Following is an excerpt from business standard
The new director of IIT-H, U B Desai, will encourage more interplay between various streams to give an edge to the students.
Speaking to Business Standard, he said IIT-H will encourage interdisciplinary courses to give an edge to the students. For example, it might set up a school of thermal sciences that would house electrical engineering and IT streams. There might also be a wing that would have a mix of biological sciences and information technology for a degree in bioinformatics.
Research will be a key focus area for IIT-H, Desai said, adding that about 35 M.Techs will be admitted this July. The institute also plans to admit about 10-15 PhDs. Last year, it admitted 11 research scholars. The research areas will span across computer science, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering streams. “Faculty research will be promoted in a big way,” said Desai.
Eventually, it would have 10 departments and about 5,000 students and about 500 faculty at all levels to maintain a 1:10 faculty to student ratio. It would also gradually offer MSc courses in pure sciences. The total budget for the IIT-H complete with all facilities, faculty and infrastructure is put at Rs 1,200 crore, to be spent in phases including building a new campus in about 523 acre at Kandi.
IT-H, meanwhile, also plans to connect with the local community and invite local schools and colleges for various events at the institute to promote a scientific temperament among students. It also plans to work with universities and higher education institutes in the state in areas of mutual interest. “It is a challenging task to develop a greenfield institute,” said Desai, adding that best practices of other IITs would be replicated here.
June 17th, 2009
Update on 27th April 2011: The Central University location has been changed to Bander Sindri near Ajmer and only 80 kms from Jaipur. The Innovation University (previsouly referred to as National University) aiming for world class is now pushed for Jaipur. [Times of India]
The panel set up by the CM of Rajsthan has picked the following places to recommend to the central government for the various national institutes and universities coming up in Rajasthan. (From a Times of India report and another Times of India report)
- IIT : Jodhpur
- IIM: Udaipur
- National University aiming for world-class: Ajmer
- Central university: Bikaner.
The committee also recommended:
- a "futuristic" heritage conservation and museology centre in Jaipur
- an institute of Food Technology in Hadoti region of Kota
Currently the following national institutions exisit or are being made in the following places in Rajasthan:
- NIT: Jaipur
- LNMIT (private but top-notch): Jaipur
- National law School: Jodhpur
- AIIMS-like institution (being made): Jodhpur
The institutions are nicely distributed between various cities of Rajsthan, although people of Jaipur and Kota are not happy. The population of these locations are:
- Jaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 3.1 million (has inetrnational air connectivity)
- Jodhpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 988K – (332 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
- Udaipur (World Gazetteer 2009): 457K – (400 kms from Jaipur; has air connectivity)
- Ajmer (World Gazetteer 2009): 604.7K – (131 kms from Jaipur)
- Bikaner (World Gazetteer 2009): 624.6K – (321 kms from Jaipur)
- Kota (World Gazetteer 2009): 823 K (242 kms from Jaipur)
In contrast in Orissa the distribution of national institutions are more Bhubaneswar centric. Following is the status:
- IIT: Bhubaneswar
- NISER: Bhubaneswar
- AIIMS-like (being made) : Bhubaneswar
- National Law University: Cuttack (part of Bhubaneswar metroplex)
- IIIT (state-funded) : Bhubaneswar
- National University aiming to be world class: Bhubaneswar
- Vedanta University (private): Puri
- NIT: Rourkela
- Central University: Koraput
- IIIT (centrally funded): state wants it in Berhampur; center has identified as Bhubaneswar
Unfortunately, one of the reason given behind the above selection is the lack of connectivity and the size of places. Following is some information on that.
- Bhubaneswar (World Gazetteer 2009): 1.67 million (has airport but no inetrnational connectivity)
- Rourkela (World Gazetteer 2009): 551 K (no air connections) – 334 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Berhampur (World Gazetteer 2009): 403 K (no air connections) – 160 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Koraput-Jeypore-Sunabeda: 200K+ (no air connections) – 499 kms from bhubaneswar
- Puri (World Gazetteer 2009): 185K – 60 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Sambalpur (World Gazetteer 2009): 258 K (no air connections) – 321 kms from Bhubaneswar
- Jharsuguda-Belpahar-Brajarajnagar: 200 K (no air connections) – 374 kms from Bhubaneswar; 50 kms from Sambalpur
For the future, following are some of the steps that Orissa government needs to urgently take regarding developing more larger urban areas and having the national institutions more evenly distributed:
- Make sure the centrally funded IIIT is established in Berhampur
- Establish functioing airports in Jharsuguda, Rourkela and Koraput at the earliest
- Push for international flights to Bhubaneswar
- Push for upgradation of UCE Burla (Sambalpur area) to an IIEST (Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology)
- Push for the establishment of a branch of IGNTU (Indira Gandhi National Tribal University) in Phulbani
- Push for the establishment of IIM outside of the Bhubaneswar area
- Push for the establishment of a centrally funded KBK Inst of Engineering and Technology (along the lines of SLIET and ABAGKIET) in Kalahandi or Balangir.
- Push for upgrading another medical college (Berhampur or Sambalpur) to AIIMS level.
