The Department of Zoology at the Institute is one of the oldest departments. The department has contributed its mite in the field of Life Sciences under the leadership of eminent zoologists who acted as Head of the Department at different times. These include renowned scientists like: Prof P. R. Awati, Prof. S. B. Sethna, Prof. K. R. Karandikar, Prof. D. V. Bal, Prof. N. B. Inamdar, Prof. P. V. Rangnekar, Prof. A. Gopalkrishna, Prof. H. V. Kashyap, Prof. S. A. Suryawanshi Dr. D. A. Bhiwgade.
The Department of Zoology provides a good environment for research programme. Along with advancing the frontiers of knowledge, it has also groomed and trained students with modern techniques of science. The Department of Zoology has been recognised by the United Nations environment Programmes. It has also been registered as a source of environmental information in the INFOTERRA International Directory of sources.
Today, the department admits 40 students for M.Sc. (By papers) and about 45 students are engaged in research for the Master and Doctoral degrees in different fields of Zoology. So far, about 145 students have obtained their Ph. D. and 35 students have obtained their M.Sc. (By Research) degrees. The total number of research publications published so far in the journals of national and international repute is 175.
Major research areas being pursued in the Department includes Marine Ecology, Marine Zoology, Endocrinology, Physiology, Reproductive Physiology, Environmental Physiology, Toxicology, Pollution Research, Parasitology, Taxonomy, Molecular Phylogenetics, Biodiversity. The department has also organised a number of seminars, symposia, national and international conferences. It has organised several UGC sponsored refresher courses in Zoology for the benefit of the college and university teachers, not only from Mumbai University and Maharashtra but also from other states.
The department has a number of research projects which are funded by Department of Environmental & Forests, New Delhi; University Grants Commission and Department of Science & Technology.
