OP Jindal University: Pros, historical facts, admission process, famous alumni, and more

OP Jindal University (OPJU) is a prominent private higher education institution in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh.

OP Jindal University offers 7 primary undergraduate and postgraduate degree types through three Schools: Engineering, Management, and Science, with several specializations within each. The courses offered are among the most sought after in the careers market, including BTech, MTech, and MBA. Its unique position (as the parent Group is a Steel and Power company) allows for close ties with the industry, as well as a strong focus on sustainability and entrepreneurship through Research Centers and 5 Centers of Excellence, in areas as diverse as Robotics, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship.

This focus on environmental responsibility is reflected in OPJU’s Green University ethos, which has seen it ranked (in the UI Greenmetric list of World Universities) #432 globally. Waste management and energy generation on the University campus are done in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

OP Jindal University has a fully residential campus, and students can access world class sports grounds, well-stocked fitness centers, and healthy food in dining halls attached to the three hostels. Its commitment to social welfare and access to higher education are reflected in the wide access to scholarships (only 95 out of 1,680 students do not receive tuition fee assistance).

Highlights

Historical Facts about OP Jindal University

• OP Jindal University is located in Raigarh, the hub of state culture located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh. It received University status in 2015.
• Raigarh is a city that is significant in the context of Jindal Steel and Power Limited, hosting the first factory of JSPL before it grew to the multinational conglomerate that would become the OP Jindal Group.
• The precursor to OP Jindal University was an Engineering-only college, established in the same location in 2008. After seven years of rapid growth, the college received University status in 2015, and expanded to include two more Schools: Management and Science.
• Among the other unique features of OPJU at its founding, two stand out even today - it is committed to research and development in core industrial sectors (Power, Mining, Steel, and Construction), leading to nation building, and it is committed to sustainable development, leading to environmentally friendly growth for these erstwhile traditionally polluting industries.
• With the establishment of the Center for Sustainable Technology and Product Development soon after OPJU’s founding, it became the only University in India - and one of the few in the world - to directly tackle the sustainability challenges of the iron and steel industry, while still offering its students education and employment opportunities in other fields of interest.
• As part of the 2030 Vision Document, OP Jindal University aims to implement the following growth plans:
  • Introducing new Certificate and Diploma courses to further advance the twin agendas of industry alignment and increased sustainability.
  • Increasing networking opportunities through MoUs with research centers and higher education institutions in India and abroad, to become one of the top Universities in India.
  • Improving the University reputation and enhancing the ranking through increased research output, patents, and internal mentorship and peer support.
  • Adopting villages in the neighborhood and conducting regular events to promote self sufficiency, women empowerment, and health drives.
  • Establishing two new Schools (Education and Nursing) with a total of 15 unique programs in these schools.
  • Setting up international student exchange programs in four areas: Metallurgy, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Business Management.
  • Allocating INR 50 Crore in research funding to achieve 4,000 SCOPUS publications.

Statistical Data and Tuition Fees

• During the most recent placement season, the average CTC offered was INR 6.7 LPA, in line with that in the top Universities in India. More than 200 companies participated in the placement process, and 84% of students in the graduating batch received at least one job offer.
• 30% of students in the final year took career paths other than immediate placements, including family businesses, entrepreneurship, and higher education (Master’s and PhD degrees). The highest salary offered to a graduating student was INR 33 LPA.
• OP Jindal University has 21 high profile Academic and Research Partners (including Colorado School of Mines and the American Concrete Institute) and 12 prominent Industry Partners (including multiple OP Jindal Group companies, Vedanta Limited, NTPC, and Siemens).
• OPJU is at the cutting edge of academics and research in every field. For example, BTech and MTech students of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering have access to course modules on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things. There are also additional minor programs on Analytics and Big Data, further increasing the employability of graduates in the upcoming competitive job market.
• The four year BTech programs offered by OP Jindal University are categorized under 5 Departments. Students can also take specializations e.g. Mechanical Engineering students may complete a minor degree in Robotics, AI, Mechatronics, and Automation. Each BTech specialization also has a corresponding three year Diploma program.
• OPJU offers six MTech programs, with the Mechanical Engineering department offering two MTech courses: in Power Plant Engineering & Energy Management, and Manufacturing Technology & Management. All engineering programs have an integrated curriculum, with 60% practical content and 40% theoretical lessons.
• The School of Management at OP Jindal University offers 2 year MBA programs and 3 year BBA programs with 5 specializations each in the main management disciplines: Marketing, Human Resources, Financial management, Operations Management, and Business Analytics. The School of Management also offers two other undergraduate courses: BA Economics and BSc Honors.
• The School of Science at OPJU offers four year BSc courses with 5 specializations, and two year MSc courses with 4 specializations.
• OP Jindal University plans to open a School of Education and a School of Nursing in the near future, with a total of 15 specializations.

