• To meet the scholarly needs of our students and to orient them in developing general insights to understand the nature of society and the relevance of human existence.
• To accomplish students with competence and confidence in facing the manifold challenges of the contemporary world, shaping their own future by genuinely contributing and expanding diverse communities with truth and verity.

• To provide an apt learning environment equipped with a fitting course curriculum that help students endure cultural diversity and admire human society with all its complexities.
• To develop a symbiotic relationship between teachers and students through an appropriate teaching –learning mechanism in a way that can reasonably gel well with the coherent thinking of the world at large.

At UG level, the total sanctioned posts are 09   of which 04 Teaching, 02 Lab Assistants, 02 Lab Attendants and a peon.  Currently, the department runs with four faculties, one lab assistant and a peon. At the P.G. level, which started from this session only (first batch admission in 2023), formalities for regular appointment of faculties and lab assistants/attendants have been over and classes are started with two guest faculties selected on the basis of walk-in-interview.

The sanctioned strength of students at UG level from 2023-24 is 32 in Hons. and 128 for Anthropology as a subject for Generic elective. At P.G. level the sanctioned student strength is 32.

At both P.G. and UG levels, the Department has adopted two ways of teaching-learning processes such as Class room-based teaching and Fieldwork based teaching cum training method. In classroom teaching learning process, the Department imparts both theoretical and practical teachings using  mostly traditional method of teaching using black/white boards, and chalk duster creating a lively two-ways discussion method, creating personal bonding between teachers and students in a congenial environment. This mostly helps those students who are coming from rural belt and also are also from very poor economic background. To add, smart class teaching using laptops, projectors, provides E-contents, audio-visual systems are part and parcel of teaching-learning system of this department. As an empirical study, Anthropology Department conducts field visits for students under the guidance of faculties and get the students exposed to long-term and short-term field work-based teachings through museum study, census study, NGO study, visiting religious organizations (Anthropology of Religion), and ethnographic studies of different communities and people in villages and slums which is considered as the cornerstone of Anthropological study.

UG

A brief note on Seminars /conferences organized by the Department –

• An International Seminar cum Workshop was organized by P.G Departments of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work on “PEOPLE, CULTURE&LIVING HERITAGE” from 6^th to 8^th August, 2023 in the college premises. The seminar was convened by Prof.Itishree Padhi, HOD, PG dept. of Anthropology and Social Work. The Inaugural ceremony of the seminar was graced by Honorable minister (cabinet), Science and Technology Mr. Ashok Panda and Prof Trilokinath Pandey and Prof Annapurna Pandey and Senior Researcher Brent Horning – all from University of California, Santa Cruz, USA. Prof AB Ota retd. IAS, an alumnus of Anthropology dept. BJB autonomous college was felicitated for his outstanding contribution to anthropology and tribal development on the opening Day of the seminar. While the Valedictory event as graced by eminent personalities like Shri Manoj Misra, Principal Secretary, IT and OSD to Honourable Chief minister of Odisha and Ms. Poonam Guha, CEO, ORMAS, Government of Odisha., Prof Anand Sing from the University of  KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Prof K.M. Hussain, Pro-chancellor, Dhaka University, Bangladesh.  Seven international delegates and twenty-five internationally reputed national speakers participated in four Round Table discussions and 120 papers were presented in 12 technical sessions in these three days international seminar. Brochure and seminar abstract volume with 180 abstracts were released by Honourable guests on dias on the opening ceremony.

The seminar was highly acclaimed intellectually with final round table discussion on Policy, Programme and Role of Civil Society where all delegates shared their highly valuable thoughts and suggestions relevant to the theme of international conference.

• The Department Annual Seminar of was organized on 13^th April2023 with guests Dr.Jay Krushna Panigrahi and Prof. Debendra Biswal discussed on the topic “SOCIAL ACTION IN CLIMATE CHANGE”.

• An Extra-Mural lecture was organized on 6^th March2023 on “Anthropology in Practice” delivered by Prof.P.C Joshi, former V.C Delhi University.

