College Development Council
Introduction
The Department of Zoology was established in 1946 with the department offering only undergraduate courses initially. The post-graduate course M.Sc. Zoology was instituted in 1966, and part-time M. Phil. and Ph. D. research programmes in 1981. The department became a full-fledged research department in 1998, with full-time M. Phil. and Ph. D. research being ushered-in.
The Department has well-equipped laboratories, an excellent museum with numerous rare specimens, in addition to a vermicomposting plant and aquarium with ornamental fishes maintained by the students.
The Department has a rich history of illustrious faculty and alumni, some of whom returned to serve as faculty in their alma mater. At present, there are fifteen permanent faculty members, and four guest lecturers in the department. Their diverse fields of specialization include Entomology, Endocrinology, Nematology, Vermitechnology, Biodiversity and Conservation, Ecotoxicology, and Microbial Molecular Biology. Three UGC Minor Projects, one UGC Major Project, one TNSCST Major Project, two TANSCHE Minor Projects and nine TANSCHE student projects have been completed by the staff and students of the Department. The faculties have 146 publications, 8 book chapters and 44 gene patents to their credit in toto. With such committed staff it is not surprising that the Department has produced 30 Ph.D. and 120 M.Phil. awardees.
The Department has produced several professors, teachers, IFS cadres, high-ranking Forest Department officials, Directors of prestigious institutes (such as Zoological Survey of India), bank officers, entrepreneurs and researchers.