A legacy of teaching, fieldwork and research in animal sciences — from a Joint Department of Biology in 1966 to a full Postgraduate Department today.
An introduction to our history, our teaching philosophy, and the scholarly tradition we work within.
The PG Department of Zoology was established as part of the Joint Department of Biology in 1966 and was later bifurcated in 1972–73 to cater to pre-medical and B.Sc. (Medical) courses. It was upgraded to a postgraduate department in the academic session 2014–15 and holds permanent affiliation with Panjab University, Chandigarh. The Department is strengthened by a dedicated team of highly qualified and experienced faculty members (04 Permanent and 03 Contractual), who contribute significantly to teaching, mentoring and academic development. It ensures quality education, academic guidance and a strong foundation for student success.
The teachers use a variety of effective teaching methods to enhance student learning, including overhead projectors, smart boards, bio-visual charts and 3D models to make concepts more engaging and interactive. Faculty members also use PowerPoint presentations and share educational resources such as YouTube videos and virtual labs to support digital learning. Alongside these modern tools, traditional methods like the talk-and-chalkboard approach continue to provide a strong conceptual foundation. Platforms like Google Classroom facilitate communication, share study materials and promote continuous learning beyond the classroom. The department is well-equipped with a richly exhibited museum and laboratories with all the instruments, which enhance practical learning and skill development.
As per NEP 2020 guidelines, the department follows a multidisciplinary approach for the undergraduate course, comprising Discipline Specific Courses (DSC), Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) and Value-Added Courses (VAC). For postgraduate students, the department offers a wide range of subjects such as Developmental Biology, Structure and Functions of Invertebrates, Biosystematics, Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics, Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, Advances in Fish & Fisheries, Ecology & Animal Behaviour, and Advances in Entomology. Apart from the theoretical and laboratory experiences, students are also provided with academic excursions and field visits to sophisticated instrumentation labs, university libraries, fish farms, apiaries and more.
The Department is led by a team of dynamic faculty members with doctoral qualifications; it has consistently secured top positions in the topper lists of Panjab University examinations, and its students have achieved top ranks in prestigious National-level competitive exams such as UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, GATE and ICMR. Since the establishment of the PG Department, 57 individual achievements have been recorded with 39 students qualifying these competitive exams (some students qualifying multiple exams).
Educators and researchers who shape the academic life of the department.
Seven faculty members — four permanent and three contractual — with doctoral qualifications in entomology, parasitology, animal behaviour, animal physiology and molecular ecology. Click any card to view a full profile.
Undergraduate, postgraduate and add-on courses offered by the department.
Two-year postgraduate programme covering a wide range of specialisations including Developmental Biology, Structure and Functions of Invertebrates, Biosystematics, Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics, Research Methodology and Scientific Writing, Advances in Fish & Fisheries, Ecology & Animal Behaviour, and Advances in Entomology. Apart from theoretical and laboratory experiences, students are also provided with academic excursions and field visits to sophisticated instrumentation labs, university libraries, fish farms and apiaries.
NEP 2020-aligned undergraduate honours programme with a flexible and holistic curriculum comprising Discipline Specific Courses (DSC), Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) and Value-Added Courses (VAC). The curriculum covers animal diversity, physiology, cell biology, molecular biology, ecology and applied zoology with extensive laboratory and museum-based learning.
Zoology offered as a core subject within the B.Sc. (Medical) programme alongside Botany and Chemistry. Strong laboratory components support training in invertebrate and chordate zoology, cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Lectures, seminars, workshops, field trips and student-led work that extend learning beyond the classroom.
One-day workshop on Oct 11, 2025 with PG Department of Biotechnology and the Microbiologists Society of India (MBSI), Chandigarh Unit. Included a Buttermilk Campaign and Inter-College competitions on Eco-Rangoli, Fermented Food Product Stall, Reel Making, Ad Mad Show and Digital Poster Making. Resource Person: Dr Swaranjit Singh, Chairman, ‘Drink Buttermilk, Live Healthy’ Campaign. 49 students and 19 faculty attended.
Online workshop on Feb 06, 2026 in association with Prof Puran Singh Science Society and Dharat Suhavi Environment Society, sponsored by DST Chandigarh. Resource Person: Prof Anindita Bhadra, Department of Biological Sciences, IISER Kolkata. Educated students on behavioural responses of street dogs to food cues and human interactions, including mother-pup interactions during weaning. 30 students and 13 faculty attended.
