Excerpts form Vice-Chancellor's speech delivered on 20 January, 2009 at the University Court Meeting

I have great pleasure in welcoming our Chancellor, Professor Yash Pal, Hon'ble Members of Parliament, other distinguished members of this august body, my faculty colleagues and officers to the Thirty-Sixth meeting of the Court of Jawaharlal Nehru University. This University is now known as a leading institution of higher education in India and also well recognized for this abroad. I am happy to state that we are able to maintain a high standard in education with a deep commitment to social welfare. Indeed this University is today regarded as a model of excellence combined with social commitment. I thank you all for helping us in attaining this.

Now, let me turn to the academic, administrative and financial affairs of the University.

Financial Year 2007-08 was the first year of the Eleventh Plan period. For the implementation of the OBC Reservation, as per the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, the University Grants Commission has approved a grant of Rs. 144.14 crores under recurring and Rs.70.04 crores under the non-recurring and also sanctioned 280 faculty positions; out of which 95 faculty positions (20 Professors, 40 Associate Professors and 35 Assistant Professors) are meant to be filled in the first year for the implementation of the OBC Reservation. Besides the above grant/faculty positions, the University Grants Commission has also sanctioned a sum of Rs. 147.80 crores, including 53 teaching positions for initiating new academic activities under the Eleventh Five Year Plan. However, this was much less than what was recommended by the XIth .Plan Visiting Committee, headed by Prof. Rama Rao. For this reason we have now made another request to UGC for an additional grant of Rs.15 crores for the Library; Rs. 25 crores for the construction of an auditorium which is a long felt need of the University; and Rs. 15 crores for the construction of an additional hostel. Based on our discussions, we are hopeful that UGC would be sympathetic to our request.

The University initiated a number of new activities in the preceding year which have been completed and commissioned successfully namely upgradation of Cyber Hall and Reading Hall in the Central Library, commissioning of the Advanced Instrumentation Facility, upgradation of the classrooms and seminar halls of various schools, upgradation of electric power distribution, emergency power backup, campus lighting and several infrastructural development activities. The new premises for the School of Physical Sciences has been completed and the school is now functional in the new building.

A new hostel, 'Koyna', which has a 550 capacity, with features like attached balcony, spacious rooms, furniture, solar heating, rainwater harvesting, separate gymnasium for girls and boys, common rooms and other facilities is expected to be commissioned very shortly. Construction of another mega hostel with a 550 seating capacity will soon begin. With these two hostels we will be able to accommodate most of the students who require hostel facility. Construction of a residential complex with 112 dwelling units with 1500 sq.ft carpet area each, for faculty and officers is to be started soon. Since the present space for some schools is felt inadequate, construction of annexures to some school buildings, the School of Social Sciences, the School of International Studies and the School of Language, Literature & Culture Studies is likely to commence soon. The Gomti Guest House is completely renovated and renovation of auditorium at 35, Ferozeshah Road is also in the planning stage. A state of the art, lecture theatre complex with six satellite lecture houses is in the final stages of completion. Towards the next year, new buildings for the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine and the University Science & Instrumentation Centre will be available. A Food Court behind the Central Library, to serve diverse cuisines from different States/regions is also coming up. This will pave way for concentration of eateries in one place and also facilitate re-location of eateries functioning under hazardous conditions within school buildings.

Also in the planning stage is the construction of independent buildings for the School of Information Technology, optimization of space and modernization in Science School buildings, construction of 100 staff quarters for Karamcharis, a Guest House facility for visiting faculty, renovation of the remaining class rooms in various schools, a seminar hall for 1000-1200 persons and the Special Centre for Nano Science.

As far as the much awaited e-governance is concerned, procurement and installation of both hardware and software have been completed and staff training is going on. It is in the stage of phase wise implementation.

The University has prepared its eleventh plan document through internal discussions at all levels and has projected several new academic activities and also strengthening up of the existing academic programmes besides plans for infrastructural development. UGC Expert Team under the chairmanship of Professor P. Rama Rao visited the University during 8-10 August 2008 and held detailed deliberations with the VC, Rectors, Deans of Schools and all faculty members and other components of the University community.

