Azim Premji University was established in Karnataka by the Azim Premji University Act 2010 as a not-for-profit University and is recognized by The University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 2F.
The beginnings of the University are in the learning and experience of a decade of work in elementary education by the Azim Premji Foundation. The University was founded as one of the key responses to the constraints and challenges that the Foundation encountered both within and in the environment, and as part of a larger strategy to contribute to the Education and Development sectors in the country.
Two key principles guide the process of the University’s evolution.
Firstly, the University has a clearly stated social purpose. As an institution, it exists to make significant contributions through education towards the building of a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. This is an explicit commitment to the idea that education contributes to social change. At the same time, this commitment to a specific value orientation is not to be interpreted as a narrowly utilitarian view of the University. Education’s impact on society is through the changes in values and action that thinking, autonomous individuals are capable of.
Secondly, the University is part of the Foundation and integral to its vision. The synergy from the close working of the students and faculty with the Foundation's field units will inform and enrich the programmes at the University and the field alike. The members of the Foundation as a whole have the challenging task of defining an organizational culture and processes of interaction that realise the full potential of this linkage.
It should be clear from the above that Azim Premji University is unusual in the way it is conceived and organized. We profess liberal and ‘humanistic’ values but at the same time define our intent unambiguously in the context of India’s social and political development. We consider independence and excellence in research to be critical, but do not see the possibility of sharply separating knowledge from its purposes and consequences. We are not narrowly utilitarian in our orientation, but at the same time are deeply mindful of the consequences of our work.
Azim Premji University seeks to enroll students from diverse backgrounds aligned to the core values of the University. To meet this objective, the admissions process is designed to select interested candidates who show evidence of:
- A deep desire to contribute towards education and development in India.
- Demonstrated independence of thought.
- Value orientation that is geared towards creating a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society.
We invite applications for enrolment in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of the University.
Undergraduate Programmes
- B.A. Economics (3 years)
- B.A. Humanities (3 years)
- B.Sc. Biology (3 years)
- B.Sc. Physics (3 years)
- B.Sc. B.Ed. Biology (4 years)
- B.Sc. B.Ed. Physics (4 years)
Postgraduate Programmes
- Master of Education (M.Ed.) (2 years)
- Master of Arts (M.A.) Education (2 years)
- Master of Arts (M.A.) Development (2 years)
- Master of Arts (M.A.) Public Policy & Governance (2 years)
- LL.M. in Law & Development (1 year)
Azim Premji University’s academic programmes aim to prepare students to be independent thinkers and autonomous learners who go on to be successful professionals committed values of justice, equity and sustainability in Indian society. This requires the University to provide learning experiences that are responsive both to the lives and concerns of students and to the vision of justice and equity that the University holds dear. All programmes of the University are informed by this vision. The University is closely linked to the work of Azim Premji Foundation’s field institutions in various parts of the country.
The above vision has led the University to develop curricula that give students opportunities to engage with ideas and learning material critically in an environment of collaborative learning and dialogue. The focus is on understanding and also on working out the ethical and practical implications of knowledge developed in the programme. Our faculty adopt teaching styles that emphasize questioning and discussion and constantly encourage students move away from rote learning and uncritical reproduction of material. Assessment methods are flexible and varied enough to respond to diverse learning settings and less dependent on high-stakes examinations.
The University is committed to admitting students from diverse social and economic backgrounds. Educational opportunity and outcomes in India are deeply influenced by structural inequities and constraints of class, caste, gender, region, language and disability. While we do not expect to eliminate the impact of these factors, the need for diversity and inclusion will inform both the development and implementation of our programmes.
The University currently has four postgraduate programmes – M.A.Education, M.A.Development, M.A.Public Policy & Governance and LL.M. (Law and Development).
We also offer the following residential Undergraduate programme
a) Three-year, full-time, residential Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degrees are in the following specializations:
- Physics or Biology
- Economics
- Humanities
b) 4-year, full-time, residential, dual-degree programme that awards a B.Sc. B.Ed. Degree. This programme prepares you to gain deep disciplinary knowledge in the Sciences as well as a practical and professional degree in Education.
