On being inspired by the visionary plans of our First Prime minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru for the growth of institutions of learning, his advocacy for education of youth and children with mass village enrollment, the members of the JES met together and decided to honour his vision by inviting him for the laying of the corner stone of this unnamed college in his name. They received not only a positive response but also his presence on the great historic event of the region on 7th December 1958 for its foundation:
Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru reaching the site for the laying of the corner stone & thereafter
on the stage with then Chief Minister Mr. Partap Singh Kairon to address the public.
Though the Foundation stone of the College was laid on Flag Day of India by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, on December 7, 1958 and he addressed the gathering with great zeal but the crowd passionately demanded and insisted that the nomenclature be set after his name. Though he politely denied the proposal but the crowed insisted again and again till he yielded before the loving crowed and agreed that it would be named as Jawaharlal Nehru College, Jhajjar. Uniqueness of this college lies in a fact that it is the First institution named after the then living icon of India. Though Nehru enjoyed an iconic status for the development of world class educational institutions such as IIT, AIIMS, IIM etc but this college never ceases to commemorate as the first institution named during at the instance that the villagers in no one’s name but in his and people waited for its completion and inauguration.
Inauguration of First Session with First Admission:
2nd July 1959
After the completion of few buildings, negotiations related to its nomenclature and inauguration continued not only at Jhajjar but also at the residence of the Prime Minister in New Delhi. As Nehru remained busy with Che Guevara’s (Left) official visit to accept message from Fiedel Castro in July 1959 and other affairs of national importance, Mrs Indira Gandhi, the President of Indian National Congress, consulted her father and willingly gave her consent to reach Jhajjar for the inauguration of the college.
Fictional presentation of the period of Inauguration.
Smt. Indira Gandhi inaugurated the institution on July 2, 1959 in the presence of the Office bearers and Members of the JES including Ch. Ranveer Singh Hooda, a member of the drafting committee of Indian Constitution and late father of Ch. Bhupender Singh Hooda ,the present Chief Minister of Haryana:
Indira Gandhi Inaugurated the 1st Session July-1959-60 by giving
first admission to Miss …… as the First girl student of the College.
Ch Ranvir Singh Hooda (extreme right in turban) witnessed the occasion.
Period II
Govt. of Punjab Handed over the Governance to Govt. Haryana
The management of JES signed a deed and handed over the governance of the Nehru College to the Govt. of Joint Punjab on 1st October 1963 and then from 1st November 1966, its governance automatically came into the hands of the Govt. of Haryana.
Earlier it was affiliated to Punjab University, Chandigarh, then with Kurukeshetra University, Kurukushetra and finally with M.D. University, Rohtak. The college has been imparting education as per curriculum provided by M.D. University, Rohtak and also incorporating its innovations to keep pace with the new knowledge contents and social commitments.
As there were no institution of higher learning, Nehru College became the centre of first choice of the students of the local villages and township to peruse well disciplined dynamic, innovative, and student-centered post secondary education in this region. Since 1966, the Govt. Nehru College has been enriching its students and its community by providing a comprehensive array of high quality courses and programmes that foster student learning and success in the attainment of academic degrees and improvement of basic skills and development of talents and lifelong learning to serve the community and the nation.