During the plan the University has already started:

– Three separate streams viz. Visual Studies, Performance studies and Film Studies leading to M.Phil/Ph.D. in the School of Arts & Aesthetics

– Pre-Ph.D/Ph.D programme in Chemical Sciences in the School of Physical Sciences

– Ph.D. programme in Mathematics in the School of Physical Sciences

– Ph.D. progrmme in Tamil; to be expanded to M.Phil./Ph.D. programme in Tamil from July 2009

– Strengthening research programmes in North East India Studies, Programme on Studies for Discrimination and Exclusion (PSDE), Human Rights Programme, Women's Studies Programme

Based on the recommendation of the UGC Visiting Expert Committee on XI Plan, University is also envisaging new centres:

– Special Centre for Nano Sciences, Centre for Complex Systems and Systems Biology, Special Centre for Media Research, Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises.

New Chairs in the pipeline are:

– IPR Chair through funding from MHRD; Marathi Chair funded by Government of Maharashtra; Punjabi Chair to be endowed by Government of Punjab.

I now turn to activities during 2007-08 and thereafter.

On behalf of the Executive Council of the University, I have great pleasure in placing before you the 38th Annual Report for the period 2007-08 in fulfillment of the requirement of Statute 12(1) of the University Act and Statutes of the University.

Admission: During the reporting period, the University conducted entrance examination in 70 centres, including one overseas centre at Kathmandu (Nepal). In addition, our University has been conducting the Combined Entrance Examination for admission to M.Sc. Biotechnology, M.Sc. (Agri), M.V.Sc (Biotech) and M.Tech (Biotech) on behalf of 41 participating Universities (including JNU).

As in the previous years, the number of candidates seeking admission, both Indian and candidates from abroad, has steadily been rising, which one will gather on going through the statistics presented.

Through the Entrance Examination in 2007-2008, the University admitted 1492 students from all parts of India, besides 101 foreign nationals representing thirty-four countries. Currently the statistics for the academic year 2008 2009 is available. As per this statistics, the total number of students admitted is 1535, besides 109 foreign students coming from thirty six countries.

The number of female students admitted to JNU has been increasing steadily. Similarly, for the reserved seats, during the last four academic sessions, the University has not only been able to fill in the seats meant for SC/ST students, but marginally exceeded the statutory minimum intake limit. We have also admitted more students from the middle and lower income groups.

In 2007-08, the student strength was 5454. Of them, 3241 students, belonged to M.Phil/M.Tech/Ph.D. programme of study; 1559 students were enrolled for MA/MSc/MCA; 654 students in the undergraduate programme and the balance, i.e. 261, belonged to part-time programmes of study like Certificate/Diploma/Advanced Diploma in various languages.

Female students numbered 1892, i.e. one-third of the total strength of the university. Male students were 3562 in number.

In terms of admission of students under the reservation to SC/ST/PH category, 742 students come from the Scheduled Caste, 410 students come from the Scheduled Tribe and 123 students under the Physically Challenged category. Although, during the reporting period, JNU does not have reservation for students coming from Other Backward Classes (OBC), due to weightage given to them through affirmative admission policy, we have been able to admit 290 students under this category. Foreign national students work out to 259, while the general category students is 3,630.

Publications: The faculty of the University has published about 165 books, more than 200 chapters in edited volumes, published over 575 research papers/articles and participated over 1100 conferences/seminars/workshops, besides over 650 lectures delivered outside JNU. I am confident that with up gradation of infrastructure facilities, the quality of publications of our faculty colleagues is bound to further improve. Our faculty also participated in a number of seminars, conferences and workshops and has delivered lectures within and outside the country.

About 333 research projects are successfully running during this reporting period. The funding from Indian and foreign funding agencies is Rs.25.16 crores and Rs.20.33 crores. Project funds considerably support our M.Phil/Ph.D programme.

The University Library, on which the academic life of any institution of higher education depends, is being modernized. A new centrally air conditioned reading hall with two hundred computers, already acquired, is shaping up well. The collection stands over 5.33 lakh volumes. Now the University is having online subscribtion of relevant journals in the field of social science, humanity and sciences.

The Academic Staff College conducted seven refresher courses and four orientation courses in different disciplines assigned to it.

The faculty strength in March was 469; which includes 205 Professors, 134 Associate Professors and 130 Assistant Professors. There are 19 Professor Emeritus and 4 Honorary Professors. The strength of non-teaching staff, including officers is 1401.

