IP varsity launches quota for orphans

Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (IP University) has taken a step towards inclusive education by approving a quota for orphan children.

Effective from the 2025-26 academic session, Orphan Children quota will reserve one additional seat in each programme offered by the university. Students admitted under this quota will also receive a 100 per cent tuition fee waiver under the economically weaker section (EWS) scheme.

The decision was made during a recent meeting of the university’s Academic Council. Vice Chancellor Prof (Dr) Mahesh Verma emphasised the university’s commitment to ensuring access to quality education for all, especially orphaned children who have lost their parents due to the pandemic or other unfortunate circumstances.

He added that the university would also help such students benefit from existing financial aid schemes run by the Centre and the state governments.

With this move, IP University becomes one of the first institutions in the country to implement a quota specifically for orphan children. The detailed guidelines and eligibility criteria for availing the quota will be published soon on the university’s website.

The Academic Council also approved several academic expansions and reforms. These include the launch of a specialised PhD programme for working professionals and the introduction of lateral entry for the MBA (fire and industrial safety) programme. In an effort to promote multilingual skills, certificate courses in Spanish and other foreign languages will also be added.

Further academic developments include the introduction of a five-year integrated BA-MA programme in philosophy and four-year BEd special education programmes in three new disciplines.

The university will also offer a post-MSc diploma in radiological physics to cater to advanced studies in medical and applied sciences. The university also announced plans to establish an “In-situ Centre for Indian Knowledge System and Technology Innovation”. Lastly, the university confirmed that its Narela campus will soon become operational.