RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
The excellent academic and research contributions of its
faculty have ensured that the University of Delhi has one
of the largest number of Centres of Advanced Studies
recognized by the UGC. These Centres are in the
fields of Botany, Chemistry, Economics, Physics,
Sociology, and Zoology. The Departments of Anthropology,
Buddhist Studies, Philosophy, Chemistry, Commerce,
Economics, English, Financial Studies, Geography, Geology,
Genetics, History, Law, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music,
Plant Molecular Biology, Political Science, Psychology,
Social Work, Sociology, and Statistics have been the
recipients of Special Assistance Programmes from the UGC
in view of their outstanding academic accomplishments. The
Departments of Botany, Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics,
Physics, and Zoology have been provided assistance under
COSIST programmes. The Centre for Professional
Development in Higher Education, the Centre for Science
Education and Communication, the Developing Countries
Research Centre and the Women's Studies and Development
Centre have all received special grants from the UGC.
The University has established several research and
development centres under the Board of Interdisciplinary
Studies to promote interdisciplinary research on socially
relevant issues and better understanding and interaction
among the different academic departments and Business,
Industry and National Research Laboratories. The most
important of these Centres are:
Agricultural Economics Research Centre
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of India
funds the Centre, which undertakes research on behalf of
the Ministry, the National Land Development Board and
other such organizations.
Agro-Chemicals & Pest Management
This Centre conducts an interdisciplinary M.Sc program in
Agro-Chemicals and Pest Management
Centre for Canadian Studies (CCS)
The Centre was set up in 1992 to co-ordinate academic
activities related to Canadian Studies in Business
Economics, English Literature, History, Linguistics, and
Political Science. It has initiated courses and organised
seminars, workshops, lectures, debates, and publications.
The Centre has provision for sending two or three students
of professional courses every year on summer internships
to Canada. The Centre has been recognised by the UGC as an
Area Studies Programme Unit.
Centre for Detector & Related Software Technology
Started in 1989, this Centre trains students in detector
design, construction, testing, and in the development of
related software for simulation and analysis in
Experimental High Energy Physics. It has ongoing
collaborations with the Large Hadron Collider at CERN,
Geneva and the D-zero experiment at Fermilab, USA.
Centre for Entrepreneur ship and Career Oriented Programme
This Centre was set up in 2000 with the basic aim of
running courses and programmes for training teachers,
unemployed graduates, and students to develop employable
skills. It is located in Shaheed Rajguru College of
Applied Sciences for Women. The Centre conducts short-term
courses on Information Technology in Libraries and
Information Centres, Quality Assurance in Food and
Entrepreneurship in Food Processing, Maintenance of
Computer Laboratories, Analytical Techniques and
Instrumentation, and Accountancy.
Centre for the Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants
The aim of the Centre is to develop research programmes on
the genetic engineering of crop plants. The main thrust is
on developing molecular methods for heterosis breeding and
on developing transgenic crops that are resistant to
biotic stresses. It has a major grant from the National
Dairy Development Board for the breeding of mustard.
Developing Countries Research Centre
This Centre was set up in 1993 to study problems of the
developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America in
a comparative perspective. Presently, its focus is on
changing the terms of discourse by challenging the
dominant knowledge system and questioning their claims to
universality. Its research areas include State and Civil
Society, Democratic Thought and Practice, People's Right,
Women and Social Change, Culture, Religion and Society,
Science, and Technology and Social Change.
Dr.
BR Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research;
This Centre is known for work on problems of immediate
practical importance such as human infections, metabolic
diseases, and cancer. Most of its activities are directed
toward basic research, mainly in the Biological and
Biomedical Sciences.
Institute of Informatics and Communication
It offers a M.Sc program in Informatics — a convergence of
computer and telecommunication technologies.
Professor DS Kothari Centre for Science, Ethics &
Education
The Centre works to achieve a synthesis of science, ethics
and education and to acquaint the present generation with
the life and works of Professor DS Kothari — great
visionary, renowned physicist, outstanding teacher and a
great educationist. It has published most of his
non-technical writings and organises an annual memorial
lecture. Speakers have included the late Sir John Ken
drew, Sir Michael Francis Atiyah, R Chidambaram, and the
President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
School of Environmental Sciences
This School was established to foster and promote
interdisciplinary studies for understanding the impact of
human activities on complex ecological interactions in
nature and for finding sustainable solutions for various
environmental problems. Three existing academic bodies -
the Department of Environmental Biology, the Centre for
the Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems and
the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies on Mountain and
Hill Environments were brought under its umbrella. The
School is also the nodal centre for coordinating all
environment related academic programmes in the University.
It conducts PhD and MPhil programmes in Environmental
Studies.
Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems
This Centre is engaged in action research as well as in
capacity building in restoration ecology, bioremediation,
resource utilisation and enhancement. It has been
recognised as a Centre for Excellence by the Ministry of
Environments and Forests, Government of India. The Jamuna
and the Aravalli Biodiversity Parks are being developed
and managed jointly by the Centre and the Delhi
Development Authority.
Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain & Hill
Environment
This Centre revolves around the idea that upland areas
play a crucial role in the production and regeneration of
natural resources like fresh water and forests, besides
sustaining a rich genetic diversity of plant and animal
life. It is engaged in carrying out studies related to
carrying-capacity based development planning, biodiversity
evaluation and conservation, environmental sensitivity of
river basins, and the impact of developmental projects on
the ecology of these basins. It houses an R&D centre
sponsored by the Ministry of Power, Government of India to
study environment related issues in the power sector.
VP Chest Institute
The Vallabhabhai Patel Chest Institute is a University
maintained Centre, specializing in the treatment of and
medical research in diseases related to the chest.
Women's Studies and Development Centre
This Centre was established in 1987 and is now recognised
as a Phase in Centre by the UGC. It promotes Women's
Studies in the University and the neighbouring regions.
Its major areas of interest are curriculum development and
research, gender sensitisation, and counselling. It
networks with other organisations and organises seminars
and workshops. It is the Secretariat for the University
Apex Committee on Sexual Harassment.
Other Centres of the University
Centre for Human Resource Development
The Centre organizes training and management development
programmes for officials of the University of Delhi and
also of other higher educational institutions in the
country.
Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education
This Centre was set up in 1987 to organize periodic
orientation programmes for faculty members of the
University of Delhi and of other universities to help them
keep abreast of the latest developments in their field.
Centre foot Science Education and Communication
This Centre was established in 1989 in response to the
changing relationship between society at large and the
University. It organizes lectures, seminars, workshops on
science education and generally promotes greater awareness
of the impact of science on society. It has a very strong
Programme of interaction with schools and has recently
played a pivotal role in the development of textbooks in
Science, Environmental Studies and Mathematics for schools
in Delhi at the request of the SCERT, Delhi.
Delhi University Computer Center
The Computer Centre was established in the mid 1960s to
cater to the computing requirements of the University of
Delhi. It has recently assumed additional responsibilities
related to the running and maintenance of the University
computer network which provides gigabit connectivity over
a fibre optic backbone to all departments, campus colleges
and postgraduate hostels of the University.
SP
Jain Centre for Advanced Management Research
It was established under the Faculty of Management Studies
in 1982 in the South Campus to promote management
research, education and training of managers, executives
and management teachers.
University Science & Instrumentation Center
USIC has a number of sophisticated research instruments
which are used by several departments of the University
and by other institutions in Delhi and its neighborhood.