A number of students were awarded UGC, CSIR, State Government Scholarships and some students won medals instituted for best academic performance.

HONOURS AND AWARDS:
Now, let me focus on the honours and awards conferred on the University faculty. The exhaustive list is available in the Annual Report, but I am only mentioning a few as illustrative examples.

Professor Romila Thapar, Professor Emeritus, Center for Historical Studies, School of Social Sciences, has been conferred the 2008 Kluge Prize by the United States Library of Congress for Lifetime achievement in the study of humanity.

Among my faculty colleagues, Professor Varun Sahni of the Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament of the School of International Studies, has taken over as the Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University and Professor Girijesh Pant, has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the newly established Doon University.

Professor Satya Vrat Shastri, Honorary Professor at the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies has been bestowed with the Jnanpath Award by the Government of India. Professor Shastri has also the recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award, Vidyalankara by the Purbanchal Academy of Oriental Studies and has been selected for the Third Sardar Patel Award 2008 by the Sardar Patel Foundation.

In the School of Arts and Aesthetics:

• Naman P. Ahuja, Parul Dave Mukherji and Kavita Singh, were given a grant by the Getty Foundation for presenting papers at the 32nd Congress of the International History of Art (CIHA), Melbourne, Australia.

• Ranjani Mazumdar was nominated by the University of Minnesota Press for the SCMS Kovacs Book Award.

In the School of Biotechnology:

• Aparna Dixit and her doctoral students Shivani Agarwal, and Rajkumar, Preeti Gupta was given the Outstanding Poster Award, International Symposium on Cancer Biology.

In the School of International Studies:

• Varun Sahni was awarded VKRV Rao Prize in Social Sciences by the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore and the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.

• K. Soni, Sharad, Award of Honour conferred on behalf of the Centre for Indian Studies in Mongolia on 23 November 2007 in recognition of valuable contribution to develop and deepen the ties and contacts between the two peoples and institutions of Mongolia and India.

• Singh, Swaran, nominated as Member, Asian Scholarship Foundation (ASF, Bangkok) Regional Review Committee (RRC) for South Asia, (March 2008- )

In the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies:

• Paranjape Makarand, Chair, Jury of the Commonwealth Prize, Europe and South Asia, 2007-2008.

• Surana Vibha, Short-term research fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to pursue research at the University of Augsburg, Germany, May-June 2007.

• Singh Varyam, Honoured by Roszarubezh Centre, Ministry of External Affairs, Russian Federation, for the Best Translation of Russian Poetry in India, December 2007.

In the School of Life Sciences:

• Upadhyaya, K. C. Elected Fellow of National Academy of Sciences, India

• Bamezai, R. N. K., Fellow of The National Academy of Medical Sciences, India

• Yadava, P. K., Elected Vice President of Indian Social Science Academy

• Prasad, R., Visiting Professor, Superior School (ENS), Paris

• Bhattacharya, Alok, recipient of J C Bose Fellowship

• Madhubala, R., Elected Fellow of The National Academy of Sciences, India, 2007

• Madhubala, R., Awarded American Society of Microbiology (ASM) International Professorship, 2007

• Sneha Lata B. Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award for 2007 (IYBA-2007) by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India

In the School of Physical Sciences

• Kumar, Brijesh, Associate of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore

• Ramaswamy, R. Elected to the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi and also the recipient of J C Bose Fellowship

• Sen, S. Received “Best Poster Presented” award at Tokyo University, Tokyo, Japan, on 26 October, 2007. The annual symposium was conducted by the Nano/Micro Spectroscopy Division of “Spectroscopical Society of Japan”. Title of Poster: Site-Specific Ultrafast Dynamics in Single Lipid Vesicle: Picosecond Fluorescence Microscopy

In the School of Social Sciences

• Arora, Balveer, Elected President of the Sciences Po India Alumni Association (2008)

• Singh, H., Felicitated with Citation for Significant Contribution in Himalayan Studies by H.N. Bahuguna University, Srinagar, Garhwal, October 29, 2007.

• Singh Yogendra, Lifetime Achievement Award by Indian Sociological Society 2008.

