The department has been running since 1980 being the first Post Graduate programme of this college offering Master Degree of Life Science. The course is so designed and revised from time to time keeping the students’ theoretical and practical knowledge in mind while their future career prospects in academy and research as well. There is a four semester system of examination along with regular internal evaluation. At present the course has a seat strength of 16( 8 each for Plant and Animal Science branches). In addition to the regular classroom teaching, Special Seminars and Guest Lectures on various related topics are conducted regularly for student’s knowledge expansion in a broader sense. Regular weekly seminars are conducted for the students for their overall skill development. In addition to this the faculty member of this department received fund from various extramural funding agency (Department Of Biotechnology, Govt. Of India, UGC).Several students of this department have qualified various entrance examinations as well as in different State and national level competitive examinations.

The Department provides following laboratory facilities:

• Students ’ Light Microscopes
• Binocular Research Microscopes
• Inverted Biological Microscope
• Laminar Airflow Cabinet
• Tissue Culture Rack
• Low(-20 0C) Fridge
• Photoelectric Colorimeter
• Centrifuge
• Electrophoresis Units
• Inoculation Chamber
• Colony Counter
• Autoclave, Hot Oven
• Electronic Digital Balance

Expertise Available at present in the Department:

• Mass scale propagation of elite and improved varieties of several medicinal aromatic plants of economic importance like, Cinnamomum, Hemidesmus and Cymbopogon.
• Methods for regulating the instability of culture-grown tissues, thereby developing relatively stable regenerants.
• Genetic improvement of aromatic and medicinal plants through induction of somaclonal variation and mutation (using chemical mutagens like EMS, NG & Cochicin).
• In-vitro induction of salt tolerance (NaCl & sea water) and generation of high (up to 300 mM NaCl & 40% v/v sea water) salt adapted callus lines and re-generants tested for net house and multi-locational on field soil salinity tolerance trials in Cymbopogon sps.
• Establishment of stable embryonic cell suspension cultures in Cymbopogon.
• Standard protocol formulations for artificial seed synthesis and their in-vivo & in vitro germination in Hemidesmus and Cymbopogon.
• Extraction of cinnamon oil through hydro distillation of nodal explants- generated callus Cinnamomum zeylanicum
• Study of genetic diversity using different molecular markers (RAPD, ISSR, AFLP etc.).
• Assessment of stability of tissue culture plants through analysis of chromosome number and nuclear DNA content.