The tuition fees for various courses offered by OPJU are in line with the fees charged by the other top private Universities in India, with the MBA fees being notably lower:

• Diploma: INR 50,000 per year. Unlike in other universities, the five Diploma programs offered by OPJU are full time and last three years, as placement focused versions of engineering degree programs. Their specializations (e.g. Electrical, Civil, Mining Engineering) parallel those open to BTech students.
• School of Engineering:
  • BTech: INR 1.52 LPA (for most courses). CSE BTech students must pay INR 1.62 LPA, and lateral entry students pay only INR 1 LPA. These four year programs cover the six most common engineering specializations (e.g. Mechanical, Electrical, Civil), with Chemical Engineering being a notable omission.
  • MTech: INR 90,000 per year. These two year courses are offered in 7 disciplines, including Power Electronics, Manufacturing Technology & Automation, Structural Engineering, and CSE.
• School of Management:
  • BA Economics: INR 80,000 per year.
  • BBA: INR 1.1 LPA. These three year business management programs cover the basics of three specializations: Finance, Human Resources, and Marketing Management.
  • MBA: INR 2.95 LPA, with the executive MBA being substantially lower in cost (INR 2.4 LPA). This is a two year program, and students are allowed to pay the fee in three installments each semester.
• School of Science:
  • BSc: INR 50,000 per year (the fees for Data Analytics and Biotechnology specializations are 10% higher). There are 5 focus areas in all, including the basic sciences - Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. All these are 4 year Honors programs.
  • MSc: INR 50,000 per year, for two years. There are four specializations: PCM and Industrial Biotechnology.

All PhD programs are associated with annual fees of INR 1 Lakh, and are expected to be completed in three years.

Since it is a largely residential campus, students must also budget for living costs. Depending on the occupancy and AC status of the room chosen, the annual residential fee (including hostel and mess charges) can range from INR 47,500 (four seater non-AC rooms) to INR 1.25 Lakh (single occupancy AC rooms).

Why Should You Join OP Jindal University?

• As one of the premier higher education institutions in Central India, OP Jindal University is located in the cultural capital of the state, Raigarh. Its easy accessibility and proximity to surrounding states, and the overall safety level of Raigarh make it an ideal destination for higher education.
• OPJU is a completely residential University, and is self-sufficient. The three hostels have in-house mess halls, fitness gyms, and general stores, ensuring that students can live in the college community with everything they need close at hand.
• OPJU gives its students access to world class healthcare, even as compared to the other top Universities in India. If a student requires treatment, he/she will be admitted to the nearby Fortis OP Jindal Hospital and Research Centre.
• OP Jindal University has an active Research and Development Cell (RDC). This coordinates activities from all three Schools, and works closely with companies in the OP Jindal Group and external partners to provide research projects to faculty and doctoral students, while adding 60% practical components to academic courses through live projects and industry defined problems.
• OPJU has performed well in multiple credible rankings and education awards, for example:
  • NIRF Innovation Rankings 2023 of the best Universities in India: Ranked in the 151-300 band (among all Universities in India).
  • AICTE and UGC Recognized - able to confer degrees and offer UG, PG, doctoral, and diploma programs.
  • Outcome Based Education (OBE) Ranking 2023: Gold Band Award (A Grade).
  • Internshala Annual Rankings 2023: All India Rank 29 (in the top 1.5% of 2,000+ participating institutions across the country).
  • India’s Best Engineering Institutes 2023 (ranked by Careers 360): Rated AAA, for the School of Engineering, OP Jindal University.
• Scholarships are a major driver of student interest in OPJU. In the most recent academic year, 708 out of 1,680 students (more than 40%) received 100% tuition fee waivers from various sources - the Central Government, the Chhattisgarh State Government, Jindal Power and Steel Group scholarships, and funding from other private institutions who are placement partners of the University. From the prestigious OPJEMS scholarship, which awards INR 50,000 per year to students with outstanding academic and leadership potential, with entrepreneurial and innovative skills, to academic merit scholarships based on performance in the qualifying examination, OPJU is open to all motivated and skilled students, irrespective of financial or societal background.
• Even though OPJU is only a decade old, its student to faculty ratio is already in line with the best Universities in India (at 18:1). Out of the 94 highly qualified full-time Faculty members, 49 (52%) are Assistant Professors, 30 (32%) are Associate Professors, and the remaining 15 are full Professors, some of whom also play leadership roles as School Heads and Deans. Faculty members are also closely involved in mentorship of student clubs and research support for the various Centers in the University.

