Kumar Bahukhandi
Azim Premji University today announced the establishment of its third campus in Ranchi, expanding its presence in eastern India and strengthening its commitment to context-based, socially engaged higher education. The new campus builds on the University’s long-standing work in education, development, public health, and governance, and reflects its approach of linking academic learning with real-world social and regional realities.
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Zulfiquar Haider, Vice Chancellor Designate, Azim Premji University, Ranchi Campus
Sharing the vision for the Ranchi campus, Zulfiquar Haider, Vice Chancellor Designate – Azim Premji University, Ranchi Campus, said, “We want the Ranchi campus to be closely connected to the Social and Developmental needs of this region and contribute to building knowledge and human resources’. The University will offer a range of programs and courses that will suit the needs of diverse students and learners, including working professionals. The university aims to meaningfully engage with the rich traditions, histories, knowledge systems and worldviews of the diverse Adivasi and other communities of Jharkhand.”
Located in Itki, the 150-acre campus is being developed as a fully residential facility, equipped with state-of-the art classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities and residences for both students and faculty. A teaching hospital and medical college are also planned. The campus is designed to be sustainable with energy-efficient systems and facilities for rainwater harvesting and water treatment.
The Ranchi campus will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, certificate, and continuing education programmes across disciplines such as Development, Education, Economics, Public Health, Climate Change and Sustainability. These programmes are designed to reflect the development context of Jharkhand and eastern India and will be supported by faculty with strong academic and field experience.
In the current academic year, the campus will begin by offering two Master’s programmes – MA in Applied Economics and MA in Development. It will also offer Post Graduate Diplomas in Local Development, Early Childhood Education, and Educational Assessment, along with multiple short Certificate programmes in Public Health, Education and Development.
Speaking about the University’s broader purpose, Zulfiquar added, “Azim Premji University was established with a clear public purpose, guided by the values of the Azim Premji Foundation. Through teaching, research, and practice, we seek to contribute to a more just, equitable, humane, and sustainable society. The Ranchi campus extends this mission with a focus on knowledge creation, capacity building, and public discourse in Jharkhand and the wider eastern India region.”
About Azim Premji University
Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, was established under the Azim Premji University Act 2010 of the Government of Karnataka. Azim Premji University, Bhopal, was established under the provisions of Madhya Pradesh Niji Vishwa Vidyalaya (Sthapana Avam Sanchalan) Dwitiya Sanshodhan Adhiniyam, 2022. Azim Premji University in Ranchi is being established under the Azim Premji University Act, 2022, enacted by the Government of Jharkhand.
Azim Premji Foundation, the sponsoring body, set up all three Universities as fully philanthropic entities, with a clear social purpose of contributing to the realisation of a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society.
