Established in 2023, the Department of Planning at Jamia Millia Islamia is conceived to play a significant role and contribution in the nation’s journey to development. The Department views planning as a platform for people and various stakeholders to collaboratively pave their unique paths toward economic, environmental and social sustainability of human settlements of all sizes. Through engaged teaching, research, and a core emphasis on justice and equity, we foster planning processes in which the three pillars of sustainability work for creating livable settlements.

Being one of the leading economies with traditional rural character, the country is currently witnessing a fast pace of urbanization. If left to pure market forces, this fast pace of urbanization could lead to chaos and further exacerbate some of the ongoing ‘wicked’ problems of cities and towns. Additionally, India (and the world) sit at the brink of catastrophic outcomes due to climate change in the form of increased extreme events. It is therefore, a need of the hour to have climate resiliency built in our spatial and special plans for towns, cities and regions. We at the Department of Planning believe that the answers to today’s biggest social-economic-ecological challenges—from climate change and environmental justice to affordable housing and decent employment opportunities—require creative, multidisciplinary, and citizen driven solutions. Our students are prepared to think critically and comprehensively about these solutions. Our in-house and visiting faculty members are thought leaders across all domains of planning, bringing their field experience and expertise, innovative methods and data sources to the critical questions that drive the planning profession.

The Department currently offers a two –year (four semester) Master of Planning (M.Plan) program which is provisionally approved by the Institute of Town Planners India (ITPI). The programme focuses on various forms of planning processes and exposes the students to new techniques such as project planning and GIS. Studio exercises being an integral component of the course, engages students in the practical aspects of plan preparation at both city and regional levels. These studies tackle issues across various cities, towns, and regions within the country, providing students with a hands-on understanding of the complexities involved in planning processes at different levels. The overarching goal of the program is to cultivate skills in urban-regional analysis, plan formulation, development of action-oriented strategies, and effective management of human settlements. By doing so, it aims to empower students to meet the demands of diverse professional opportunities such as government entities, non-government organizations, bilateral funding agencies, multilateral institutions, and the private sector. The program is meticulously designed to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared to contribute meaningfully to the dynamic field of urban and regional planning.