The Department of Physics was established in 1970 with 2 staff members [1 Reader, 1 Lecturer] which has now 12 sanctioned faculty positions.  Despite the basic handicaps, the Department started part time M.Phil programme for college teachers in Theoretical Physics with the help of visiting faculties from P.R.L., Ahmedabad in 1973 long before UGC mooted the idea of M.Phil. The research areas were Theoretical Physics and Thin Film Physics.  Department was moved to the university campus in 1977 with some more facilities. The Department was then offering M.Sc. degree course in Physics with a specialization in Electronics only.  Starting from the early eighties two more specializations viz., Theoretical physics and Materials Science were added to the M.Sc.(Physics) programme. The research areas were expanded to include Crystal Growth and Instrumentation / Digital Communication.  A new program in M.Sc. (Electronics) was started in1989 as a follow up to B.Sc.(Electronics) being offered by colleges in the south Gujarat region. Keeping up with the needs of the times and development plans of thrust areas, another two-year M.Sc.(Tech) (now self financed) Applied Physics degree course has been introduced from the year 2000.  Both M.Sc.(Electronics) and M.Sc.(Tech) Applied physics degree courses cater to the skill and manpower requirements of the regional industrial set-ups.

Our Department has been the first to offer specialization in Theoretical Physics in M.Sc.(Physics) in Gujarat state and, in fact it is offered by a few Universities in India. The students offering specializations of Electronics and Materials science in Physics have a great potential for job opportunities in Industries. Likewise, the courses for M.Sc. (Electronics) and M.Sc. (Tech.) in Applied Physics are designed in such a way that students have very good opportunity to get employment in industries. Laboratory work for electronics in the courses for M.Sc. (Physics, Sp.Electronics), M.Sc. (Electronics) and M.Sc. (Tech.) in Applied Physics has innovative “design, build and test “ type of experiments.

Industrial training / Project work is compulsory for the second year M.Sc. (Electronics) and M.Sc. (Tech.) Applied Physics students. In fact, courses for M.Sc. (Tech.) in Applied Physics include workshop practice (Machine shop) and drawing etc. Project work is compulsory for M.Sc.(Physics) students offering Theoretical Physics and Materials science as specializations.

Computer lab. work is compulsory for students of all streams of M.Sc. program in which students train on Fortran and C programming and on the use of softwares on Physics and Electronics.

A continuous internal evaluation of students in the form of tests tutorials and seminars / assignments is undertaken. A problem solving approach is followed with a 60 / 40% weightage to theory & problems / applications in all the testsand examinations.

The syllabi of various courses have been revised from time to time. Currently new syllabi are being framed along the guidelines of UGCs CDC 2001.