JMI To Establish Department Of Library & Info Science After 40 Years Of Effort
After nearly four decades, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is poised to set up a Department of Library and Information Science following the Ministry of Education, Government of India’s recent approval of 06 teaching posts to the university.
This is a remarkable expansion, given that since 1985, JMI has been running the Bachelor of Library and Information Science (B. Lib. I. Sc.) course without permanent faculty members, and the sanctioning of these faculty positions will infuse fresh energy and vitality into the much sought-after programme.
Read also: CUET UG 2025 Final Answer Key Is Out; When Will The Result Be Coming?
Vice Chancellor, JMI, Prof. Mazhar Asif and Registrar, JMI, Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, conveyed their deep gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Union Education Minister, Ministry of Finance and the University Grants Commission (UGC) for their wholehearted support and kind approval of JMI’s proposal to set up a Department of Library and Information Science. Their unstinting support has been instrumental in enabling this expansion, which will bolster the university’s academic offerings and prove to be a milestone in advancing the important and ever-growing discipline of library sciences, they added.
Furthermore, Prof. Asif and Prof. Rizvi, congratulated the JMI fraternity on this major augmentation to the current teaching and skill dissemination in the significant area of library and information sciences.
Expressing his happiness and satisfaction on this noteworthy accomplishment, Prof. Asif said, “Being a cornerstone of academic life on campus, libraries shape the trajectory of research and are central to advancing knowledge, especially in the information age. My vision is to strengthen teaching in librarianship and information science by setting up a full-fledged department of library sciences so as to train the next generation of highly skilled and learned librarians who can do justice to our rich collection of books, rare manuscripts, and journals, as well as embrace modern techniques to remain relevant and cutting-edge in a digital milieu. Not only will the faculty and students of this proposed department contribute to advancing the study of the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) but also its digitization and preservation for the future.”
Read also: IIM Rohtak Law Program’s High Fee Leaves Netizens Asking What’s Taught
Prof. Rizvi, Registrar of JMI, extending his congratulations on this landmark achievement, said, “Libraries serve as a focal point of a university and hold tremendous significance, more so at a time when the world is witnessing rapid technological advancement. It has far-reaching implications for how knowledge and information will be stored, curated, organized, and retrieved in the future. To that end, it is imperative that we train and equip our students and researchers with the tools, skill sets, theoretical understanding, and practical insights so that JMI can emerge as a leader in the discipline of library and information sciences. So far, JMI has been offering limited teaching in this important area with the help of guest faculty and contractual staff. With the addition of teaching faculty, JMI will soon offer courses that address contemporary issues and challenges in a data-driven world.”
It is worth noting that this development will give a big boost to the 105-year-old university, whose Central Library was established in 1920 itself, the year of its founding.