• The Annual students Seminar was held on 25^th March 2023. Final year students from the Department presented papers on different topics allotted to them during Fieldwork. The Seminar was graced by Principal Prof.G.M Khan and HOD of Anthropology, Prof.Itishree Padhi and along with other faculties of Department.

• A National Seminar was jointly organized on 11^th February 2023 on the theme “CORPERATE SOCIAL RESONSIBILITY (CSR) AND TRIBAL WELFARE” by PG Department of Social Work
• and Department of Anthropology where Prof Sabita Acharya, Vice Chancellor, Utkal University and Prof Deepak kumar Behera, Vice chancellor, KISS DU graced the occasion.

• A Seminar was organized on 7^th December 2022 by Department of Anthropology and P.G Department of Social work on the topic “Leadership: the Power of Voluntarism”.

Mr. Sujit Mohapatra, founder of Bakul Foundation delivered speech from his long experience. All the faculties of both Departments along with students were fully involved in this seminar which boosted students for more such interactive talks.

• An international seminar was organized on 7^th March, 2022 in hybrid mode with international guest Dr Daniella Calvo, Italian Anthropologist working in Brazil and Prof Shalina Mehta of Chandigarh University. Both delivered talks on the theme “Break the Bias” convened by Prof Itshree Padhi, HOD Anthropology.
• An international seminar was organized on “Balance for Better” with two delegates from Germany who delivered talk on Women Empowerment on 8^th March, 2019.

• An International seminar was conducted in virtual mode with convener Prof.Itishree Padhi on “Impact of COVID-19 on Working Women” on Feb, 2021. Four overseas delegates and four internationally reputed national delegates vividly discussed the impact of COVID-19 from different angles among which mention may be made of Dr Sanghamitra Pati, Director, ICMR, Bhubaneswar.

Prof. Itishree Padhi (HOD) Anthropology, recognised as a promising Anthropologist and felicitated by Union Cabinet Minister Shri Arjun Munda in the valedictory ceremony of World Anthropology Congress WAC-2023.

Prof. Itishree Padhi (HOD Anthropology)

1.Invited as a Resource person to talk on “Vision in Anthropology” on 12 ^January 2021 organized by United Indian Anthropology Forum (UIAF), India. (Video Streaming)

https://www.anthropologyindiaforum.org

2.Invited as a Resource person and recorded two videos on ‘Kinship Usages’ and ‘Ways of acquiring mates’ Ways in Feb and march, 2020, for on line Refresher course in Tribal Studies for college and university teachers organized by Ministry of HR (now Ministry of Higher Education), Government of India which are streaming successfully.

3.Contributed and edited eight chapters for PG in Anthropology for Odisha State Open University, in March 2021.

 4, Contributed and edited eleven chapters for PG Diploma in Tribal Studies for Odisha State Open University, 2021-22.

5.Blog “SHE….”  on 1^st October 2021 on Gender Parity streaming in UIAF.

https://www.anhropologyindiaforum.org

6. 6. Invited as a Resource person to deliver a talk on “Break The Bias” on 8^th March 2022   organised by United India Anthropogy Forum (UIAF), India.

https://www.anthropologyindiaforum.org

 7.Editorial note for the Digital Magazine “Childhood Matters” by Anthropus India   Foundation -vol-1, Issue-4,2022.https://anthroposindiafoundation.com

8. Four Chapter on “CULTURE “for students of “National School for open Learning”, published by Dept of HR, (now Dept of HE), Government of India.

Dr. Sampriti Panda (Assistant Professor)

1.Resource Person for On Line Refresher Courses for college and university teachers in “Tribal Studies” (recordedvideo) by the Ministry of Human Resource and Development, (Now Dept of Higher Education), Government of India on “Life cycle Rituals” in February,2020.

2.Content writer for E-PG Pathshala, an MHRD Initiative Project under National Mission on Education in three modules in “Tribal Cultures of India” with articles titled “Forest Policies and Tribes”, “Tribal Movements” and “Land Alienation”.

3.Content writer and Resource Person for preparation of study and self-learning material, for “Economic Anthropology” Module for Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur, Odisha.