Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Jamia Millia Islamia, one of India’s oldest universities, is on a major expansion drive, adding 45 acres of land to its sprawling campus and setting up new departments, including China studies and Afghan studies programmes, as well as a Centre for Nanotechnology.

This was disclosed by vice chancellor Najeeb Jung while delivering his annual convocation address on the lawns of the M.A.Ansari Auditorium at its campus Wednesday.
The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Tejendra Khanna, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Jung highlighted the achievements of the last academic year among which were the new admission norms, semester system for under-graduate courses and new courses introduced such as MA (Early Childhood Development), Post Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Technology, M. Tech. (Earthquake Engineering) among others.

He also mentioned the new centres which have been launched such as Centre for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Centre for China Studies, Centre for Afghanistan Studies, Sikkim Studies programme etc.

Jung also talked about the 91-year-old university’s expansion plans that would result in adding another 45 acres of land to its present campus that is spread over nine faculties, 36 departments, 27 centres and more than 240 programmes,

A total of 4294 degrees/diplomas were awarded to students who have successfully completed post-graduation, graduation and diploma from different faculties/departments/centres for the last academic session.

The university also handed out 155 gold medals to the toppers of different courses as also awarded 279 Ph.D. degrees to research scholars.

Khanna, in his speech, urged the students to go out into the world and work for peace and happiness. Quoting from various texts and traditions, he told the student’s that “for peace in society, there has to be peace in the family; and for peace in the family, we need peace in one’s own self.”