University Of Allahabad : The identity of any university is not determined only by its buildings, age or the rigor of its examinations. Rather, it is made up of those people who, after studying there, gave direction to the country and society. Allahabad University, established in the year 1887, is one such institution, which was considered the cornerstone of higher education in the country. Its reputation has been so high that it has long been called the ‘Oxford of the East’. This title was not given just like that; Behind this is the educational, intellectual and cultural contribution of more than a hundred years which has made this university the benchmark of Indian higher education.
Along with this, Allahabad University’s D.Litt. (Doctor of Literature) Tradition is also a big reason for its pride. This honor was always given to those scholars who made extraordinary contributions in their respective fields. With time, this title became such a ‘signature’ of the university’s identity that it placed it in the league of many renowned universities not only in the country but also in the world.
Academic foundation built on the lines of Oxford
The foundation of Allahabad University was laid on the universities of the British era, which were running on the London and Oxford models. When it gained formal university status in the late 19th century, its teaching system, faculty selection, curriculum, collegial structure and examination system were completely inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge pattern.
- There was a tradition of college autonomy here
- Admissions were merit based
- There were high level tests in the selection of faculty.
- Tutorial system and research-oriented methodology implemented
Old records show that many of the early teachers were educated from prestigious universities in Britain. He established here the same academic rigor that distinguished Allahabad University from other Indian universities.
Golden era of Allahabad University
The first six decades of the twentieth century are called the ‘Golden Age’ of Allahabad University. During this time, the campus here had transformed into a cultural center full of intellectual activities, debates, poems, research, which could only be compared with institutions like Oxford or Harvard.
These were great university students
The biggest reason for calling the university the ‘Oxford of the East’ is its alumni contribution. Politics, bureaucracy, literature, judiciary, journalism – almost every major field of the country has been influenced by the alumni of Allahabad University. Some prominent names are as follows-
- Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – First Prime Minister of India
- Harivansh Rai Bachchan – Veteran poet of Hindi literature
- Feroze Gandhi – freedom fighter and parliamentarian
- Mulayam Singh Yadav – Former Defense Minister, Former Chief Minister
- V.P. Singh and Chandrashekhar – former Prime Ministers of India
- Dharamveer Bharti – Writer, poet, editor of ‘Dharmyug’
- Raghupati Sahay ‘Firaq Gorakhpuri’ – Famous Urdu Poet
- Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer – Supreme Court judge
D.Litt. degree
In enhancing the academic reputation of Allahabad University, its D.Litt. (Doctor of Literature) Tradition plays an important role. D.Litt. It is considered the highest honorary degree of any university. It is received by those people who have made extraordinary contribution in literature, art, education, history, society or nation building. Has given direction to social change or intellectual discussion or has established new standards through research.
Allahabad University has given such degrees to very select people in its history of more than 125 years. This further increased the value of this honour.
The old ‘benchmark’ of academic rigor and research
The reputation of Allahabad University depends only on its students and D.Litt. Not only is it made from India, but it is also made from its research culture.
- Since the beginning, PhD and D.Litt. have strict standards for
- The viva and doctoral board consisted of the country’s top experts.
- Every research was evaluated on international standards.
- There was an expectation of literary and linguistic precision in research papers.
Many foreign institutions recognize the research conventions of Allahabad University in their grading. This was not a common thing and this strengthened its image as ‘Oxford of the East’.
Allahabad’s unique ‘cultural mileage’
Allahabad has been not just a university city but also a literary capital. Litterates like Bharti, Bachchan, Firaq had transformed the university into a cultural laboratory.
The ‘new poetry’ of Hindi, the modern poetry of Urdu and the Indian critical framework of English literature – all these have their roots somewhere in the corridors of this university.
Allahabad’s ‘coffee house culture’, debates, poetry conferences and political dialogues made the atmosphere of the university so lively that students from all over the country came to study here. This environment is not natural, but arises from the teachers, students of the university and the cultural energy of the city.
