The Department of Soil Science came into being as a separate department in 1949. However, research in soil science in this part of the sub-continent dates back to as early as the 1930s. During that period, research in this discipline was carried out as a part of an M.Sc. degree in Chemistry. At a later date, Soil Science was introduced as a fourth subject in B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry. Department of Soil Science was renamed the Department of Soil, Water and Environment in 2000.