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    Politics of tribal development : organizing adivasi movements in Dooars and Terai region of North Bengal since 2007
    (University of North Bengal, 2023) Roy, Purnima; De, Soumitra
    The term ‘Adivasi’ is derived from the Hindi language and is used to refer to the indigenous peoples of India. The term is broadly used to refer to a range of tribal peoples, such as the Santals, Mundas, Oraons, and other related peoples. The Dooars and Terai region of North Bengal is home to a large number of Adivasi peoples. The Adivasis came in this region through the colonial tea plantation and eventually settled here but gradually they became outnumbered by other immigrants as days went by. They have been marginalized and excluded from traditional power structures due to their poor economic and social status. Historically, the Adivasi communities of this region have faced extreme forms of oppression, exploitation, and discrimination. The growing sickness of tea gardens forced many, particularly the menfolk, to migrate to other states in search of other occupations making this area a point in the chain of trafficking. Lack of education and employment combined with forces of cultural assimilation and political marginalization made them look for remedy, first through NGO formation, and finally as an important sub regional political player. Our study, spread over three tribal blocks, involving both field survey with structured questions and intensive interviews of leaders, has helped understanding the Adivasi Movement represented by ABAVP as having a political context and also the consequences. The ABAVP started as a NGO in Dooars and Terai, but gradually it changed the nature of movement for the tribal people in this area. Instead of just voicing demands it emerged as a political player and negotiated with the political parties. The tribal leaders while leading the movements tried to capture the power and when the leaders achieved their goal the movement lost its militancy. The educated tribal leadership steered the movement through controlling organization. Though the ordinary tribal population participated in the movement they did not have must organizational representation. The resurgence of the Gorkhaland Movement from 2007 end onwards brought the plantations tribals of Dooars and Terai into the thick of state politics but it also made a section of tribal leaders alive to the grim threat that political splits along party line in practice meant that they must be marginalized in terms of the socio-cultural, ethnic, economic and political fronts. In these background, a very interesting shift in the region's politicsstarted taking shape after the formation of ABAVP as an NGO. During current political regime in West Bengal the tribal movement as led by ABAVP is largely institutionalized in the sense that the leaders initially sided with the movement for Gorkhaland but eventually got divided for and against the inclusion of tribal mauzas under Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. Some leaders of ABAVP have got some avenues of power through Tribal Development Board and many of the demands have been fulfilled. The movement is now institutionalized in the sense that they have taken a political turn, some aligning with regional/national parties. The research work highlighted that the economic and education condition of the people in this society are very poor. Most of the Adivasi people in Dooars and Terai live as tea garden workers. The research survey also observed that the maximum number of tribal people are fully dependent on the tea garden and live in tea garden areas of the garden quarters. It is also revealed from the study that education is important determinant for establishing a responsible and conducive healthcare regime in the region. The study shows that the Adivasi people in this region are highly illiterate. It has also been noticed during survey in different blocks that Adivasi people are not informed and updated about the govt. policies and programmes which have been implemented by the govt. ABAVP as an organization has also been subordinate to the national level and state level leadership and common local tribal population do not hold any significant position. They are not getting a chance to contest an election as a candidate; they are used as a crowd by the other leaders. Most of the Adivasis people are guided by the local leaders, and the leaders decide whom to cast their vote to, and sometimes it is done forcefully. The NGO movement in Dooars and Terai reveals a dichotomy, a contrast between groups pursuing identity-based politics and those engaged in constructive development. In this sense, the NGO provides a platform to respond to developmental needs and political assertions of the tribal front in the Dooars and Terai plantation sectors. The new leaders of ABAVP have been trying to emphasize developmental activism in place of advocacy for political activities. Nevertheless,there is a lack of clarity among the tribal people about aspects of conservation of tribal tradition and forces of assimilation, something that may be the price for political institutionalization of a tribal movement in democratic process.
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    Finances of Panchayats in North Bengal : a study of Jalpaiguri district (1974-77)
    (University of North Bengal, 1983) Bandyopadhyay, Nandadulal; Bhattacharya, S. N.