Online Inter-College Wildlife Photography, Videography and Poster Making Competition on the theme ‘Embrace the Beauty of Wildlife’ (Feb 24 – Mar 05, 2026), with Prof Puran Singh Science Society and Institution’s Innovation Council. Sponsored by DST Chandigarh. Around 79 students from various colleges of the Tricity area and Punjab participated, with cash prizes and e-certificates awarded.
One-day workshop on Apiculture to commemorate National Bee Day, sponsored by DST Chandigarh (Feb 22, 2025). Resource Person: Dr Neelima R Kumar, Professor (Retd), Department of Zoology, Panjab University. Demonstrated the importance of honey bees in agriculture and biodiversity and explored the Langstroth Hive Model. 64 students and 7 faculty attended.
One-day workshop on Jan 28, 2025 to commemorate International Microorganism Day, with PG Department of Biotechnology and Microbiologists Society of India (MBSI). Included Inter-College competitions on Poster Presentation and Stone Scape (Rock Art). Resource Person: Mrs Shelly Sharma, State President, MBSI Chandigarh. 55 students and 22 faculty attended.
One-day workshop on Mar 25, 2025. Resource Person: Dr Yogesh Kumar Rawal, Professor, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh. Taught students about identification and classification of commercially important fish, morphometric and meristic methods, mono and composite fish culture and the significance of fish cataloguing in museum development. 62 students and 6 faculty attended.
Expert lecture on Aug 22, 2024 to commemorate National Bee Day. Resource Person: Dr Ranjeet Kaur, Programme Officer, EIACP-Hub (Punjab), Punjab State Council of Science and Technology (PSCST), Chandigarh. Sensitised students on the importance of honey bees, protection of pollinators and Mission LiFE-related Government Schemes for start-up industries and bee-keeping. 45 students and 7 faculty attended.
Unleash your Visual Storyteller Inter-College Infographic Making Competition (Mar 02–15, 2025) to commemorate World Wildlife Day, and the Online Wildlife Photography Contest (Mar 10–20, 2025) to commemorate Indian Wildlife Week. Both organised with Prof Puran Singh Science Society and sponsored by DST Chandigarh.
Awards, recognitions, funded projects and milestones earned by faculty and students.
Since the establishment of the PG Department of Zoology, 57 individual competitive-exam achievements have been recorded with 39 students qualifying national-level competitive exams (some students qualifying multiple papers or exams). Qualifications include UGC-JRF, CSIR-JRF, LS-NET, GATE, ICMR-JRF and INSPIRE Fellowship across the academic sessions 2015–2026.
Diksha (M.Sc. Zoology II, 2021–22 batch) qualified UGC-JRF + LS-NET with an impressive All India Rank 33 in June 2024. Sunil Phogat (2019–20 batch) qualified UGC-JRF + LS-NET with AIR 90. Kaviraj Tanwar (2018–19 batch) qualified CSIR-JRF + LS-NET with AIR 208.
Salyce Burman (M.Sc. Zoology II, 2023–24 batch) cleared GATE 2025. Seema Rani (2024–25 batch) cleared GATE 2026 in two papers — Life Sciences and Ecology & Evolution.
Prachi Devi (M.Sc. Zoology, 2023–2025 batch) consistently secured top positions: 5th in Sem II (May 2024), 3rd in Sem III (Dec 2024), 5th in Sem IV (May 2025). Sanjana Thakur (M.Sc. Zoology, 2024–26) secured 1st position in Sem I (Dec 2024) and 1st position in Sem II (May 2025).
Notable PU position holders include Payal Thakur — 1st in M.Sc. Sem II (2021–22), Bhawna Sharma — 2nd in Sem III (2020–21), Rajat Kumar Sabharwal — 3rd in Sem I (2018–19), Ayushi Walia — 4th in Sem II (2021–22), Disha Chauhan — 5th in Sem I (2017–18), Sandeep Negi, Shahina Raushan Saikh, Sonam, Chetna Bandral and many others across semesters.
Notable competition qualifiers include Sonam Deshwani (UGC-JRF, AIR 12, Dec 2018), Dimple Goel (CSIR-JRF, AIR 15, Jun 2019), Shahina Raushan Saikh (LS AIR 24 + INSPIRE Fellowship 2019), Sofia Singh (UGC-JRF, AIR 29), Nisha (LS, AIR 23), Disha Chauhan (CSIR-JRF, AIR 34), Tanshi Mehrotra (ICMR-JRF, July 2019) and many more.
