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].
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[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) “Chatravasa” 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;
1. 14th May, 1951, vide Notification No. F. 40-5/50-G, 3 dated the 10th May, 1951, Gazette of India, 1951, Part I, sec. 1, Pg. 196.
2. Ins. by Act 60 of 1961, s. 2 (w.e.f. 19-12-1961).
3. Subs. by Act 31 of 1984, s. 3, for section 3 (w.e.f. 8-8-1984).
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(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.]