Centre of excellence

Founded on the idea of providing education to deserving, underprivileged and meritorious students at the national level, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) stands tall on its laurels today.
The vice chancellor, JNU, G K Chadha emphatically remarked, "It was decided that from the very beginning JNU will have a national character. We are proud that the JNU has been able to fulfil the ideals it was founded on, and has created out a niche for itself in the world of academics, nationally and internationally."
The university was established in 1969, however, it made an effective beginning in the year 1972-73 only, when the first batch of students was formally admitted.According to Chadha, "The JNU is a one-of-its-kind university. It was decided, at the very outset that the university will not be of the conventional kind, but will go deep into issues related to deprivation in the global context and these issues were to be a part of the curriculum. The idea was to inculcate understanding and curiosity among students."
Today, the university prides itself on its ''national character''. The director, admissions, Harish Narang said that JNU had students coming in from all parts of the country, reinforcing its national character. "Unlike other central universities where there is a lot of hullabaloo regarding admission of students from outside Delhi, JNU on the contrary encourages meritorious students from all parts of India to come and study. This is especially true of the weaker sections," Chadha pointed out.
Narang remarked, "I have been in the JNU for the past 30 years and it gives me immense pleasure when a student from a backward region, but capable enough is able to secure admission here. This is one of the unique features, which is rarely found in any other university."
Although, all students have to qualify in an entrance test before they get admissions into JNU, the university has provision to give weightage to students who come from the most backward regions of India, as identified by the university, as well as to those students who belong to the SC or ST category, women candidates - especially from backward regions or categories and physically-challenged students. Narang said: "The maximum weightage these sections get is up to 10 points which is added to their qualifying marks at the time of admission."
Yet another unique feature of the university is its democratic functioning in all matters, be it admission, addition of a new programme of study or student politics. Giving an example of democratic functioning, Chadha elaborated, "Any teacher if he or she so chooses, can volunteer to teach a new programme of study and in this way enjoys perfect autonomy. And before this new programme is introduced it passes through a series of academic committees and experts, a few of them external ones, and a few students'' representatives until it''s finally ratified. Probably in no other university you will find that students are a part of the academic structure and functioning."
Coming to students, JNU again scores brownie points over other institutions. Chadha exclaimed, "Again, at the JNU, we have students who have a high degree of awareness on all issues pertaining to the local, regional, national and global level. Apart from the faculty, it is the students who make JNU what it is today. In every centre, there are Student Faculty Committees (SFCs), which comprise duly-elected members. This body discusses various issues including, how particular courses are or should be taught and what should be done for further improvement, among other things. This is one more reason that sets JNU apart from the rest."
Of late, more and more foreign students are becoming a part of JNU culture. Besides, as Narang put it, "There has been a greater number of students from the Delhi University vying for the JNU seats. Moreover, the university has signed MoUs with 40 institutions worldwide and many of these were in the nature of mutual-exchange students'' programmes."
The rector, JNU, Rajiv K Saxena remarked, "We are keen to bring more and more foreign students to JNU and will provide them excellent boarding facilities, which will be open simultaneously to Indian students as well," while Narang added, "We are in no tearing hurry. We do not advertise and want that only the ''cream'' among foreign students should come and join us."