Established in 2009, the department of Botany is one of the youngest department included in the School of Life Sciences. The department offers both basic and advanced courses in plant sciences. Along with an integrated 5 years Master (B. Sc.–3 years + M. Sc.–2 years) programme department is also running a Ph. D. programme. The integrated Masters degree in Botany has been designed so as to provide exit point to the students after B. Sc. (Hons.) degree and also integrate it with M.Sc. The programme provides basic knowledge of the living world, plant diversity and evolutionary trends of flowering and non flowering plants, cell biology, genetics, plant physiology, and plant ecology during the first three years. Whereas in the final two years advanced knowledge in instrumentation skills, plant tissue culture techniques, molecular biology and bio-resources of Chhattisgarh is imparted. The department offers three broad specialization streams in the courses viz., stress biology of plants, ecology and environmental biology, biodiversity conservation and ethno-botany. The students are assessed and evaluated by regular class tests, seminars, assignments, end-semester examination.
The department has three numbers of laboratories possessing diverse forms of Algae (terrestrial and aquatic collected from varied habitats), Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. Different classes of fungi and several fungal disease materials are also available for study. The laboratory and instrumentation facility in the department includes microscopy with Leica (DM200), Digital Research Microscope, Light Microscope, Compound Microscope and Dissecting Microscope, Gel Electrophoresis units with accessories for DNA, RNA and protein analysis, PCR theromo cycler, Hot air Oven, BOD incubator, Laminar Flow, Autoclave unit, Deep Freeze (–20° C), Gas Sampling Kit, Respirable Dust Sampler, Hot Plate, etc. The departmental library fulfils the requirement of the faculty members and students. A number of reference books and access to online journals is also available.
The back bone of the department are its teachers headed by Professor S K Chaturvedi; FBS, FBRS, FIAAT, FBSA who have specialized in frontier areas including microbiology, stress physiology, biotechnology, environmental management and restoration and biodiversity conservation. The faculty members of the department have contributed vigorously to scientific world through scientific and research publications and have received many distinguished national and international awards such as New Phytologist Award, DST-BOYSCAST Fellowship, DBT Overseas Associateship, JSPS Postdoctoral Fellowships, JUAN DE LA CIERVA Postdoctoral fellowship and DBT-Cutting Edge Biotechnology Associateship. The faculty members have been elected as Fellows of the distinguished professional bodies such as National Agricultural Science Academy, National Environmental Science Academy, National Institute of Ecology and Range Management Society of India. The faculty members are contributing to the academic world by editing journals. They have been on the editorial boards of many journals and are referees for both national and international journals. The faculty members are also on the panel of regional and national level expert committees.