Vision
The fundamental assumption on which the edifice of the Department of English at the Central University of South Bihar, Gaya is based is that words matter. We deal with words not only in acquiring the fundamental language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing but also in promoting human connection in the community through communication and various such discourses. Our students and faculty engage in a continuing dialogue about what it means to think analytically, critically, and creatively about words, texts and the world through a multitude of diverse perspectives. The syllabus of the various courses offered by the department incorporates suggestions of the NEP, 2020 by striking a fine balance between aesthetic sense and job prospects. The syllabus includes an array of texts both canonical western texts like William Shakespeare’s plays, John Milton’s poetry, and Virginia Woolf’s novels and cult fiction such as D.H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers and regional eastern texts such as K.K. Sinha’s Sanjogita, Songs of Kabir, and Prajwol Prajuly’s The Gurkha Daughter. Therefore, English Studies at the department includes studying traditional courses like “Romantic Literature and Thought” and “Victorian Literature and Thought” in tandem with 5 cutting-edge interdisciplinary courses on “Ecocriticism and Environmental Sustainability,” “Gender, Sexuality and Social change,” “Film and Literature,” and “Indian Intellectual Traditions” for extensive exposure to different genres and disciplines. Moreover, there is an emphasis on Indian regional literature in English translation as well as on Contemporary World Literature in English translation. Our aim is to be internationally literate while also taking cognizance of our rootedness in India. The wide range of courses offered as part of the English programmes at the department prepare the students for a variety of careers in higher education, teaching at school level, publishing, content designing, advertising, business and in any field that requires an alert mind able to navigate across borders. Besides shepherding the next generation of critical thinkers into diverse career paths, the department also creates exponential change by preparing engaged and effective educators for tomorrow’s diverse classrooms. The faculty and research scholars of the department endeavour to participate in and contribute to the wider community of scholarship, research and pedagogical theory and practice in the disciplines of literary and cultural studies; environmental humanities, disability studies, memory studies, diaspora studies, gender studies, minority studies, English Language Teaching and linguistics.
Mission
The department wishes to grow further as a diverse and socially responsible learning centre known for its high-quality scholarship and the highest standards of excellence in teaching, research and creative expression. The department’s core values include a commitment to:
- Perpetuate the belief that the culture of reason and learning is inseparable from a concern for the world beyond the university premises
- Generate new knowledge through a broad array of scholarly, research and creative endeavours, which provide a foundation for dealing with the immediate and long-term needs of society
- Offer broad and balanced academic programs that are mutually reinforcing and emphasize high quality at postgraduate, doctoral and professional levels
- Equip the students with the necessary knowledge and skills in English language and literature for becoming better professionals
- Inculcate aesthetic sense and human values among the students
- Identify hidden talents and provide opportunities for students to realize their full potential and thus shape them into future academicians, leaders, entrepreneurs and above all good human beings
- Advanced learning as a humanizing social practice rather than as a competitive exercise
- Abide by the principles that do not discriminate based on religion, caste, gender and economic status