Dr Ruchira Sen has secured the ANRF-Advance Research Grant (₹ 99.24 lakhs, 2026–2029) as Co-PI and previously the SERB-Core Research Grant (₹ 39.19 lakhs, 2022–2025) as PI — substantial extramural funding for behavioural and microbial ecology research at the College.
Diksha Maurya (M.Sc. Zoology II) secured 1st position in the Inter-College Poster Making Competition under Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (Feb 2025) and was an Outstanding Speaker at the Global Youth Conclave. Mansi Chauhan was felicitated by SGGS College on Start-up Day (Jan 16, 2025) for her spirit of entrepreneurship and community-centred vision. Amey Chauhan and Sehajpreet Kaur won the Best Poster Award at the National Symposium on Bioprospection for Sustainable Healthcare, Panjab University (Mar 18, 2026).
Dr Ruchira Sen co-authored a paper in Science — Fungus-farming termites can protect their crop by confining weeds with fungistatic soil boluses — published in volume 389 (2025).
Faculty representations on university and external academic bodies, editorial boards and professional societies.
Two-term Senate Fellow (2016–2020 and 2020–2024), Syndicate Member (2018) and Dean, Faculty of Design & Fine Arts, Panjab University (2018–2019). Also serves on the Standing Committee and College Development Council, Panjab University (2019–2027), and as Chairman of the UMC Committee (2023).
Member of the PG Board of Studies in Zoology, Panjab University (2019–2021, 2023–2025) and the UG Board of Studies in Zoology (2011–2017, 2023–2027). Also serves on Boards of Studies in Environmental Science & Solid Waste Management, Forensic Science & Criminology, Botany and Public Health at Panjab University.
Editorial Board Member of Microbial Ecology (Springer Nature) and Editor of a special volume on Insect Microbiome. Elected Fellow and Life Member of the Entomological Society of India, Life Member of the Microbiologist’s Society of India and Member of the Microbiological Society of America.
Serves as NSS Programme Officer at SGGS College (2021–2026) and Coordinator of the Baal Sarathi Club (2025–26). Has organised 13 camps and participated in 11 orientation/refresher/training programmes.
Reviewer for an international Springer journal. Member of the European Association of Forensic Entomology (EAFE), the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and the Association of Entomologists, Patiala.
Faculty actively supervising doctoral and pre-doctoral research scholars.
Currently supervising 1 Ph.D. student (Mr Depak Nain — DST INSPIRE Fellow, 2021–present), 1 JRF (Ms Iva Patyal under SERB CRG-2021/007010) and 1 MS student (Ms Arpita Nath). Research focuses on behavioural and microbial ecology of paper wasps, termites and parasitoid wasps.
Guided M.Sc. and M.Phil. students in research work at the Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology & Environmental Sciences, Punjabi University, Patiala. First person in Punjab to standardise molecular techniques of 18s rDNA on fish parasites (Myxozoan).
Laboratories, classrooms, libraries and learning resources that support our academic work.
Equipped with microscopes, models, instruments and prepared specimens for undergraduate practical work in animal diversity, physiology, cell biology, ecology and evolution.
Used for postgraduate dissertation work and research projects on developmental biology, biosystematics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, advances in fish and fisheries, and advances in entomology.
A teaching museum of preserved animal specimens used in invertebrate and chordate zoology, taxonomy and morphology classes — complementing classroom teaching with hands-on specimen study.
Smart boards, overhead projectors, bio-visual charts and 3D models support engaging and interactive concept-based learning. Google Classroom enables digital communication, distribution of study material and continuous learning beyond the classroom.
Reference collection of textbooks, monographs and journals supporting teaching and research across all branches of zoology covered in the UG and PG curriculum.
Regular academic excursions and field visits to sophisticated instrumentation laboratories (CIL, SAIF), university libraries, fish farms, apiaries, museums and zoos. Recent visits include Govt Fish Seed Farm Fagan Majra, Chhatbir Zoo, Global Apiaries Dera Bassi, ICAR-Directorate of Mushroom Research and the SRK Chopra Museum of Man.
Papers, books, chapters and research projects authored by faculty. Click any entry to open the full PDF.
Office, email, phone, and Head-of-Department details.
