Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will make all out efforts to engage “young cadets” from the prestigious Defence Institutes across the nation that are affiliated to it for visiting its campus and staying there for few days.
JNU Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar, while talking exclusively to The Pioneer, said in its bid to strengthen the bond between the premier defence institutes and the university, the JNU is exploring the idea of inviting the young cadets who are being trained at the six Defence Institutes recognised by it.
“The idea is that some of those young cadets may come and stay in JNU for a few days. This would give them an opportunity to interact with our students and know about their university closely. Also, it will provide a chance to our students to learn so much from the experience and discipline these officers follow in their daily life. This will help in developing a strong mutual bonding between all of us,” said M Jagadesh Kumar.
JNU has granted recognition and accreditation to six defence institutes across the country that includes National Defence Academy, Pune; Army Cadet College, Dehradun; Naval College of Engineering, lonavala; Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, Mhow; Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Secunderabad and College of Military Engineering, Pune.
“These officers who are fighting for the security of the nation are JNU alumni and their degrees are given by JNU, therefore, we need to strengthen the bond between alumni who are passing out of these defence institutes and JNU,” said the VC.
Also, this year JNU will invite Defence Institutes to bring and display their specific models at “Open-Day” organised for school students.
The JNU is organising “Open-Day” since last two years in which students from schools across Delhi are invited to have a look at exhibition by these institutes.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor said that “very soon” a symbol or memorial would be created in order to highlight the strong bond between Defence Institutes and the JNU.
“We are working on it and very soon a memorial or symbol in order to strengthen this bond would be installed or kept here. It could be anything like a fighter jet, a tank, a ship or a submarine that would highlight the strong bond JNU shares with these institutes,” said Jagadesh Kumar.
JNU already had “Wall of Heroes” - portraying photos and biography of 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees (India’s highest gallantry award given for most conspicuous bravery in battle field), and “in wake of the fact that Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is herself a JNU alumni, the bond between these defence institutes and JNU is expected to strengthen as never before,” said a JNU teacher.