JNU Receives Rs 496 Crore Financial Aid from Centre, Campus Expansion Among 10 Newly Planned Projects

The Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) of the Central government has granted Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) a substantial financial boost of Rs 496 crores, which will enable the university to begin working on around 10 pivotal projects on its expansive campus. This financial aid, which was officially sanctioned in 2023, represents a substantial investment in the university’s infrastructure growth, reported The Indian Express.

The university will get a brand-new building for its School of Engineering, as well as the construction of a Lecture Hall Complex and a trans-disciplinary research incubation centre, announced JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dulipudi Pandit. The research incubation centre seeks to facilitate collaboration between students from various JNU schools by giving them a central location for interdisciplinary study.

Satish Chandra Garkoti, Rector-I at JNU was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, “Research and academics will be improved by many folds at JNU and new programmes can also be added as there will be more space now in the campus.”

Clearances for the School of Engineering have been obtained, and the tendering process has commenced, with the new building expected to be operational in the next two years. A portion of the facility will also be shared by management students

The development plan encompasses the construction of two hostels—one dedicated to Engineering students and the other for Management students—expanding residential facilities within the university. This financial aid aligns with JNU’s previous approval from HEFA in 2020, amounting to Rs 455.02 crores. The earlier funding aimed at constructing academic buildings, hostels, research centers, and implementing an integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

Due to the unveiling of additional schools and special centres within JNU, former registrar Pramod Kumar emphasised the urgent need for hostel accommodations. Kumar emphasised the university’s proactive approach, such as the establishment of the Atal Incubation Centre, which is now incubating three firms and plans to support 100 companies, demanding cutting-edge equipment for effective incubation procedures.

JNU presently houses the Atal Incubation Centre, which was founded in 2016 as part of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) by NITI Aayog, the Indian government’s flagship project to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.