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    Gender Gap in Higher Education : A Study of Student Community in the Higher Educational Institutes of North Bengal
    (University of North Bengal, 2023) Chowdhury, Srashta; Rohatgi, Sushma
    Gender Gap in Higher Education: A Study of Student Community in the Higher Educational Institutes of North Bengal Gender Gap defines the difference or disparity between the sexes. In education gender gap refers predominantly to the less representation of either the female or male from the education system, a situation that requires intervention as well as rectification. Gender and sex are used interchangeably in education research, especially in Higher education where male and female is used to denote man and woman. However, this needs to be identified, as sex assigned at birth and gender identity of people are not the same always. In undertaking explorations regarding the large and complex gamut of issues under the rubric of gender and education in India, the location of the educational institutions, the class, caste, religion of students, teacher student relationship would necessarily have to be taken into account. The higher educational spaces play a predominant role in identity formation of individuals, where they find a voice of equality, having spent substantial amount of time in these spaces. Being of a certain gender holds broader meaning, with cultural concepts of masculinity and femininity coming into play. Gender is deeply cultural, like race, it is a social construction with real consequences, particularly for those who do not conform to gender binaries. It refers to the continuum of complex psychosocial self-perceptions, attitudes, and expectations people have about members of both sexes. Gender is understood as a concept that implies masculine, feminine and other gender identities which is achieved by every individual. Gender is taught and learned by the individual as a member of the society with different cultural settings. The enrolment of female students in the HEI of North Bengal is more than that of the male students, but they fall behind in representation of the work force. So, the study quantifies the perceptions of the students attending the different HEIs of North Bengal, regarding gender, the factors that determine the choice of HEI and the awareness of the students about the different government initiatives and schemes. The objectives fulfilled in the study are to analyse the location of various types of higher educational institutions present in the study area, to examine the factors that play important role in choice of higher educational institutes by students, analysis of the trend in enrolment status of students in higher educational institutions in different streams if education and their choice of subject depending on the gender of students, existence of gender stereotypes and gender roles in the higher educational spaces and awareness of the students about the government welfare schemes in higher education. The study is based on both secondary and primary sources of data. The colleges have been selected using Multi Stage Sampling Method and the 586 students have been surveyed from the 36 colleges at random. 10 students from the LGBTQ community have been surveyed with the help of a separate questionnaire to understand the problems they face in the HEIs. All the universities and female colleges were visited for the study and documentation. The methodologies used in the study are: Chi – square test, Phi – coefficient, Spearman’s Rank Correlation, Point Biseral Correlation, t- test, Chronbach’s Alpha and percentage analysis. HEIs from all the six districts (as per Census 2011) has been covered in the study. There are five hypotheses proved in the study. Major findings of the study area are that: In the study area there are 150 rural colleges in the region and only 52 urban colleges. The maximum number of rural colleges are located in the district of Malda, 41 colleges, followed by Uttar Dinajpur which has 24 rural colleges and Dakshin Dinajpur, with 23 rural HEIs. Despite the rural – urban distribution of colleges, excellence in HE remains in pockets, the old HEI are still preferred by the students who score well in their examination like ABN Seal College, Siliguri College, AC College and the likes. The location and the number of HEIs are disadvantageous in the study areas unlike the southern districts of West Bengal. North Bengal has low density of HEI. There are only 10 HEI/1000 sq. km. in North Bengal compared to 18 HEI/1000 sq.km in southern Bengal. In North Bengal only Darjiling district has 16 HEI/1000 sq.km. which is equal to and more than the state and national average value respectively. The reason behind this could be the influence of the British in this district. Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda has 12 HEI/ 1000 sq.km. and most of the HEIs are B.Ed. colleges, which has been repeatedly discussed throughout the chapter. In North Bengal the overall LQ is less than unity which means that there is low concentration of universities in the region and the total number of universities in the region are highly dispersed. In the six districts of North Bengal, Darjiling and Malda district has low concentration (L.Q. value less than unity) and the highest concentration is in Koch Bihar. The degree colleges also have very low concentration in North Bengal and are highly dispersed.The highest concentration of degree colleges in North Bengal is in the district of Koch Bihar which is 1.23, followed by Darjiling district, 1.15 . Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur and Uttar Dinajpur which have a smaller number of General Degree colleges (shown and discussed in Table 3.12) have high concentration of teachers’ training HEIs. The L.Q. value of the both the districts are more than unity which are 2.94, 2.38 and 3.05 respectively. As the overall concentration in the northern region is high Jalpaiguri, Koch Bihar also has high concentration of such HEIs except Darjiling district which has the TT HEIs dispersed and have low concentration. In the study area all the existing universities are State Public University. There is no Central University, Institute of National Importance and Private University in the study area. North Bengal has 5 existing universities, there are new universities functional in the districts Dakshin Dinajpur, Alipurduar, Darjiling and Jalpaiguri districts, but these universities do not have exclusive campuses and share infrastructure with local degree colleges. Despite the number of HEIs in the study none of the institutes are placed in the NIRF ranking. North Bengal University falls in the rank band 150 – 200. Very few colleges in rural North Bengal have science subjects taught in the HEIs, with the exception being Darjiling (the educationally developed district of North Bengal). In Koch Bihar district only Mathabhanga College and Sitalkhuchi College offer science courses. None of the colleges in rural Koch Bihar offer commerce courses of study. In rural Jalpaiguri, Maynaguri College is the sole institute that offers science. Darjeeling Government College, in rural Darjiling, which was established in 1948 offers a course of study in all the three streams of study. Darjiling district is an exception as both the rural and urban colleges are old and offer science and commerce subjects along with arts and social science. The urban colleges are however different from the rural colleges where almost all the colleges provide all three stream courses of study. Some colleges even have infrastructure to offer master’s degree courses like A.B.N. Seal College, Koch Bihar College, Balurghat College, Malda College, Alipurduar College (now University), Siliguri College. The courses offered also depend on the surrounding areas it caters to, like Dr. Meghnad Saha College which draws students from Malda, Dakshin Dinajpur and Uttar Dinajpur offers science subjects for the students. Same is seen in Islampur College which is located near to Darjiling district so has students who enroll themselves from the surrounding rural areas of Darjiling district and Kishanganj district of Bihar. The female students are more in number in the HEI of the study area but when looked at the work participation in the HEI, the number of male teachers is more compared to the female. Enrolment of female students is more in the subjects that fall under the category of arts and social science. Out of the total 202 HEIs in North Bengal 45.05 percent of the colleges have a playground which is absent in 7.92 percent colleges. majority of the colleges do not have health care centers which should be one the necessary infrastructural facility available in the HEIs, 86.15 percent colleges do not have a health center. The students and the institutions are supported by the first aid boxes in case of any medical emergency. Most of these physical set – up is missing in the colleges of North Bengal. 57.43 percent of the colleges do not have common room for students, in Shree Agrasen College (North Dinajpur) the library reading room is used as a common room by the students. 67.82 percent colleges do not have a computer center, and in some colleges where it is present the computers are not functional for the use of students. 51. 98 percent colleges do not have separate common room for girls and separate toilet for girls. The students who study in the all women colleges, the choice of institute was either made by the parents for safety reasons. The educational spaces for the students are secure places away from home with people who can be called their peer. The students who were surveyed spend quality time in the HEIs, 22.12 percent females spend 5 – 7 hours in the HEI space and 25.63 percent males spend similar amount of time in the institute. None of the students during the survey had opted for the Student’s Credit Card Scheme. The female students do not want to avail money from the scheme because they do not know if they can repay the loan. This is linked with the social constraint of WHO WOULD HELP THEM REPAY? They might get married and the liability may dwindle as to who will pay the loan later. The study depicts the gender representation of students in higher education institutions (HEIs) in North Bengal, the various factors that influence college selection, the gender perspectives of students, and the existing gender norms. The examination of the various programmes offered by the central and state governments has also been conducted. The study demonstrates that despite the significant number of female students enrolled in the HEI in the study area, it is substantially segregated based on course selection. There is a continuous process of addressing gender in the HES of the study field, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