• Oommen, T. K., Awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, in March, 2008.

• Gupta, Dipankar, Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, Washington, USA, 2007

• Tapas, Majumdar, D.Lit (honoris causa), bestowed by Calcutta University in 2007.

• Tapas, Majumdar, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar Gold Plaque for 2006, bestowed by The Asiatic Society, Kolkatta in 2007.

In the Center for the Study of Law and Governance

• Singh, Amita, Millenium Award for Distinguished Women in Public Service, Sudinalaya and Institute of Gender Justice, Government of Delhi

In the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies

• Shashiprabha Kumar, Conferred “Sammana Patra”, by Devavani Parishad, New Delhi, 2007

In the Special Center for Molecular Medicine

• Dhar SK, elected as a member of the prestigious Guha Research Conference (GRC) (2007)

Professor B. B. Bhattacharya, Vice-Chancellor, JNU has been conferred with 'The Baroda Sun Life Time Achievement Award' by the Bank of Baroda. Professor B.B. Bhattacharya has also been conferred the “Officer of the order of Academic palms” by the French Government. He is also the elected President of the Indian Economic Association.

The University's Aravali Guest House won the Ist Prize for the Best Mini Garden and the Vice-Chancellor's lodge the IInd Prize in the Best Large Private Garden category in the Pusa Horticulture Show organized by the Delhi Agri-Horticultural Society, Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI).

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS:
JNU has received a number of distinguished visitors, as part of delegations attending a seminars, exploring academic collaboration, etc. However, a few important visitors' name, I would like to mention here:

Dr. David Summers, Head, Department of Genetics, Cambridge University, UK visited the School of Biotechnology.

Visitors to the School of Environmental Sciences: Prof. Victor Smetacek, Alfred Wigner Institute for Polar & Marine Research Bremerhaven Germany; Dr. Vasu Appanna, Director, Department of Chemistry & Bio-Chemistry, Laurentian University Ontario, Canada; Mr. Irwand Ysuf, Governor of ACEH (Indonesia); Mr. Kuntoro Mengsubratao, Director, BRR; Dr. Pardeep Aggarwal, IAEA, Vienna; Dr. Soma Bhattacharya, Consultant, World Bank (USA); Dr. Rakesh Minocha, USDA Forest service NRS Durham, USA; Dr. Richard Davenport, President, Minnesota State University; Dr. Scott R. Olson, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Office of Academic Affairs, Minnesota State University; Dr. Elizabeth J. Hitch, Provost & Vice Chancellor, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, USA; Dr. Jiang Chengyu, President, Northwestern Polytechnical University, P.R. China; Dr. Mark S. Wrighton, Chancellor, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive St. Louis; Dr. Shyamal K. Roy, President and CEO, EPS Technologies, Inc., Mankato, USA.; Dr. Anthony D.A. Hansen, President, Magee Scientific, USA.

At the School of International Studies, the visitors included: H.E. Mr. Luis Filipe Castro Mendes, Ambassador of Portugal to India; H.E. Ambassador Liliane Bloem, Deputy Director-General for Coordination and European Affairs Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Belgian Representative to the EU Trade Policy Committee; H.E.Ambassador Caj Soderlund, Senior Adviser to the Nordic Council of Ministers; Mr. Charles Grant, Director, Centre for European Reform, London; Dr. Evan Feigenbaum, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State; Dr. Felix Yurlov and Dr. Evgeniya Yurlov of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow; Prof. William Fierman, Professor, Central Eurasian Studies, Director, Inner Asian and Uralic National Resource Center, Indiana University; Dr. Olga Lukash, Academy of Sciences, Kiev, Mr. Sashank, Former Foreign Secretary, Government of India; H.E. Mohammad Ghassan Shaikho, Ambassador of Bahrain; Former Ambassador K.P.Fabian; H.E. Saleh Mohd. Al-Ghamdi, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Osama Musa, Ambassador of Palestine; Mr. Sadak Jawwad Sulaiman, Former Omani Ambassador to USA.

In the School of Information Technology, the visitors included: Mriganka Sur, Fairchild Professor of Neuroscience Head, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT, USA; Nick Jones, C, Physics Department, Oxford University; Dr. Janos Kertesz, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary.

