The Jawaharlal Nehru University constituted under the Jawaharlal Nehru University Act 1966, (53 of 1966) came into existence in 1969. Its objectives, as defined in the First Schedule to the Act, are as follows: "The University shall endeavour to promote the principles for which Jawaharlal Nehru worked during his life-time, national integration, social justice, secularism, democratic way of life, international understanding and scientific approach to the problems of society."