NU and IIT Delhi heads at the MoU signing.
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement
NEW DELHIThe road dividing Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is set to become a bridge of collaboration as the two neighbouring institutes move towards sharing academic and research resources.Officials of the two institutes announced the partnership after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday. JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit said, “Since we are neighbours, we decided to make use of both our strengths. First, we will allow credit transfers, so if a student from IIT Delhi takes a course at JNU or vice versa, they will receive credits for it,” she said.A joint working group comprising deans from both institutions has been formed to oversee implementation and will meet every six weeks. A similar MoU was signed in 2017, but it “remained largely on paper”, Ms. Pandit noted, adding that this time both sides are determined to act on the agreement.Pooling resourcesThe credit-sharing framework will begin soon, with departments volunteering for collaboration based on their readiness and capacity. The two institutes, which already share some resources informally, plan to formalise research collaborations, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum mechanics.IIT Delhi’s Dean (Research and Development), Ashwini Agarwal, said a joint seed fund will be launched to support collaborative research. “We have also decided that PhD scholars can have joint supervisors from both institutes,” he added.Currently, collaborations are being explored between the science schools of the two institutions. Mr. Agarwal said the partnership will build on the strengths of each institution. “We have identified certain strengths. JNU’s biology and media studies departments are strong. They are starting engineering courses, where we can help,” he said.The institutes also plan to co-invest in research infrastructure and eventually establish a shared “research or innovation park”, Ms. Pandit said, adding that the initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages such partnerships.Under the MoU, IIT Delhi will also gain access to JNU’s Animal House, a facility for the ethical use of laboratory animals in research. Though the main entrances of the two campuses are about two kilometres apart, certain internal gates bring them within walking distance, separated only by a road. Published - October 09, 2025 01:32 am IST
