New Delhi: Come this August and Delhi's second state university will start functioning with the first batch of postgraduate students. Ambedkar University, Delhi (AUD), established in July 2008, would be India's first university dedicated exclusively to social sciences and humanities.
The university has already started operations by offering a PG Diploma in development studies and would launch three PG programs this year: MA in Development Studies, Psychology, and Environment & Development followed by law program in 2010. Presently the university is functioning from a temporary location in Sector-9, Dwarka.
By 2011, it will move to its new campus and would have 10 schools and five centers. The state government has offered around 50 acres to the university in Najafgarh region of the capital. It would not be a single campus university as the university likes the students to travel as less as possible. By the time the project is completed the university might have three campuses, one each in east, west and north.
Moreover, the university is proposing a modest fee structure, so that no deserving student is denied a seat because of their poor economic condition. The fee structure would be determined on factors such as per-capita operational cost of the program, economic and social background of the student and expected level of employment after graduation.
Further, by 2013, the university plans to have 15 interdisciplinary schools and centers, a community of 4000 students, of which 1200 will have hostel accommodation. About 1000 students will pursue postgraduation and research. In addition to that there will be a core faculty of 200 teachers and 50 professional staff.
