Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is all set to establish medical sciences school and hospital on its campus. The JNU’s Academic Council (AC) in a meeting on Tuesday, August 17 cleared the decks for the establishment of the School of Medical Sciences and a super speciality hospital.

The school will offer various undergraduate and postgraduate courses like PhD, MDPhD, MD, MS, DM, MCh and MBBS degree programmes, with an emphasis on modern medicine integrated with traditional medicine. The medical school is proposed to be spread over the 25 acres of land in its southwest corner. The total cost of the plan is estimated at Rs 900 crore.

The hospital and medical school will need 259 faculty members alongside paramedics, technical, clinical, secretarial and supporting staff for various associated activities.

Executive Council of the university, the highest decision-making body of the university, however, is yet to take the final decision. As per the official statement, the establishment of the new field is keeping in consonance with the National Education Policy-2020.

JNU in an official statement said that the Academic Council unanimously approved establishing the School of Medical Sciences and an attached Hospital with broad and super speciality departments as per the provisions of the JNU Act 1966.

While the final decision is yet to be taken, JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) has opposed the decision as there was no prior discussion on the issue before passing it.

Meanwhile, the JNU’s AC has also approved NCC as an elective credit course with theory, practical and camps training of 24 credits. The varsity has also approved the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) and the exit option after four years of BTech in the five-year dual degree program offered by the School of Engineering in accordance with UGC’s guidelines.

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