Famous Alumni of OP Jindal University

With less than 10 graduated batches from OPJU, it is too early for alumni to have established their full careers yet. However, the alumni association is vibrant and active, and connects ex-students of the University who are in leadership and management positions in large Indian and international organizations. The Association also organizes an Annual Alumni Meet, where graduates meet current students, and Reunion Events in various cities primarily in Chhattisgarh, where alumni from different batches can meet and network with each other. As the University grows, it is expected that alumni will lead companies as CEOs and Founders.

Admission Process at OP Jindal University

Hundreds of students transform their careers and futures by joining OP Jindal University every year, and thousands of candidates compete for the available seats. OPJU provides detailed admission information about the application procedure on its website. These are the main steps:

Step 1: Checking the eligibility criteria. The requirements for all students applying to UG programs offered by OPJU include a minimum Standard XII Board Examination aggregate of 50%, or 45% for reserved category applicants. A similar condition is imposed on PG applicants, based on their UG aggregate. In addition, different courses may require entrance test scores (e.g. CAT, XAT, MAT, or CMAT for MBA applicants, and JEE, CG PET, or OPJU SAT for BTech applicants).

Step 2: Choosing an application option. Students can apply either online or offline, and make the payment in either of the two ways as well.

Step 3: Filling up the application form. Candidates must submit accurate personal details and scans of academic transcripts, before uploading their entrance exam scores, if required for the course they are interested in.

Step 4: Paying the application fee. UG and PG program applicants pay INR 1,000, but PhD aspirants must pay INR 3,000. Female, SC, ST, and OBC candidates need not pay the application fee.

Step 5: If the student chooses to appear for the OPJU SAT (an alternative to submitting IIT JEE or CG PET scores for BTech aspirants), he/she must note the examination date and cross the cut-off to be considered for admission.

Step 6: Checking the shortlist. For certain programs (e.g. BA Economics), there is one list of admitted candidates released; however, MBA applicants may need to appear for additional selection rounds e.g. GD and PI.

Step 7: Students who are given an offer in the final merit list must confirm their acceptance by paying the registration fees and the first third of the semester fee.

Step 8: Admission and Document Verification. Students who are selected for admission to OPJU must report to the campus on the given date, when the original versions of their documents will be checked by University officers. If all details match with those submitted in the application form, they can complete the academic registration process prior to the beginning of the semester.

Campus Facilities at OP Jindal University

• OP Jindal University is one of the most notable Green Campuses in India. It implements all 17 objectives within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through environmentally friendly options on campus, OPJU ensures that the University’s overall carbon footprint is reduced, while managing its waste responsibly and holding industry symposium events e.g. on reducing emission through a coordinate strategy at power plants. According to the UI Greenmetric World University Rankings, OPJU is among the top 500 higher education institutions globally based on sustainable goals. The campus features rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, composting systems, and solar panels.
• All internship, career training, and placement activities are supervised by the Career Development Center (CDC) of OP Jindal University. Multiple prominent recruiters are involved in both summer internships and final placements, including KPMG, IDFC First Bank, Tata Capital, Jindal Steel, Godrej, ITC LImited, and HDFC Life Insurance. The CDC aims to achieve 100% placements through frequent training sessions organized for students of all three Schools.
• Technorollix is Central India’s largest technical and cultural festival, and is organized annually primarily by students of the Schools of Engineering and Management. In addition to competitions and workshops, it also features entertainment performances by big names in the world of music and dance.
• OPJU assists students from economically weaker sections of society with their tuition and living costs. For example, the OP Jindal Jewel Special Scholarship is awarded to 50 meritorious students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds every year, and carries a scholarship amount of INR 40,000 per year, which is a substantial proportion of the overall tuition fee and living cost.
• OPJU is home to three hostels, with two being for male students. It is fully residential, and the halls of residence have all the facilities needed within them, including mess provisions, entertainment, sports fields, and fitness rooms.
• OP Jindal University is home to 12 student-run clubs, including art, sports, coding, technical, entrepreneurship, cultural, literary, and photography clubs. Each is led by a team of active student coordinators, who work closely with faculty mentors to organize events, finalize budgets, and enroll student volunteers.
• The OP Jindal University Sports Community has access to well-equipped sports facilities, including world class football and cricket grounds, athletics tracks, volleyball courts, and an indoor basketball court. Students can also use the fitness center on campus, and book time with the instructor in the central gymnasium.
• The main learning resource on the OPJU campus is a well stocked library, which has both physical and digital content. With more than 30,000 books, 5,000 ebooks, and 8,000 e-journal subscriptions, it covers everything that students of all three Schools require to supplement their classroom education with research resources. It also gives students access to online mega-databases e.g. IEEE and ASME.
• A major part of campus life at OPJU is linked to the iron and steel industry, which is highly relevant to the Jindal Group. The Center for Sustainable Technology and Product Development at the University is an extension of the Green Campus ethos, where skilled researchers work to generate new ways for environmental and waste management in Jindal Steel and Power plants.
• OPJU strives to create responsible future citizens with awareness of their privilege. The Center of Social Empowerment (CSE) works to uplift women and underprivileged families in the area around the University campus. Volunteers conduct health and cleanliness campaigns, while carrying out gender sensitization programs and helping people with soft skills development.
• The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at OP Jindal University is a major hub of startup culture in central India, and promotes a ground-up entrepreneurship mindset, particularly in the areas of technology, manufacturing, energy engineering, and scaling up existing family enterprises. Many student clubs (e.g. the Android and Coding Clubs) work closely with the Center for funding and events. In addition, there is an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell on campus; this works to help students patent their innovative ideas, and ensures that they have access to the mentorship, funding, and knowledge required to make their business models work in the real world.

