Introduction

Geology, as subject, was introduced, as early as 1907, at Prince of Wales College, rechristened as Govt. Gandhi Memorial Science College, identifying it as second oldest Geology Department in India, next only to Presidency College, Calcutta. Geology, as a subject, was introduced at Jammu by none other than Dr DN Wadia, FRS, who authored the well known text book “Geology of India” published in 1919. The post graduate teaching in Geology, initiated in Science College under the academic control of Punjab University, Lahore, was discontinued in thirties and forties of 20th   Century probably due to recession and was subsequently reintroduced at post graduate level in 1948 under the academic control of the then University of Jammu and Kashmir. The University took this department under administrative control in 1956 being the first science subject taught at postgraduate level. After the bifurcation of University of Jammu and Kashmir into University of Jammu and University of Kashmir, the Post Graduate Department of Geology got affiliated to the University of Jammu in 1969.

The Department of Geology produced students with high quality research work. The students trained by the Department have risen to high executive and academic positions. Two former Director Generals (then known as Directors) of the Geological Survey of India and Pakistan have been the alumni of the Department. Two of the alumni assumed the mantle of leaders of expeditions to Antarctica, one was a member of the first successful Indian team that scaled Mount Everest and the same person was deputy leader of the first Indian expedition to Antarctica. The research work of scholars and the faculty of the Department is published in several International journals of repute and high impact factor, namely NATURE, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Paleogeography Paleoclimatology and Paleoecology, Journal Geological Society of London, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Zeischrift fur Geomorphologie, Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, Petrology, Palaeontology, Journal of Paleontology, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology,  Geobios, Cretaceous Research and Tertiary Research.