New Delhi: The South Asian University (SAU) would begin functioning this August with a temporary campus at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). It would initially admit around 50 students to two MA courses.

The students who will be granted admission will be chosen from the eight nations that are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

The university has been allotted land in New Delhi to set up its campus. However, the classes for the first year at the university would be held at the School of Physical Sciences building at JNU as the building has been lying vacant and JNU has agreed to lend it to SAU.

The SAU has already advertised for its MA programmes. They are a two year programme of Masters in Development Economics and a three year course of Masters in Computer Application. Both programmes would have 25 seats.

Although the number of seats at the university is limited this year, students from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal are eligible for admission.

According to the rules for the allotment of seats, the host country cannot have more than 50 percent of seats and all countries cannot have less than 4 percent seats. The seats that are left unoccupied would be offered to the smaller countries before they revert back to the host country.

The main focus of the South Asian University would be research and postgraduate level programmes. It will offer 12 postgraduate science and non-science faculties as well as a small faculty for undergraduate studies.

The number of seats that would be offered by the university would be 7,000, along with 700 teachers. There are also plans to establish a flagship Institute of South Asian Studies.

The land for the establishment of SAU is a 100 acre plot in Maidan Garhi in New Delhi. Along with initial investments by India, other SAARC member nations would also contribute to the operational costs of the varsity. Money would also be raised from international financial institutions, educational foundations and donors.