The School of Language, Literature & Culture Studies was visited by a number of distinguished visitors, which included: H.E. Dr. Bernd Muetzelburg, Ambassador of Germany in India; H.E. Dr. Dominique Dreyer, Ambassador of Switzerland in India; Intezar Hussain, eminent Pakistani Urdu writer; Prof. Shakeelur Rehman; Dr. Hounsai Genshitsu Sen, Former Urasenke Grand Master of the renowned Urasenke Tea School of Japan; Prof. Fukuhara, a famous folklorist of Tokyo Womens' University, Japan; H.E. Mr Carlos Alberto Yrigoyen, Acting Ambassador of Peru; Luigi Amara, eminent Mexican poet; H.E. Mr Ion de la Riva, Ambassador of Spain .

The School of Life Sciences received a number of eminent scientists, which included: Dr. Tobias Stoeger, National Research Center for Environment and Health, Germany, Prof. Govindjee, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA, Prof. Maharani Chakraborty, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, Dr. Hira Nakhasi, F.D.A, USA.

The Academic Staff College at JNU received a number of academics either as part of delegations or for giving lectures at ASC. The visitors include: Dr. Amos Anyimadu, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana; Professor Milton Fisk, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Indiana University, Bloomington; Professor Keith Hitchens, Professor of History, University of Illinois, Urbana; Dr. Daniala Zaharia and Professor Vlad Nistor, Dean Faculty of History, University of Bucharest and Director General, Romanian Diplomatic Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, Romania; Professor Alexendra Soffranova, Head of the Department, Centre for Asian and African Studies, Moscow State University, Moscow; Trian Penciuc, National Theatre University, Targu Mores, Romania.

PATENTS
In the School of Environmental Sciences, Professor Kasturi Datta and Dr. Ilora Ghosh have an Indian patent no. 194645 for “A Process For Preparing A Kit For Detecting the Presence Of Fertile Sperms”; and Professor I. S. Thakur is holding a Patent (no. IPR/6.16.1/080105/2007) for Process for bioremediation and bioconversion of pentachlorophenol-substitutes and chromium in tannery effluent.

In the School of Physical Sciences, Drs. Pritam Mukhopadhyay, Malik S, Fujita N and Shinkai S. 2007 “Japanese Patent, Reference No. 060126”. “Novel method for preparation of fullerene fibril and its polymerization be y-ray”

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED
Professor I.S. Thakur, SES: Technology developed for tannery effluent for removal of chromium (CrIII) by fungus (Aspergillus nigerFIST1) and bacterium (Serratia mercascens), and degradation of biocide, pentachlorophenol by stable bacterial consortium; Technology developed for pulp and paper mill effluent for removal of colour by fungus (Bassochlamyces nivea), and degradation of chlorinated phenols by alkalophilic bacterial consortium. Professor Thakur was also involved in the Technology developed for preparation of leather by enzyme technology (protease and lipase) and “chromium cake” for tanning of leather; Technology developed for preparation of antioxidants from melanoidin-like compounds in distillery effluent.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF STUDENTS
The students of the School of Computer and Systems Sciences organised Technophilia 2008, that was the second in the series of technical festivals organised by the School. In all 32 teams from 23 reputed Institutes such as IIT Rourkee, IIT Delhi, NIST Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia participated in the event. It provided a platform for the students to come together and explore the realms of computer science and technology. The events included Programming Contest, Technical Quiz, Program Debugging Challenge, Puzzle Contest and some exciting non-technical events.

ACCOMPLISHMENT OF STUDENTS
MCA and M.Tech., students of the School of Computer and Systems Sciences have been placed in leading software companies such as IBM, Perot Systems, Aricent, Siemens, FairIsaac, Tech Mahindra, New Gen, McKinsey, Patni, SafeNet, MMTC, Conexant.

Ms. Shweta Sharma, an M.Phil. research scholar in Korean Studies of our Centre has been adjudged Meritorious in Korean Studies for the year 2006-07. She was presented a Merit Certificate and a cash award of Rupees Fifteen Thousand

The students of the School of Life Sciences organized Biosparks 2008, a unique event of the School organized held a symposium in March 2008 bringing together researches in Life Sciences. Further, the School successfully organized Summer Research Programm-2007 during summer vacation as an education-outreach programme to motivate young students about science in general and basic as well as applied research in the area of Life Sciences and Biotechnology in particular.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
The University administration with about 1,500 staff and officers, is assisted by a few committees, like the Campus Development Committee, the Security Advisory Committee, the Transport Committee, etc. which have representatives from all the three components of the University community.

