O.P. Jindal Global University To Physically Open For All Students On August 1

Sonipat, July 14: The O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is excited to announce the full-fledged physical reopening of its campus from August 1.

The Sonipat-based varsity will welcome its faculty members along with newly admitted and existing students back to the campus after two years of virtual and hybrid learning. The Covid-19 pandemic-induced circumstances had forced the university to close its physical campus from 6 March 2020 and transition to online teaching. In March 2022, the campus reopened partially in accordance with the government guidelines.

Starting from Monday, August 1, 2022, approximately 8,900 students will pursue various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, offered by 12 schools and a University wide research institute, at this fully residential university. All the newly admitted and existing students will return to the campus to resume full-fledged classroom learning.

Students will return to the campus in a phased manner from Tuesday, 26 July 2022 till Sunday, 31 July 2022. All the faculty members of JGU from India and around the will also return to the JGU campus to resume physical classroom teaching from August 1.

The university is fully prepared to welcome all the students and to accommodate them in the world-class student housing facilities, designed as per international norms with aesthetically furnished rooms, available on campus. Additionally, the campus is equipped with recreational facilities including a gymnasium and other indoor and outdoor games, along with an equestrian facility.

Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, JGU has persevered in its commitment to ensure that students are able to access world-class education, which is in line with JGU’s mission.

Over the last two years, the university has developed its infrastructure and built a state-of-the-art academic block sprawling over one lakh square feet. It set up computer labs for the purpose of data analytics, and installed an AI-based language training software, capable of teaching multiple languages such as English, Spanish, French, German, etc.

Consolidating and augmenting its sports facilities, JGU developed cricket, football and hockey grounds meeting international standards; state-of-the-art cushioned, synthetic tennis and basketball courts with a massive flood light system.

Promoting the creative arts, the university established a multipurpose Performing Arts Academy, a first-of-its-kind for any university in the region. It will serve as a Performing Arts and Movie Theatre as well as a state-of-the-art Conference Hall. JGU has also set up a polo ground to develop equestrian facilities and train students in the sport. Other additions to its infrastructure include new student housing blocks and upgraded health centre — a noteworthy development as JGU prepares for the physical reopening of its campus.

In addition to the development of infrastructure, the university started four new Schools and 17 innovative interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate programmes since 2020. During the tumultuous period of the pandemic, JGU received the recognition as an Institution of Eminence by the Government of India and featured in the QS World University Rankings. It received special distinctions by the Times Higher Education for its digital innovation.

JGU is ranked among the top 250 universities in the world in faculty-student ratio, among the top 450 universities in the world in employer reputation, and among the top 550 universities in the world in international faculty ratio. O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has emerged as India’s No. 1 private university for the third year in a row, according to the QS World University Rankings 2023. Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) has now been ranked 70th among the best law schools in the world and No.1 in India by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022.

The fact that JGU has maintained its position as the No. 1 private university in India for three years in a row amid the extremely challenging circumstances of the devastating global pandemic exhibits the resilience of the university’s strong foundations designed to foster academic excellence and create exciting new opportunities for our students.

Speaking on the occasion of the full-fledged physical reopening of the campus from August 1, 2022, the Founding Vice Chancellor of JGU, Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar said, “Since its inception, JGU has laid strong emphasis on creating a world-class university that provides global education with interdisciplinarity in all its schools, research institutes and programmes. While the global education vision is being implemented by recruiting top notch faculty members and offering a wide array of interdisciplinary courses, creating a world-class learning environment is also invariably associated with providing world-class infrastructure and resources.

“With the rapidly changing external environment around us, it has become inevitable for us to adopt digitisation and create necessary physical infrastructure on campus that will reinforce our values of creativity, maintain a vibrant research environment, pursue academic excellence while fostering a sense of belonging and ownership.

“We are indeed excited to welcome back all our students and faculty members. I am particularly delighted to welcome our students back to the campus as they have been anxiously waiting for this moment for the last two years. I extend my best wishes and a warm welcome to all the students, faculty members and administrative staff of JGU at the onset of the physical reopening of the campus from Monday, August 1, 2022. The last two years had been challenging for all of us in higher education.”

“The disruption caused by the pandemic resulted in the loss of physical classes and made us push our boundaries to redesign and reinvent our academic policies, practices and processes to build institutional resilience and ensure academic continuity. Given the constraints imposed on physical mobility, our efforts during these times were focused on planning for an effective physical reopening of the campus, and at the same time augmenting the physical infrastructure on the campus.

“This is going to be a constant effort and we look forward to driving many more of such initiatives. It is truly remarkable that we could do all of this in the last several months and have become fully equipped to welcome the students to the campus. This is indeed a joyous moment as we physically reopen the campus from Monday, August 1, 2022.”

Reflecting on the physical reopening of the campus, the Registrar of JGU, Professor Dabiru Sridhar Patnaik, said, “We are indeed excited about the full-fledged physical reopening of the campus from Monday, August 1, 2022 after two years of online and hybrid learning. It is indeed a special situation as we physically reopen the JGU campus after a long time! In the coming weeks, the presence of students and faculty members will make our campus life vibrant with academic and co-curricular activities. Our students will be in the pleasant company of their peers and fellow students with an opportunity to experience every moment in the fully augmented and serene JGU campus, truly the ‘Wordsworth’ way.

“The faculty and administrative staff members displayed an unwavering commitment during these difficult times induced by the pandemic and contributed to the mission of the University with utmost dedication. We are keen on enabling greater in-class and physical campus experience to all students of JGU and will continue to support our students as we physically resume our classes on Monday, August 1, 2022”.

The Dean of Admissions and Outreach at JGU Professor Upasana Mahanta said, “I am delighted to welcome all students to the JGU campus on the 1st of August 2022. At a time of global uncertainty on the future of the physical reopening of educational institutions and residential campuses, we have successfully completed our admissions process, bringing in students from different states and regions who will embark on their academic journey with us. I hope that this journey is full of learning and growth as students will get a truly enriching experience rooted in multidisciplinary praxis-based learning, exposure to global academic & research avenues, a vibrant university eco system of community and cultural engagement, and a dynamic platform to realise their potential and become the best versions of themselves.”