Jadavpur University plans to set up an artificial intelligence (AI) laboratory with financial support from the Centre and the state under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (Rusa 2.0) scheme.

According to vice-chancellor Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, the decision was taken last Tuesday at a meeting of the committee constituted to utilise the ₹44-crore grant received under the scheme.

The VC said that the world is now focusing on artificial intelligence, and it’s time for the university to set its sights on this new-age discipline.

“If we are to upgrade our standard and retain the top-notch students from the state JEE, the university has to give students a chance so they can research in AI while pursuing their BTech programme. If the education department consents to the proposal, then the AI laboratory will be set up at the Prayukti Bhavan,” the VC said.

While private universities and autonomous colleges have already introduced BTech and BSc programmes in areas such as artificial intelligence and data science, JU is yet to focus on these disciplines.

“If we are to stay relevant and make our students employable, the university has to invest in AI. If JU is to emerge as an Institute of Eminence, we have to embrace newer ideas that are in sync with the times,” the VC said.

Finance minister Swapan Dasgupta had earlier announced: “Jadavpur University will be developed as an institute of excellence with the government of India contribution of ₹1,000 crore and state share of ₹250 crore over a period of five years.”

The announcement could enable the university to secure a status that eluded it over the past eight years because of a tussle between the Trinamool government and the Union education ministry.

The same standoff had also delayed the release of funds under Rusa, under which the Centre contributes 60% and the state the remaining 40%.

“For a cash-strapped university, setting up an artificial intelligence laboratory was always a tough ask. Now that funds are being made available under the Rusa scheme, JU has proposed setting up the lab,” the official said.

A former professor of IIT Kharagpur said that if JU did not focus and excel in areas like AI, it would lose its position further.

JU, long regarded as one of the country’s top engineering institutions, has witnessed a steady decline in the NIRF engineering rankings, carried out by the Union education ministry.

“JU rankings can improve if it introduces laboratories in new-age areas like AI. This will attract bright students...,” the IIT professor said.

The IIT has already introduced BTech and MTech in artificial intelligence.