Visva-Bharati Act, 1951
No: 29 Dated: May, 09 1951
THE VISVA-BHARATI ACT, 1951
ACT NO. 29 OF 1951
An Act to declare the institution known as “Visva-Bharati” to be an institution of national importance and to provide for its functioning as a unitary teaching and residential university.
BE it enacted by Parliament as follows:—
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Visva-Bharati Act, 1951.
(2) It shall come into force on such date1 as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
2. Declaration of Visva-Bharati as an institution of national importance.—Whereas the late Rabindranath Tagore (Thakur) founded an institution known as Visva-Bharati at Santiniketan in the district of Birbhum in West Bengal the objects of which are such as to make the institution one of national importance, it is hereby declared that the institution known as “Visva-Bharati” aforesaid is an institution of national importance 2 [and is as such hereby constituted as a University.
3. Definitions.—In this Act, and in all Statutes made hereunder, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a) “academic staff” means such categories of staff as are designated as academic staff by the statutes;
(b) “Acharya (Chancellor)” and “Upacharya (Vice- Chancellor)” mean, respectively, the Acharya (Chancellor) and the Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor) of the University;
(c) “adhyapaka” includes a Professor, Reader, Lecturer and any other person engaged in imparting instruction in relation to any learning process and designated as an adhyapaka by the Ordinances;
(d) “Alumni Association” means the Association of the Alumni of the University, constituted under the provisions of this Act and the Statutes;
(e) “approved institution” means an institution (not being an institution maintained by the University) of higher learning or studies approved by the University;
(f) “Bhavana” means an academic institution maintained by the University and named as such;
(g) “campus” means a unit established or constituted by the University for imparting instruction or supervising research, or both;
(h) “Chatravaso” means a unit of residence, or of corporate life, for the students of the University provided, maintained or recognised by the University;
(i) “Department” means a Department of Studies and includes a centre of studies established by, or under, the Statutes;
(j) “employee of the University” means any person appointed by the University or any Institution, and includes an employee of a Bhavana;
(k) “Institute Board” means a Board constituted by the University for the management of an Institute;
(l) “Institution” means an institution maintained by the University;
(m) “Karma-Samiti (Executive Council)” means the Karma-Samiti (Executive Council) of the University;
(n) “Patha-Samiti (Board of Studies)” means a Board constituted by the University for the regulation of studies;
(o) “prescribed” means prescribed by the Statutes, Ordinances or Regulations;
(p) “Samsad (Court)” means the Samsad (Court) of the University;
(q) “Siksha-Samiti (Academic Council)” means the Siksha-Samiti (Academic council) of the University;
(r) “Statutes”, “Ordinances” and “Regulations” mean, respectively, such Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the University as are for the time being in force;
(s) “University” means the institution known as Visva- Bharati and incorporated as a University under this Act.
THE UNIVERSITY
4. Incorporation.—The first Acharya (Chancellor) and Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor) of the University who shall be the persons appointed in this behalf by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette, and the first members of the Samsad (Court) and all persons, who may hereafter become or be appointed as such officers or members, so long as they continue to hold such office or membership, are hereby constituted a body corporate [as a unitary, teaching and residential University] by the name of Visva-Bharati, and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal, and shall sue and be sued by that name.