'After 40 years', Jamia Millia Islamia to start department of library and information science

Good news for library science students! Jamia Millia Islamia is getting a whole new department of library and information science. The announcement comes in the backdrop of the education ministry’s approval of six teaching positions to the university. Since 1985, JMI has been running the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (B Lib I Sc) programme without permanent faculty members and the decision will amp up the quality of the course.

JMI vice-chancellor Mazhar Asif and registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi conveyed deep gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Finance and the University Grants Commission (UGC) for their ‘wholehearted support’ and nod to JMI's proposal for setting up the department.

The university believes that the establishment of the department will prove to not only be an infrastructural boost but also the continuation of the history and legacy rooted in the Central Library, which was set up in the university’s founding year - 1920, and adaptation to the latest trends in the field.

Also read As NEP labs, Maharashtra cluster universities increased courses, seats but await government funds

“Their unstinting support has been instrumental in enabling this expansion, which will bolster the university's academic offerings and prove to be a milestone in advancing the important and ever-growing discipline of library sciences,” the professors said.

JMI library science department

Expressing joy and contentment on the accomplishment, JMI VC Asif said, "Being a cornerstone of academic life on campus, libraries shape the trajectory of research and are central to advancing knowledge, especially in the information age. My vision is to strengthen teaching in librarianship and information science by setting up a full-fledged department of library sciences so as to train the next generation of highly skilled and learned librarians who can do justice to our rich collection of books, rare manuscripts, and journals, as well as embrace modern techniques to remain relevant. and cutting-edge in a digital milieu.”

Also read DU may scrap MA courses about Hindu nationalism, RSS, international affairs; faculty criticises move

“Not only will the faculty and students of this proposed department contribute to advancing the study of the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) but also its digitization and preservation for the future," he said.

Professor Rizvi said, "Libraries serve as a focal point of a university and hold tremendous significance, more so at a time when the world is witnessing rapid technological advancement. It has far-reaching implications for how knowledge and information will be stored, curated, organized, and retrieved in the future. To that end, it is imperative that we train and equip our students and researchers with the tools, skill So far, JMI has been offering limited teaching in this important area with the help of guest faculty and contractual staff. JMI will soon offer courses that address contemporary issues and challenges."