New Delhi, July 16 (IANS): Jamia Millia Islamia will soon set up a medical college-cum-hospital, its vice-chancellor Talat Ahmad said here Wednesday.
"The medical college in Jamia is a mandatory requirement since there is no government college-cum-hospital in the neighbourhood," he said at a press conference.
The 114 acres of land in the vicinity that was granted to it by the Supreme Court pertaining to the land case between the Uttar Pradesh and the Delhi government would be used for the purpose of building the medical college.
"As a mandatory rule, first a 300-bed hospital will be started and then a medical college. I intend to take up with the government for adequate support and financial assistance for the project," said Ahamd in his first interaction with the media after assuming charge.
He took charge as the vice-chancellor of the central minority institution May 15.
With great focus on academic research, the vice-chancellor is also planning to set up a school of earth atmosphere and planetary sciences. "This will help us understand climate change and human needs in future," he said.
Having geology background, Ahmad intends to put Jamia on national map in regard to environmental studies, earth sciences, glacial studies, global positioning system (GPS), geographic information system and climate change.
With special focus on girls, Ahmad is also planning to set up separate polytechnic courses for girls and hoping for a 50 percent representation of girls in the student's union.
"We will soon be having a students union too, but in which form I cannot tell as the matter is sub-judice," he said.
Besides, the existing academic programmes will be consolidated and given special considerations to the growth of theoretical physics, centre for nanoscience and nanotechnology and geo-sciences.
With other initiatives like making the varsity wi-fi enabled and setting up of digital resource centre to enable students to access e-journals, Ahmad said he wants to put Jamia at par with Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University.
"Jamia is an older university and we are lagging behind. But two months in office, I have realised if we work harder we have a lot of potential," he said.