Ramakrishna Mission Narendrapur Residential College (Autonomous) on Friday inaugurated an undergraduate science laboratory for its new life science department.
The research lab, developed at a cost of ₹75 lakh, was thrown open to the 11 students enrolled in the course this year.
Principal Swami Ekachittananda said: “Studying science without the exposure to a well-equipped laboratory does not make sense. The more students work in the lab, the more it will generate a scientific temper. Besides, the four-year undergraduate programme has a strong research component. So we want to push students towards research.”
Teacher Uttam Maji spoke about the importance of the laboratory in teaching science.
“Science teaching cannot be just theory-based. It has to be combined with lab-based education to make it more interesting for the students,” he said.
Of the ₹75 lakh that was used to build the laboratory, IDBI Bank donated ₹51 lakh. The rest came from former students.
The college, which last year appealed to its former students to build the facilities required to run the four-year undergraduate programme, welcomed the CSR initiative.
Swami Shastrajnananda, secretary, Ramakrishna Mission, who attended the inauguration ceremony, said in his introductory address that the college in Narendrapur had consistently produced students and researchers.
“So, the institution has an obligation to equip them with the best possible faculty members and facilities to take their academic journey further,” he said.
In July 2024, the principal appealed to alumni for help to develop artificial intelligence and zoology laboratories and maintain and renovate the college buildings.
The first lab of the bio science wing opened in June 2025.
“The laboratory that was opened in June, built at a cost of ₹30 lakh, was funded by the CSR initiative of a Hyderabad-based company and alumni and well-wishers. Given the funds crunch and the challenges of running the four-year programme, we have to rely on CSR initiatives increasingly,” Swami Ekachittananda said.