Kolkata: O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Education, Government of India and has been conferred the status of ‘Institution of Eminence’ (IoE) by the Education Ministry.
This is a historic recognition for JGU as all legislative, regulatory and procedural requirements under the IoE regulations have been duly met, enabling JGU to function as an ‘Institution of Eminence’.
The IoE Policy was launched to implement the commitment of the Government of India to empower Universities and Higher Educational Institutions to help them become world-class teaching and research institutions. The responsibility of the selection and recommendation of ‘Institutions of Eminence’ was entrusted to an Empowered Experts Committee, appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In October 2020, a Review Meeting was held on ‘Institutions of Eminence’ under the Chairmanship of Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, following which JGU received the official letter from the Ministry of Education, conferring the status of the ‘Institution of Eminence’ (IoE).
With the confirmed status as an ‘Institution of Eminence’, JGU has entered a coveted group of top 10 private institutions in the country to be unshackled from regulatory controls and be given full autonomy.
Founding Chancellor and benefactor of O.P. Jindal Global University, Naveen Jindal said, “We will leave no stone unturned and make every effort to enable JGU with resources, academic freedom and autonomy that will help JGU flourish further. I am confident that this will help us achieve the highest standards of institutional excellence on a global platform.”
The search for ‘Institutions of Eminence’ began in the year 2017 with the introduction of the ‘UGC (Institutions of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2017’ for private institutions and ‘UGC (Declaration of Government Educational Institutions as Institutions of Eminence) Guidelines, 2017’ for public institutions.
Institutions that found a place among the top 50 in the National Institute Ranking Framework rankings or those figuring in the top 500 in certain reputed international ratings were eligible to apply. Eventually, only 10 public and 10 private institutions were selected.
The public universities will receive financial support from the government and in the case of the private institutions proposed as ‘Institutions of Eminence’, there will be no financial support, but they will be entitled to more autonomy as a special category Deemed University.