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    Assessing potential tourist destinations in North Bengal : A tourism revival strategic planning
    (University of North Bengal, 2023) Mallick, Sanmoy; Mitra, Debabrata; Ghosh, Amlan
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    Study on the nutritional assessment of rajbanshi adult women of North Bengal
    (University of North Bengal, 2022) Sinha, Ishita; Khatun, Argina
    Introduction: Nutrition is the process of taking in food and using it for growth, metabolism and repair. Through the process of nutrition a living organism are enable them to maintain, grow and to reproduce. To meet physiological requirements and functions, the human body needs appropriate nourishment from a well-balanced diet. Unhealthy eating habits can result in a lack of micronutrients (undernutrition) or excessive calorie consumption (causes overnutrition). Undernutrition and overnutrition are becoming major public health concerns in developing nations such as India. As a result, nutritional status is now widely acknowledged as a key indication of an individual's health, and the World Health Organization (WHO) considers that the ultimate goal of nutritional evaluations is to improve human health. Nutritional status is beneficial to overall health. The prevalence of under-nutrition along with regional adiposity is known to cause ailments such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in both developed and developing countries. India is no different; due to the country's vast population and extensive poverty, the most of its citizens are malnourished and underprivileged. One of the major groups of the country that remain nutritionally vulnerable is women, both among tribal and non-tribal populations. The double burden of malnutrition leads to nutritionrelated difficulties and a variety of diseases, as well as a reduction in immunity. Undernutrition and overnutrition affect body function, resulting in low weight, growth retardation, a weakened immune system, which leads to an increase in infections, the emergence of chronic diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease), and mental health problems. Females are more likely to be underweight than their male partners due to biological and behavioral factors. Infertility, abortion, premature birth, and neonatal mortality are all problems that women with insufficient nutrition face. The nutritional status of a woman has a significant impact on her health, as well as the health of her children and family. To improve maternal and child heath as well as the nutritional status of overall population, it is important to evaluate the nutritional status of adult women. Keeping the above-issues in mind, the present study aims to assess the nutritional status of adult women of an ethnic population of North Bengal using anthropometric method. The current study is likely to be the first of its sort in North Bengal, and it will provide basic information on nutritional status and associated issues. Anthropometry method was utilized in this study to measure the nutritional status of Rajbanshi populations because it is the most widely used methodology for assessing nutritional status. The objectives of present study are as follows:  To assess the nutritional status and body composition measurement by using internationally accepted cut-off values.  To assess the prevalence of undernutrition among Rajbanshi female population.  To find out the association of different socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle related variables with nutritional status and body fat distribution.  To assess the age related changes in anthropometric characteristics and body fat distribution among this targeted population.  To assess the mean age at menarche and menopause among this population.  To compare the results of the current study with other (national and international) studies. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study has been conducted among 800 adult female Rajbanshi individuals aged between 18-64 years of age. Present study was carried out in rural area of Darjjeling District of North Bengal. The population was exclusively selected from Rajbanshi dominated villages under Block: Kharibari (Latitude 26. 34’ 19” N, Longitude 88. 08’ 51” E), Sub-Division: Siliguri, Police Station: Kharibari, District: Darjeeling, West Bengal, India. This study area is situated adjacent to the Mechi River which is forms the Indo-Nepal International border and an approximate distance of 32km to 39km from the sub-divisional town of Siliguri. The population of the present study was selected by using multistage stratified sampling procedures. The data have been collected during the period from April 2018 to December 2019. In this process 12 villages were listed but further it is reduced to 10 villages which were convenient for data collection, easy road accessibility and subjects availability. Demographic, socio-economic, reproductive and life style data of these target population are being collected by door to door surveys using a structured schedule. The data recorded about the different socio-economic