NIIT University, Rajasthan

Within 20 months of admitting its first batch of students, NIIT-U is rapidly establishing a reputation for industry-linked and research-intensive undergrad, postgrad and doctoral study programmes

Promoted in 2009 as a greenfield not-for-profit university by NIIT Ltd (estb.1981, annual revenue: Rs.1,249 crore) — India’s globe-girdling IT education and training multinational with operations including 8,703 learning centres in 40 countries across six continents — NIIT University (NIIT-U), sited in the picturesque fortress town of Neemrana (Rajasthan), is rapidly establishing a reputation for providing industry-linked and research-intensive undergraduate, postgraduate and doct-oral study programmes in engineering, technology and business management.

The state-of-the-art 100-acre eco-friendly campus of NIIT-U, nestling in the Aravalli hills which is the world’s oldest fold mountain range, welcomed its first batch of 30 students in September 2009. Since then over the past 20 months besides engineering, tech-nology and business management degree programmes, NIIT-U has expanded its academic menu to offer a two-year MBA programme in finance and banking (in partnership with ICICI Bank).

Inspired by Rajendra S. Pawar, NIIT’s promoter-chairman, the institutional objective of NIIT-U is to develop into a globally respected multi-disciplinary university which will set new bench-marks in higher education. “We have engineered a new model in higher education based on the four core principles of providing industry-linked, technology based, research driven, and seamless education.  The over-30 years of experience, knowledge and expertise of NIIT in education worldwide has been invested in this not-for-profit univer-sity,” says Pawar who is evidently satisfied with the smooth start of this private university established by a special NIIT University Act 2010, legislated by the Rajasthan assembly.

In September last, NIIT-U completed its first full year of academic operations and admitted its second batch of  students. Currently 122 students are enroled in B.Tech (computer science and engineering, information and communication technology, biotechnology and electronic and communication engineering), M.Tech (bioinformatics, educati-onal technology, embedded systems and pervasive systems), MBA and Ph D programmes. A highly-qualified faculty of 36 supplemented by visiting faculty from industry ensures the varsity’s “four core principles” are fully integrated into the education experience.

“Recent studies show that a mere 4 percent of engineering graduates are employable in multinational IT compa-nies with 18 percent found suitable for employment in IT-services related firms. Therefore our curriculums have been designed in alignment with the requirements of multinationals. There’s a six-month compulsory internship programme, latest e-learning technology is used to enable students to connect with academics and industry leaders from around the world, and research projects are mandatory for all students. Moreover to fulfill our objective of delivering holistic education, all students are obliged to select electives from the humanities and languages and two co-curricular activities from physical education, the performing arts, comm-unity engagement and crafts. We are committed to producing well-balanced professionals employable worldwide,” says Dr. Rajeev Shorey, president of NIIT University.

A postgrad of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Shorey acquired valuable experience in blue-chip univer-sities and corporates including Sasken Technologies, National University of Singapore, IIT-Delhi, IBM Research India Laboratory and GM Research India Science Laboratory prior to signing up with NIIT-U in 2009.

A wholly residential varsity, NIIT-U has been carefully positioned as an environment-friendly education institution adjoining a 750-acre hillock range which offers a plethora of rock-climbing, trekking, adventure sports, environmental rehabilitation and stargazing opportunities to students of both sexes. The 100-acre campus, a mere 4 km from Neemrana Fort (estb.1464), has been master-planned by YRM (London) Ltd, a globally renowned campus architecture firm which has also designed campuses of Brunel (London) and Cyprus universities. Among the features of its fully wired technology- intensive campus are hi-tech earth-air cooled classrooms, 17 state-of-the-art laboratories, a well-equipped library and 240-seat auditorium. Sports infrast-ructure includes facilities for football, cricket, hockey, tennis, basketball, volleyball, golf, athletics, badminton, carom, chess and pool.

Residential accommodation includes furnished single and double rooms, all positioned to provide scenic vistas of the Aravalli hills, with recreational rooms, dining and laundry facilities. Other on-campus facilities include a department store, medical facility, yoga centre, music and dance rooms, and a art and crafts centre.

Encouraged by the smooth start the university has got off to in its first year, NIIT-U’s management has drawn up ambitious plans to expand the academic menu to include study programmes in the humanities and sciences. “Our objective is to develop NIIT-U into a full-fledged multi-disciplinary institution offering degree programmes in the humanities, life sciences, and behavi-oural sciences among other disciplines. We are also making a concerted effort to attract scholars into our Ph D programmes to give impetus to research and development at the university, and are beginning to attract foreign students who will help us shape NIIT-U into a world-class higher education institution offering cutting-edge education and research facilities to students from around the world,” says Dr. Shorey.

Given the professionalism and speed with which NIIT University has stabilised its operations within the first 20 months of its existence, this goal is likely to be achieved well ahead of schedule.

Summiya Yasmeen