Kolkata: State-run Behala College, affiliated with the University of Calcutta, has been granted autonomous status, allowing it to independently manage academic affairs for a period of 10 years, varsity officials said on Wednesday.

The University of Calcutta issued a letter to the college administration on Monday, conferring the autonomous status from the academic year 2025-26 to 2034-35.

According to a college official, Behala College is the only non-religious, non-minority, state-aided institution in West Bengal to have been granted autonomy.

“University of Calcutta is hereby pleased to confer the status of an autonomous college under this university in favour of Behala College for a period of 10 years from the academic year 2025-26 to 2034-2035,” read the letter signed by registrar Debasis Das and addressed to Principal Sharmila Mitra.

The decision followed a recommendation by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on July 2, which advised granting autonomy to the college.

Principal Sharmila Mitra said the college will introduce postgraduate courses in five new subjects — English, cybersecurity and digital forensics, geo-informatics, applied microbiology, and data science and analytics — starting from August.

These will be in addition to the four existing postgraduate courses in chemistry, mathematics, Bengali, and history, bringing the total to nine PG subjects to be independently offered by the institution.

Established in 1963, Behala College currently has over 2,000 students and was recently awarded an A++ NAAC rating — the highest rating conferred by the UGC.

Among other prominent autonomous colleges in West Bengal are St. Xavier's College, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira (Belur), and Scottish Church College.