.D. Geology
  • 2022-24
    • M.Sc Geology
    • Ph.D. Geology

Syllabi

Research Thurst Area

Research thrust area of the department is to understand the Earth’s history and dynamics, biological evolution, climate changes, natural resources, hazards, and sustainability through fundamental scientific research and its integration. This department is set to pursue and strengthen the research in the following areas:

  • Palaeontology and Biostratigraphy
  • Paleoclimate and  Palaeobiogeography
  • Earth surface processes using isotope geochemistry (cosmogenic radio-nuclide)
  • Elemental mobility during chemical weathering and CO2 consumption rate during continental weathering
  • Hydrogeology (aquifer distribution, flow system, groundwater exploration)
  • Hydrochemistry (water quality assessment, surface and groundwater geochemical processes, contaminant sources, environmental tracers)
  • Remote sensing & GIS in hydrogeological studies (DEM, hydro-geomorphic mapping, water table mapping etc.)

Facilities

Researchers and faculty members of this Department are actively involved in various research project supported by different funding agencies of the Indian government. Department of Geology is set to pursue and strengthen teaching and research in isotope geochemistry, low temperature geochemistry, earth surface processes, palaeontology, biogeography and vertebrate palaeontology. Practical/lab work is an indispensable part of the course curriculum of the Department. Different type of mineral and rock hand specimens, thin sections, crystal models (wooden & transparent), collection of mineral set based on their physical properties and mineral analysis kits are available in the lab for identification of various minerals and rocks under microscope as well as in hand specimens.  Department of Geology has well equipped lab for teaching and research purpose. In addition to the facility available in the Department Advanced Central Research Facility of the university: Central Instrumentation Laboratory (CIL) is also equipped with high-end instruments for the research work. The Geology lab equipped with following facilities:

  1. Lab Facilities for Petrography and microscopy
  2. Lab Facilities for Thin Section Preparation
  3. Lab Facilities for Sample Preparation
  4. Lab facilities for Geochemistry

The department also has access to the following equipment available at the Central Instrumentation Laboratory (CIL) of this University:

  • Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)
  • ICP (MS)
  • Ion-chromatograph
  • Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR)
  • Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

E-Content

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Placement

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Student Corner

PhD Students working in the Department

Name Fellowship Title Supervisor Enrolment
Prem Chand Kisku CSIR – SRF Redistribution of elements and mineralogical changes during chemical weathering of Rajmahal Basalt, Jharkhand Dr. Jitendra Kumar Pattanaik 2016
Submitted
Haldhar Kumar Project Fellow Reconstruction of late quaternary glaciation in upper Alkananda basin, Gharwal Himalaya, India, using cosmogenic radionuclides  2017
Amrutha K. INSPIRE Fellow Impact of quaternary climate change on long term denudation rate in different basins of Himalaya Rivers  2017
N.  Amardas Singh CSIR – SRF Biostratigraphic and sedimentological studies in parts of Miocene deposits of Kutch basin Gujarat, India: implications on palaeoenvironment, palaeoclimate and palaeobiogeography Dr. K.  Millankumar Sharma  2017
Y.  Priyananda Singh Project Fellow Contribution on the vertebrate paleontology and sedimentary geochemistry of early Triassic Panchet Formation of Damodar basin and Late Triassic Tiki Formation of Rewa basin, India 2017

Student achievement

MSc students of the department have cleared various national exam and secured top positions. Now many students are perusing their higher education at different institute/organization of national importance like IIT Bombay; IIT Kharagpur; NIO Goa; PRL Ahmadabad; and Panjab University, Chandigarh. Some students have placed/working at various organization. Students have also participated and won medal in numbers of co-curricular activity at university level as well as at national level competitions.      

  1. CSIR-UGC NET – JRF - Parakha Sahoo (AIR 4, Dec, 2019 exam)
  2. Nandan Boral (AIR 14, June 2019 exam)
  3. Ayush Joshi (AIR 41, Dec, 2019 exam)

Ph.D student Mr. Prem Chand Kisku, CSIR-SRF, presented his research paper in the Annual Goldschmidt conference, August 2017, held at Paris, France. He received financial support from various organization to attend this prestigious conference.

Grants

Completed

  1. Dr. K. K. Singh: UGC major project entitled “Evaluation of hydrochemical characteristics of surface and ground waters of the Manipur valley: a resource for quality management” (Rs.9.1 lacs).

On-going

  • Dr. J. K. Pattanaik: Mobilization and redistribution of elements during different stages of chemical weathering of Rajmahal Basalt in Pakur district of Jharkhand” Funding Agency: Scheme for Young Scientists, SERB, Department of Science & Technology (41.5 lakhs).
  • Dr. J. K. Pattanaik:  Determination of extent and timing of Quaternary glaciation in the Upper Alakananda basin using cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be and 26Al, Funding Agency: IUAC, New Delhi, (7.95 Lakhs).
  • Dr. J. K. Pattanaik:  Geochemistry of glacial lake deposits from upper Alakananda basin: Significance to paleoclimatic fluctuation, Funding Agency: CUPB, Under RSM grant (3 Lakhs).
  • Dr. M. K. Sharma: Study of the vertebrate fossils of Miocene deposits of Kutch, Gujarat with special reference to the micro-vertebrates remains and their palaeoclimatic and palaeobiogeographic implications, funded by Central University of Punjab, Bathinda under the Research Seed Money grant (RSM CUPB) (Rs. 3 lakh).
  • Dr. M. K. Sharma: Studies of the micro-vertebrates faunal diversity of Late Triassic Tiki Formation, Madhya Pradesh, India: An implication on global palaeobiogeography” funded by UGC start-up grant (Rs. 6 Lakh).
  • Dr. M. K. Sharma: Palaeoenvironmental, Palaeoclimatic and Palaeobiogeographic Reconstruction of Early and Middle Triassic Deposits of Damodor and Satpura Basins using Palaeontological, Sedimentological and Stable Isotope Proxies” funded by DST- SERB (Rs. 37, 18600/-).

Seminar/Symposia

  • Organised a webinar ‘blue-planet’ lecture series from 7th – 9th June, 2020 to celebrate World Ocean Day. This programme was a joint activity of INYAS-CUPB
  • Organized Two days of Special Lecture series by Prof. A. K. Singhvi, from 22 - 23 May 2019 
  • Organised Special lecture on ‘Introducing microbiology in Earth system Sciences’ by Prof. R. Basker, Dept. of environmental Science and Engineering, GJU, Hissar on 26th March, 2018
  • University Foundation day Special lecture by adjunct Prof. Ashok Shahni, ‘Changing earth, Changing India: Landmark geo-events in deep time’ 28th February, 2018
  • Special lecture on ‘Application of Remote Sensing in Geosciences’ by Prof. Bhagwan Singh Choudhary, Chairperson, Dept. Of Geophysics, Kurukshetra University on 17th January, 2018
  • Organised a week long workshop cum training program on “Techniques of geological, geomorphological mapping and sampling process for geoscience research’ was organized by Centre for Geography and Geology during 13-03- 2017 to 17-03- 2017
  • Organised an acquaintance program of Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi at Central University of Punjab, Bathinda on 4th April 2016. Program was funded by IUAC, New Delhi.  Sanctioned amount Rs. 40,000/-.
  • Organised 5 days’ workshop on “GIS and its application: Recent Trend in Geography and Geology” and one day special lectures by Prof. Rajeev Patnaik and Prof. H. K. Nayak at Centre for Geography and Geology, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda,  between 15th – 19th February, 2016.

Departmental activity

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Geology E-Books

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