and demographic variables were age, marital status and educational status, birth order, no of children, family size, family type, water supply, electricity facility, toilet facility, monthly income and occupations. Reproductive data like age at menarche and age at menopause was also recorded. The anthropometric measurements are recorded from the individuals using standard protocols and instruments as outlined by Weiner and Lourie (1981). The measurements are: Height, Weight, Mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), Biceps skin fold (BSF), Triceps skin fold (TSF), Sub-scapular skin fold (SSF), Supra iliac skin fold (SISF), Waist circumference (WC) and Hip circumference (HC). Various nutritional and body composition indices were derived from these measurements to assess nutritional status of this population. The all statistical analyses such as mean ± SD, ANOVA, χ2, correlation, regression, logistic regression were performed by using SPSS 20. Results: The mean value of anthropometric measurements like height, weight and MUAC were considerably lower but the mean value of HC, WC, BSF, TSF, SSF and SISF were slightly higher. Age specific variations in different anthropometric variables were also observed in present study. Some derived indices like WHR, WHtR, TUA and UFA were slightly higher among Rajbanshi female individuals. In present study body composition indices like PBF%, FM, FFM and FFMI had lower value. The central adiposity measured by WC, WHR and WHtR were above the cutoff values. It is indicated that some people had higher risk of adiposity related health issues. The result of Pearson correlation analysis between different anthropometric variables showed that all variables were significantly correlated with each other (p<0.05).The result of linear correlation of age on different anthropometric variables reported that age is significantly co-related with height, weight, WHR, TUA, UMA, BFMA and FMM (P<0.05). The result of linear regression of BMI on different anthropometric variables indicated that all variables were significantly co-related with BMI. The prevalence of undernutrition based on BMI classification (WHO, 1995) among Rajbanshi women was high (39.88%) and most of the individuals were suffered from CED grade I level of undernutrition. And the prevalence was high among early (18-29 years) and later (50-94 years) aged women. When nutritional status assessed by MUAC (James et al., 1995), the observed prevalence was 37.00%. In present study the prevalence of undernutrion was 23.75%, based on BMI measure in combination with MUAC. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 15.62% and 9.78% respectively based on BMI classification (WHO, 1995). The prevalence of regional adiposity was 52.37%, 96.63% and 68.37% respectively when adiposity measured by WC, WHR and WHtR. The prevalence of regional adiposity was high among middle aged women (30-49 years). Fat individuals were less in present study. Only 16.23% (based on Neiman classification, 1995) and 12.88% individuals (based on Muth classification, 2009) have identified with over fat status. Thus amount of risk factors associated with PBF% was less in number in present study. A logistic regression analysis was performed to find the effect of different socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle variables on underweight among Rajbanshi women population. The association of BMI, WHR and WHtR with different variables showed a significant influence on being underweight and overweight. The result of this analysis indicated that family type, source of water supply, toilet type, house type, family occupation, living conditions and low socioeconomic status of family were significantly associated with underweight (p<0.05). The association of high WC, HC, WHR, WHtR with different socioeconomic, demographic and life style variables showed a significant effect on high adiposity among Rajbanshi female population. Present study also reported the mean ages at menarche and menopause among Rajbanshi individuals were 12.42 years and 48 years respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, a large number of adult Rajbanshi women in North Bengal have received schooling and have become educated, but they still suffer from undernutrition. The prevalence of undernutrition in this population was higher than the WHO cutoff values (1995). This research also found a strong relation between a low BMI and poor socioeconomic status. In present study there is a high frequency of normal weight but centrally obese individuals who are normal by BMI but defined as obese by WC, WHR and WHtR. Thus present study population show a high risk of regional adiposity related co-morbidity and mortalities along with diseases related with low BMI. This nutritional disease is now more common through worldwide which are commonly known as double burden of malnutrition (DBM).
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    Financial inclusion through business correspondents in North Bengal : An empirical study
    (University of North Bengal, 2021) Jaiswal, Pintu Prasad; Dhar, Samirendra Nath
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    Traditional games, sports and amusements in twentieth-century North Bengal: historical perspective
    (University of North Bengal, 2021) Roy, Badal; Lama, Sudash