Jalandhar, 09.03.26-; In a significant step towards strengthening data driven research and policy oriented academic inquiry, Lovely Professional University (LPU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Directorate of Census Operations, Punjab for the establishment of a Census Data Research Workstation at the Central Library of the university. The initiative is being implemented under LPU’s Centre for Research Degree Programmes and has been set up as per the modalities prescribed by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (ORGI), New Delhi.

The MoU ceremony and the inauguration of the Census Data Research Workstation were held in the esteemed presence of Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder Chancellor of LPU, and Pro Chancellor Col. Dr. Rashmi Mittal, along with senior academic leaders, faculty members, and research scholars. The agreement was formally signed between Dr. Navjot Khosa, IAS, Director, Directorate of Census Operations, Punjab, and Dr. Jaspal Singh Sandhu, Vice Chancellor, LPU, following which the workstation was inaugurated at the university campus.

The newly established Census Data Research Workstation will provide qualified researchers access to anonymized census micro data, enabling them to undertake deeper and more specialized research. Through the workstation, researchers will be able to generate cross tabulations and analytical insights, thereby opening new avenues for advanced demographic and socio economic studies.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Founder Chancellor of LPU and Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), stated that it is a matter of great pleasure for the university to start an initiative that strengthens research and public knowledge. Dr. Mittal noted that LPU has consistently prioritized meaningful academic partnerships that contribute to research, policy understanding, and national development, and expressed confidence that the new workstation will enable scholars to undertake impactful research using authentic national datasets.

Dr. Navjot Khosa, IAS, Director of Census Operations, Punjab, emphasized the importance of informed research based on credible datasets and encouraged scholars to explore the possibilities offered through census micro-data. Dr. Khosa addressed the questions of faculty members, researchers, and students present at the signing and inauguration event, highlighting the role of academic institutions in advancing data-driven insights.