Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is likely to open its new engineering college in July this year, with an initial capacity of 50 seats, which will be increased later informed by an official of the varsity. Dismissing claims of no funds being allocated by the central government for the upcoming college, the official said a total of Rs 180 crore has been allocated to the University for two new schools, the other being School of Management and Entrepreneurship. “We have been provisioned an allocation of Rs 180 crore for the two schools. A total of Rs 23 crore has already been released for the one meant for engineering,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. He also said that the engineering college will initially have three courses, under the five-year dual-degree programmes, which include B. Tech. and M. Tech. /MSc. A news report published earlier this month claimed that the varsity had not been allocated any funds for the engineering school, despite its announcement. The report had cited an RTI reply from the University Grants Commission, which did not mention any such grant. However, the date mentioned on the reply letter as posted on the publishing website, was of last year. Meanwhile, details about the School of Management and Entrepreneurship are yet to be finalized and it will not start till next year, the JNU official added. “The management course is still being worked out will be studied,” a senior official of the Union Human Resource Development Ministry said. There are more than 7,000 students studying in the University’s graduate, postgraduate and Ph. D. programmes. The varsity also boasts of schools of Social Sciences, International Relations, Arts and Aesthetics, Environment Science among others. Academics apart from JNU has been in the limelight since last year, when three of its students were charged with sedition.