Impressions From First Days at the Jindal Global Law School

(Thane) I hope that future historians will look back at this week as a historic moment in the history of Indian higher education, as we have welcomed the first class of students at Jindal Global Law School. As I have discussed before, the state of higher education in India is not great. Almost all the reputable schools are state-run, and only a few (mostly technical) schools provide a world-class education. Jindal University’s goal is to establish the model of a non-profit private university providing an elite education in India. The lion’s share of the school’s funding comes from Naveen Jindal, one of India’s richest men, which has enabled the school to make a big splash already in its first year. Many people, especially people who are at all familiar with colleges and universities in India, have heard of this school and they are watching with keen eyes to see if we sink or swim.

So how are things going? Let’s start with the campus. A computer vision of the architect’s plan is available at this link. It’s a swoopy steel-and-glass structure divided into three sections. The outer sections will house offices and classrooms, while the middle section will house the library and administrative stuff.

The reality is not quite up to the vision yet. Here’s the building as it currently stands:

Only the first section is anywhere near completion. Most of the finished rooms in that section look nice, but the infrastructure is still a work in progress. Things like air-conditioning, printers, internet, and even electrical power have been spotty so far. My office looks nice, but it isn’t really in working condition as of yet. And, as the picture reveals, the approach to the school is still mostly unpaved. I have no doubt all these things will be fixed, but they can be a bit frustrating as we start the semester.

As for the students, I haven’t gotten a great read on their academic prowess yet, but they are certainly an enthusiastic bunch. We have one hundred and twenty students for this inaugural year here, and it has been fascinating to see how they’ve responded to the school. I feared the worst, as did several of the other faculty members. The school’s infrastructure is still spotty, and the campus is pretty isolated from the outside world. But the students seem very happy so far. They are staying up late into the night, just hanging out and getting to know each other. It reminds me of my first year in college. I may have gone to school in the great city of Chicago, but many of my best memories from that first year involve late nights sitting out in the halls of the dorms and talking to my fellow students. The students here look like they’re enjoying the same thing, and they don’t need a lot of local attractions, at least not yet.

So morale is high and we are very excited about the future. There’s something especially exciting about being involved in a brand-new ambitious venture. There’s a sense that the sky is the limit and we have the freedom to make this institution as great as we possibly can.

Postscript: The globalization of teen culture is readily evident. One of the first things a few students did was form a band, which performed at the inaugural student-faculty dinner. Did they play Indian sings? Of course not. We were regaled with a set of Pearl Jam, U2, and Smash Mouth. Here’s a shot of the students jamming at the dinner:

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Tags: American pop culture, band, Jindal Global Law School, Jindal University, orientation