About Us
Our History
As a result of the bifurcation of the M.T.B. College, the Sarvajanik College of Science came into existence formally in June 1960. However, its beginning can be traced to a period as early as 1927, when for the first time after the establishment of the Arts College in 1918; the Sarvajanik Education Society (SES) took steps to provide facilities for the teaching of the science courses in its college. In that same year, when Shri D. R. Gadgil was the Principal of the college, the University of Bombay granted permission for the teaching course in group A and B, and accordingly an intermediate science class was opened. In 1930, under the inspiring leadership of the Principal, Shri N. M. Shah, the society thought of developing a Science Institute which could provide instruction leading to the B.Sc. degree in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Biology. But the difficulties, which were lying in their way, were not easy to surmount. The University of Bombay was thinking of bifurcating the Arts and Science Courses from the very first year of collegiate education. The financial position of the society was not strong enough to permit the construction of a spacious building for a Science Institute. However, the construction of the Science building started in 1934. The ground floor of the new building became ready by June 1935. The University of Bombay thereupon, granted the affiliation to the M.T.B. College, for the teaching of the Intermediate Science Course of group B (Chemistry, Physics and Biology) and the B.Sc. Courses (Principal and Subordinate) in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and for B.A. Honors and Pass in Physics and Chemistry.
The opening ceremony of the huge and imposing building of the Science Institute was performed by the Governor of Bombay, His Excellency, the Right Honorable LordeBrabourne, on 19th December 1935. The first floor of the new Science building became ready in April 1936. The Chemistry Department was shifted to the new building from June 1936. In 1938 the University of Bombay granted permanent affiliation to the college for the teaching of science courses in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics up to Intermediate level. On 12th December 1938, the Lady KikabhaiPremchand Library was made open to the students by Sir Roger Lumley, His Excellency, and the Governor of Bombay.
In 1943 Botany was introduced as one of the subsidiary subjects at the B.Sc. level with a view to developing the Biology section. However, its aim could not be realized till 1959 when a separate Biology Bhavan was built for the purpose of expansion.
The Chemistry Department of the Institute made a record progress. In 1952 Prof. Dr. C. M. Desai was recognized as a guide for the Ph. D. students and under his able guidance, the Department made notable research work. Several students obtained their M.Sc., M.Phil. And Ph.D. degrees by doing research in Organic, Inorganic, Physical and Oil Chemistry. The research work was highly praised by the foreign professors, the Government of India and Gujarat University and as a result of this; several financial grants were given to research students of the Science Institute. Dr. C. M. Desai was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, London and Dr. Miss H. J. Kazi was made an associate. On 5th July 1959, the Biology building was inaugurated by Shri Hitendra K. Desai, the Minister of Education, Bombay state. In June 1960 the Society bifurcated the M.T.B. College into two Colleges, one exclusively for Arts and other for Science. The Science Institute, which had come into existence in 1935, thus became a separate Science College in 1960, named as the Sarvajanik College of Science. Prof. M.S. Desai was appointed as the first Principal of the Science College.
The Science College, when it started its new journey as an independent college has now grown up into an institution with nearly one thousand undergraduate students. The courses currently offered are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Zoology and Botany as Principal subjects. Besides these the college is recognized for Post-graduate teaching in Nuclear Physics, Organic Chemistry and Botany.
The institute also has started offering certificate courses for the benefit of the students community at large.
The college was awarded the status of “Colleges with Potential for Excellence” for the duration 2016-2021. The college has also been the receipieant of the Rashtirya Uchhtar Siksha Abhyan (RUSA) 2.0 Component 9 Grant to the tune of Rs. 2 Crore. The college has since proven its credentials by securing 5-star rating for two consecutive years in the Gujarat State Institutional Ratings Framework carried out by Government of Gujarat (2020 and 2021). The college secured 2nd rank amongst all the colleges of Gujarat for the GSIRF – 2020 and fifth ranking in the GSIRF-2021.
In order to enhance creativity and support innovation, the college has setup a Student Start up and Innovation Policy Cell with grants from the Government of Gujarat. The institute’s SSIP Committee approved two projects that were funded for Proof of Concept (PoC) and later on both the project was put up for filing of patent under IPR Act of Govt. of India.