The School of Physical and Applied Sciences is a result of the amalgamation of three correlated departments which belonged to the erstwhile Faculty of Natural Sciences. Individually, the departments have a long and glorious past. Department of Physics (established in 1963 as a part of Centre for Postgraduate Instruction and Research (CPIR) of University of Mumbai) and Department of Mathematics (established in 1965 as a part of CPIR of University of Mumbai) are two of the oldest departments that served the local students by providing them quality higher education in two of the oldest fundamental sciences for more than four decades. Department of Electronics, on the other hand, was established in 2010, centred around the M.Sc. Electronics programme started by the Physics department in 1992.
The three departments have come together to multiply their strengths and chart out new interdisciplinary programmes of teaching and research. The first two of such programmes are M.Sc. in Biophysics and M.Sc. in Computational Physics. These new programmes will add to the existing M.Sc. Physics, now rebranded as M.Sc. in Solid State Physics, M. Sc. Mathematics and M.Sc. Electronics.
The focus of this School is to develop strong teaching and research programmes in Physical and Applied Sciences. The departments which formed this School had identified thrust areas which continue, but the amalgamation will lead to the emergence of new areas bordering the cutting edge areas of research.
All the three departments that formed this School were well funded. Department of Science and Technology, Government of India under its Fund for Infrastructure in Science and Technology (FIST) programme as well as by the University Grants Commission under its Special Assistance Programme (SAP) provided research funding to the Department of Physics. Department of Mathematics also received funding under the DST-FIST programme while the Department of Electronics was identified by UGC to initiate Innovative program in Embedded Technologies. Additionally, individual research projects funded by the DST-SERB, CSIR, UGC, DoE, ICAR, DST, MeitY, ICMR, etc. have led to the development of research facilities in the School.
The School also offers UGC approved certificate and diploma programmes in Fundamental of computers & networking and Advanced instruments, gadgets & appliances, to provide skill-based education under National Skill Qualifications Framework (NSQF). These programmes will be extended to advanced diploma and B. Voc. degree programme in near future. The aim is to enable a person to acquire desired competency levels via multiple pathways, within vocational education and vocational training, transit to the job market and, at a reasonable time, return for acquiring additional skills to upgrade their competencies.
The success of the School is a result of the foundations of a vibrant academic culture and significant contributions of several of our distinguished colleagues including D.B. Wagh, A. Wagh, A.K. Heblekar, C. Mande, S.G. Deo, R.B. Prabhu, Y.S. Prahalad, A.B. Bhattacharya, P.R. Sarode, J.A.E. Desa, R.B. Tangsali, Y.S. Valaulikar, G M. Naik, Uma Subramanian, M.T. Nair, S. Pandit, G.R. Bhat, A. Banerjee, M. Ganesh, A.J. Jayanthan, P.K. Choudhuri, R.K. Kamat, R. Panda and A. Mohapatra.
