Despite all the negative news that JNU has been a part of in the past few years, it firmly remains one of the very best Universities in the country. To further strengthen its image as the premier university, Pranab Mukherjee, the President of India, shall give away the award for the best university to JNU’s chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar.
The University, which has been in the news for alleged ‘anti national’ slogans, managed to win the ‘Visitor’s award’ for the best Central university in India. A number of ministers termed the University as an agent of terrorism following the slapping of sedition charges on a number of students for protesting against the execution of Afzal Guru.
These awards began in the year 2015 and are given to the top most institutions in the country. Nine of the best Universities in the country, including the Banaras Hindu University, Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University applied in the best university category. The award was given to JNU after judging these universities on a number of parameters such as university ranking, student faculty ration, patents filed and research output.
While BHU and Tezpur University managed to win the award for research, the visitors’ award for innovation went to the Himachal University.
The committee which decided the awards comprised of UGC Chairman, Director General of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and secretaries of department of higher education and department of science & technology and was headed by Omita Paul, secretary to the President of India.