FAQs

Q. Where is OP Jindal University located?

Ans: OP Jindal University is located at Raigarh, the cultural and industrial hub of Chhattisgarh state.

Q. What undergraduate courses are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers five types of UG courses: BTech (multiple specializations), BCom, BA (Economics), BBA, and BSc (Honors).

Q. What postgraduate courses are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers three types of PG courses: MTech (multiple specializations), MBA, and MSc, in addition to doctoral programs in each of the three Schools.

Q. What is OP Jindal University known for?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers a small number of very high quality courses in Technology, Management, and Core Science. It has a notable focus on sustainability through its course design, project model, and unique Green Campus.

OPJU is also known for its “Learning By Doing’ philosophy that is implemented in all courses, whereby the University leverages its strong roots in the Steel and Power sectors. Through a combination of high quality labs, industry visits, case studies, live projects, and management simulations, students are well prepared for their long term careers even before they graduate or take part in summer internships.

Q. Are there scholarships available at OP Jindal University?

Ans: Out of the 1,680 students enrolled at OP Jindal University, 190 (11%) receive full tuition fee reimbursement from various Central and Chhattisgarh State Government schemes, 329 (20%) students receive 100% scholarships from OPJU, and 189 students are recipients of full scholarships awarded by private bodies.

Q. Can international students apply to OP Jindal University?

Ans: OPJU admits non-Indian students to all its UG, PG, and doctoral programs, with a dedicated webpage for international admissions and placements.

Q. Does OP Jindal University offer online courses?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers 9 online postgraduate courses, including a popular one year virtual MBA in Business Analytics. This allows students to enhance their skills part-time while they are employed full time in a company.

Q. What is the student to faculty ratio at OP Jindal University?

Ans: With 1,680 total students (1,428 UG and 252 PG), and 94 Faculty Members, the student to faculty ratio at OP Jindal University is 18:1, in line with the top Universities in India.

Q. Which MBA specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers five MBA specializations, including Marketing Management, Human Resources Management, Operations Management, Financial Management, and Business Analytics.

Q. Which BBA specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers three BBA specializations, including Marketing Management, Human Resources Management, and Financial Management.

Q. Which BTech specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers six BTech programs: Computer Science and Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, and Mining Engineering.

Q. Which MTech specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers six MTech programs: Material Science & Technology, Power Plant Engineering & Energy Management, Manufacturing Technology & Automation, Power Electronics & Power Systems, Computer Science & Engineering, and Structural Engineering. Each Department offers 1-2 MTech programs.

Q. How many PhD programs are offered by OP Jindal University? What is the PhD cut-off?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers 12 PhD programs: one in each Engineering Department (Civil, Mechanical, CSE, Metallurgy, and Electrical), four in the School of Management (General Management, Operations, Human Resource Management, and Marketing), and three in the School of Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics).

Q. Which BSc specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers 5 BSc specializations, including Data Science & Analytics, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biotechnology.

Q. Which MSc specializations are offered by OP Jindal University?

Ans: OP Jindal University offers 4 MSc specializations, including Mathematics & Computing, Physics, Chemistry, and Industrial Biotechnology.