The Hindu : New Delhi News : Improved facilities at JNU

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Thursday, Aug 21, 2008
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Improved facilities at JNU

Giving a major boost to its research activity, Jawaharlal Nehru University has upgraded facilities at its University Science Instrumentation Centre (USIC). The USIC has procured 15 highly sophisticated instruments worth Rs.16.5 crore relating to different branches of science. These instruments have been installed at a new state-of-the-art building — Advanced Instrumentation Facility (AIF) — on the campus that has been in operation since August 1. JNU researcher s have been using these facilities. “The AIF has the best facilities available to any university or institute in the country. No Indian university has such sophisticated instruments under one roof, which are useful to all sciences, like life sciences, environmental science, physical science and bio-technology,” said Rector Rajendra Prasad. These expensive instruments like Laser Confocal Microscope, Transmission Electron Microscope, Circular Dichroism Spectrometer and Liquid Nitrogen Plant have been imported from countries like the United States, Japan and Germany. Six more advanced equipments worth Rs.10 crore are in the pipeline that will be installed and be ready for use by December. “We have opened the AIF for our students. We will also allow other educational institutions, government organisations and private companies to use the facility after paying a certain fee,” said USIC Director Shatendra K. Sharma. “The instruments are much more advanced than what we have been using. They are highly sophisticated. We can feel the difference while working on them. This will surely take the level of the research and analysis at JNU several notches higher,” said Mohammad Ashraf, a research student from the School of Life Sciences.

The Women’s Studies and Development Centre at Delhi University is starting the fourth batch of its popular short-term post-graduate course in “Gender and Society”. The thrust areas of the programme will be: Women in Indian Society, Feminist Theory, Cultural and Historical Frameworks, Law and Political Participation. The course that begins from October 21 will be wrapped up by January 21 next year. The classes would be held twice a week till December 22, w hich will be followed with project work. The selection of candidates will be done on the basis of an entrance examination followed by an interview. Interested candidates can send their applications along with their CV by September 19 to the following address: Director, Women’s Studies and Development Centre, Academic Research Centre, II Floor, Patel Marg, Delhi University.

Indira Gandhi National Open University has signed a MoU with the Bharat Sevak Samaj — the national development agency promoted by Planning Commission of India — to develop various educational and training programmes in diverse fields. The agreement was inked by IGNOU registrar K. Laxman and BSS general secretary B.S. Balachandran in the presence of Vice-Chancellor V.N. Rajasekharan Pillai. A joint coordination committee will soon be set up to decide the roles a nd responsibilities of the two bodies.

Parul Sharma

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