Universities Use CSR Funds for Infrastructure Improvement

Public and Private Companies Back Education

Jadavpur University’s Chemical Engineering Department Renovation

Jadavpur University (JU) has utilized Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds from companies to enhance their facilities and infrastructure. For instance, the chemical engineering department’s 3,000 sq. ft unit operation laboratory was refurbished with a CSR grant from Merck & Co., an American multinational pharmaceutical company.

• The lab, vital for teaching and research, was opened on Friday.
• JU will also establish a multidisciplinary research centre for sustainable development using part of the CSR grant.
• The Pro-VC, Amitava Datta, thanked Sanat Chattopadhyay, a JU alumnus and global president of Merck & Co.’s manufacturing division, for providing a CSR grant of Rs 1 crore.
• Chattopadhyay stated that the centre will promote high-impact research in sustainability while preserving ecological balance.

Presidency University’s CSR Funding

Presidency University (PU) has also obtained CSR funds from various sources, which have aided in student development and infrastructure growth.

• PU’s chemistry department received financial assistance of about Rs 20 lakh from Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) for lab upgrades.
• JU’s electrical engineering department received Rs 18.5 lakh from PGCIL.
• Siemens donated software worth a crore to JU’s production engineering department.
• The West Bengal Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation granted approximately Rs 30 lakh for upgrading the student computer lab.
• Infosys Limited gave PU Rs 60 lakh for building a state-of-the-art lecture theatre and Rs 5 crore endowment for creating the post of Infosys chair professor for the economics department.
• The State Bank of India gave Rs 35 lakh to JU for campus beautification.

CSR Funds’ Importance in Education

These instances illustrate how CSR funds from both public and private companies significantly contribute to supporting universities and their infrastructure development.