Ambedkar University Delhi to open 2 new campuses, launch new courses

NEW DELHI: Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) on Thursday announced that in the coming few years, the institute will have two new campuses in Delhi, one in Dheerpur and another in Sector 3 Rohini. “For AUD, space is the biggest constraint. If we get two more campuses, we are willing to take in 30,000 students,” said Anu Singh Lather, vice-chancellor, AUD, during a press conference to announce that the university will admit undergraduate students through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET 2022). The university currently has three campuses in Kashmere Gate, Shivaji Marg, Karampura and Lodhi Road with around 4,000 students.

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The university finds space as a hindrance to start new courses as well. However, it will be adding new courses and schools, either this academic year or next.

Two new campuses

The university has been allotted 4.95 acres in Dheerpur and 20 acres in Sector 3 Rohini. “We have the design ready for the campuses with all the government clearances in place. Earlier there was some delay in environment clearances but this has been approved now. It just needs a Cabinet Note for the final approval. We are receiving all the support from the government,” added Lather. She informed that the delay has mainly happened due to Covid. However, the government has been supporting them.

Lather also said that once the new campuses are ready, the university will have to vacate its Kashmere Gate and Lodhi road campuses. “We have to vacate Kashmere Gate and Lodhi Road campuses and shift all our courses to other campuses. Only the Karampura campus will stay, the rest all the campuses will be shifted to new campuses,” said Lather.

Lather also said that during the last two years, the deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia has conducted several rounds of meetings to expedite the process.

New courses

The university is planning to have a major expansion in undergraduate courses. “We have a mission to create AUD, a research university. As per NEP [National Education Policy 2020], our focus will be on multidisciplinary aspects,” said Lather.

The university is planning to start new departments and schools which include the School of Public Policy with a Master's programme in Public Policy, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Data Sciences, School of Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Tribal Studies, School of Media Studies, School of Philosophy and Religious Studies and many more.

“We would like to venture into many more ideas within the aspect of NEP. We are also planning to introduce certificate courses in Artificial Intelligence with online or blended teaching,” Lather said. AUD is committed to certifying at least 500 students on various courses this year. “We are also linking the skill centres with outreach and extension work whose division has already been created to ensure more students are certified with skill-oriented courses,” said Lather.