JNU mulls new ‘satellite’ campus outside NCR

“This satellite centre will focus on job-oriented courses. We also plan to have a bio-incubator and industry-funded labs on this campus. The only aim behind the move is to make JNU’s high quality education accessible to more students outside Delhi,” said JNU vice-chancellor (VC) Jagadesh Kumar.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is considering setting up a satellite campus outside the national capital region (NCR) with an aim to make the university accessible to more students. The university’s highest decision-making body— executive council (EC) — Monday passed a resolution to explore the “feasibility” of the plan and decided to set up a committee to examine the proposal.

JNU vice-chancellor (VC) Jagadesh Kumar said the satellite campus would focus on professional courses. (Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times)

JNU vice-chancellor (VC) Jagadesh Kumar said the satellite campus would focus on professional courses.

“This satellite centre will focus on job-oriented courses. We also plan to have a bio-incubator and industry-funded labs on this campus. The only aim behind the move is to make JNU’s high quality education accessible to more students outside Delhi,” he said.

Kumar said the varsity is constituting a committee to explore the options of where the campus can be set up and the types of courses to be offered there. “The committee will select the place where the campus will be set up. We prefer places from where the university will be more accessible to the educationally backward,” Kumar said, adding the new campus will be governed by the JNU administration in Delhi.

The university will explore possibilities of financial support for the satellite campus. “We may establish chair professor positions,” Kumar said. The EC also resolved to speed up the process of framing “conduct rules” for staff of the university.

The JNU Teachers’ Association, meanwhile, accused the administration of taking ‘antiteacher” decision. “The administration has denied promotions to many teachers without giving a reason. It also cancelled leave of many for no reason,” JNUTA secretary Sudhir K Suthar said.