Students on joint India and Pakistan Independence Day Celebration
At the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh proposed the establishment of a South Asian University to provide world-class facilities and professional faculty to students and researchers from SAARC member countries.[4] The "Inter-governmental Agreement for the Establishment of the South Asian University" was signed at the 14th SAARC Summit. The SAARC member states also decided that the university would be established in India.[4] Professor G.K. Chadha, Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council member and former vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University, was formally appointed the CEO of the project and first President.[5]
India provides the majority of funds, around US$239.93million, for the foundation of the University, which is around 79 per cent of the total cost of the full establishment of the University until 2014. As of 2018, Pakistan had cleared most of its dues payable.[6] As of 2023, all the member countries other than India have defaulted on paying the dues.[7]
South Asian University predominantly attracts students from the eight SAARC countries, although students from other continents also attend. There is a country quota system for the admission of students. SAU conducts admission tests annually at various centres in eight countries.[9]
Campus
South Asian University's campus at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi
The campus of South Asian University is at Maidan Garhi, adjacent to IGNOU and Asola Wildlife Sanctuary. The Master Layout Plan of this 100-acre campus houses faculty buildings, hostels, playgrounds, residential apartments and a club. The construction was completed by 2022-23.[10]
Organization and administration
Prof. G. K. Chadha Library, part of the university
The founding President of the university, G. K. Chadha, died on 1 March 2014.[11] On 3 November 2014, Dr. Kavita Sharma took charge as the President of the university.[12] She retired in November 2019.[13] A.V.S. Ramesh Chandra was appointed as acting President. He was followed by Ranjan Kumar Mohanty, who is the last acting President.[13] Currently, on 27 December 2023, After four-year wait, K. K. Aggarwal fills South Asian University president's post[14]
The decision-making bodies of South Asian University comprise the Governing Board,[15] the Executive Council, the Academic Council, and the Finance Committee.
Controversy
In July 2025, the university was involved in a disciplinary controversy after a student, Sudeepto Niloy, was expelled following a dispute in the student mess over food restrictions during the Maha Shivratri festival.[16][17] The incident led to debates about campus discipline and freedom of expression at the institution.[18][19]
Previous incidents include protests in 2022 over the reduction of student stipends, which resulted in police intervention and disciplinary actions against several students and faculty members. Associate professor Snehashish Bhattacharya was suspended and later terminated in 2023, a move that teachers' associations criticized as an attack on academic freedom.[20]
In 2024, Sri Lankan sociologist Sasanka Perera and one of his students left the university after receiving disciplinary notices over a thesis that included an interview with linguist Noam Chomsky critical of the Indian government.[21]
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