University Health Centre: The students of the University have access to the University Health Centre where consultation with physicians and specialists is possible in two spells, i.e., 8a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Besides these general facilities, specialized OPDs such as Dermatologist, Medicine, Cardiology, Gynae and Dental, Psychiatric are available to the residents of the University.

Welfare of Weaker Sections: The welfare of the weaker sections is looked after by the Equal Opportunity Office. Besides, reservation in admissions, reservation also in the hostel accommodation exists. The University has ensured hostel accommodation is available to all SC/ST students admitted in regular programmes of study. The University also ensures allotment of accommodation to staff members upto type-IV category as per reservation rules. The University also runs remedial courses for SC/ST students to make up their deficiency in English and core courses in each School/Centre. Faculty Coordinators extend personalize assistance. The University has also devised a special scheme for SC/ST students as well as those from weaker sections of the society to help them to prepare for the entrance test for admission to various programmes of study.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) looks into the sexual harassment cases. Besides, it also holds discussions and seminars, Film screenings and street theatre, Dialogues with the University community and the administration, Complaints screening and interventions.

Alumni Affairs are looked after by the Standing Committee for Alumni Relations and International Linkages (SCARIL).

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDY (JNIAS)
JNIAS, which functions on the pattern of Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, invites scholars to pursue their academic activities by offering fellowship and by extending hostel, library, computer facilities, etc. I may mention a few names: Professor Daud Robert Ali of the School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, Professor Alexandra Safronova of the Moscow State University, Moscow, Professor Johannes Dillinger of Germany, Professor Gail Olivia Pearson, University of Sydney, Australia, Professor Norbert Schurer, Foundation for International Education, UK, and Professor Govindjee of the University of Illinois at Urbana, USA. Some more eminent scholars have been offered and they are expected to join soon: Professor Sudhir Kakkar of India, Professor Robert Douglas Jessop, Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies, Lancaster University, UK; Professor Ngai Ling Sum also of Lancaster University but from the Department of Politics and International Relations; Professor Brian Roger Tomlinson of the School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, Professor Mathew McCartney of the Faculty of Law and social Sciences also from the School of Oriental and African Studies, Professor Edgar Bauer of Germany, Professor Laurent Pordie, French Institute, Pondicherry, Professor Allaine Cerwonka, Department of gender Studies, Central European University, Budapest, Professor David Weberman of the Department of Philosophy also from the Central European University and Professor Rajmohan Gandhi.

UNIVERSITY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTATION CENTRE (USIC)
It caters to the research needs of Science Schools in particular and others in general. An unique experiment within the university system - the Advanced Instrumentation Facility (AIF), which is meant to be a common facility for all the science schools and special centers, - is now expanding into a fine tuned facility. It has acquired sophisticated equipments/instruments like, Confocal Microscope, XRD for Protein and XRD for Powder, FTIR, TEM, Scanning Electron Microscope, ED X-ray Fluorescence Spectrophotometer, WD X-ray Fluorescence Spectrophotometer, CD Spectrophotometer, Fully automatic Liquid nitrogen plant, Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrophotometer, Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectrophotometer, Time Resolved Spectrophotometer, etc. Now this facility is not only open to JNU faculty and students but also for researchers from other institutions subject to availability of time slots.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the Chancellor for chairing this meeting and I must also thank him for his continuous inspiration to pursue new ideas.. I would like to request the Hon'ble members to join me to acknowledge the great contribution that he has made in the working of the University and to the members for sparing time and attending this meeting and for sharing with us their wisdom and experience, which has nurtured the functioning of the University. I would like to thank all the members of the Court in sparing time in attending this meeting and giving guidance to the University. In the end, I would be failing in my duty, if I don't acknowledge the contributions made by the faculty for their dedication and commitment, officers and staff for their excellent performance.

© 2005 Jawaharlal Nehru University. All rights reserved.
Phones: +91-11-26742676, 26742575, 26741557. Fax: 26742580
New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi 110067.