- Push for establishing NID in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
- Push for establishing NIPER in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
- Push for a BITS Pilani campus in a location outside of Bhubaneswar
June 12th, 2009
The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri area will have 25 universities. Following is a slide on it from my presentation at the Invest India Symposium.
The color coding in the above slides is as follows:
- Red – Central govt funded universities/institutes
- Navy Blue: State govt. funded universities
- Light blue: PPP
- Green: Privately created universities and deemed universities
- Orange: Mention about colleges that are part of various universities
To compare this with the universities in the major metropolitan areas of the US and the state of California, please see:
- Boston: 18 four year colleges and universities in the city and 24 in the surrounding areas, some listed twice as they have campuses in the city as well as in the surrounding areas.
- New York:83 colleges and universities in New York City, not counting the 22 individual colleges of CUNY.
- Los Angeles:
- Chicago: 43 colleges and universities
- California
The reason we use California as a reference point is that the population of California (34,600,463 in 2001) is close to the population of Orissa (2001: 36,804,660).
November 8th, 2008
In recent months the Orissa government has issued tenders for two state funded and one PPP based institute:
- IIIT Bhubaneswar: The tender is for construction of administrative and academic building, hostel and external services to be completed in 9 months and at an estimated value of work of Rs 15 crores.
- Parala Maharaj Engineering College in Berhampur: The tender is for construction of the College Building at Berhampur (Sitalapalli), Ground Floor and First Floor, to be completed in 15 months, and at an estimated value of work of Rs 7 crores.
- Construction Academy in Gopalpur, Cuttack: The tender is for construction of Administrative Block (Stilt, Ground & First Floor), to be completed in 18 months, and at an estimated value of work of Rs 5.6 crores.
The tender documents are currently available via http://tendersorissa.gov.in/.
October 9th, 2008
Following are excerpts from a report in msn.com.
… Indian IT — which contributed to 5 per cent of India’s GDP — needs 2.3 million skilled staff by 2010, up 300,000 from the 2 million it employs now.
With this need in mind, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) in the 11th plan document proposed the 20 IIITs, operated through a public-private partnership.
But the HRD ministry wants control of that partnership.
The ministry’s argument: we’re providing the land, much of the money, (half of the direct) loans and other benefits like tax exemptions.
The National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), the umbrella body for the IT sector, has proposed an independent authority to oversee the 20 IIITs to ensure autonomy, flexibility and transparency.
… “There is a question over who will run these institutes,” a source in the ministry told HT. “We want government representatives on board, as we cannot leave everything in their [industry] control. Obviously, after providing all the benefits the government cannot be pushed aside.”
Nasscom also wants deemed university status for the each institute — the IIIT set up between the Centre, state and the corporate partner.
… The Nasscom report also cautions government against “political expediency”, in fixing IIIT locations. Meaning: set them up near IT parks and companies, not in political constituencies. ran aground.
September 22nd, 2008
Following are excerpts from a report in livemint.com.
In the new IIITs, the government is actively considering a model where a majority stake goes to the private sector, while reducing the government to a minority shareholder. So, on an equity base of Rs30 crore, the government would get Rs14.90 crore maximum; and industry, Rs15.10 crore minimum.
“This is where the concept of autonomy begins. Even IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) and IITs, which are autonomous institutes, can’t decide on fees and number of seats without government approval because they are dependent on it for grants,” said Rajdeep Sahrawat, vice-president of industry lobby group National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom), who led the drafting of the detailed project report on IIITs.
The government is also looking at a loan model, prepared by Nasscom, for IIITs to be set up as autonomous bodies, where the government would give loans to the institutes—and not grant funds—to be paid back over 10 years after a five-year moratorium.
The partners in setting up these IIITs would be the HRD ministry, the governments of the respective states where each institute will be established and industry members.
The committee member said it is hoping the model has no management quota. “There will be a board of governors that will decide policy matters for the institutes, and have representations from academia, industry and government,” this person said.
To further clip government interference, the board of governors at these IIITs will have just one government representative, based on the policy of “one seat per investor”.
“Each institution should have three-four industry partners, with a pedigree for research. Even the age of the people to be appointed to the governing board can’t exceed 70 years,” the member said.
With a focus on research, the new IIITs will also have a faculty-student ratio of 1:10, as in IITs. While Nasscom’s public-private partnership model for the new IIITs skips any mention of reservations for students from backward classes, a provision for merit-cum-means scholarships for the students is proposed, where an institute is granted subsidy from the government for the scholarships granted.
This, however, continues to be the toughest call for the government. “The industry wants merit to be the sole criteria, but the government would like to push through reservations, as applicable in other educational institutions. However, the IIITs would have some kind of a relaxation of marks for students from certain backward classes,” the member said.
August 29th, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday formally launched the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) and expressed her commitment to make it a world-class institute.
"The government has been giving top priority to promote IT. Setting up of the IIIT in Delhi would give a fillip to acceptability of IT, which has ensured transparency and helped in developing new work culture," Dikshit told a press conference.
… The institute’s board is chaired by Kiran Karnik, a leading IT sector honcho, and it would have Pankaj Jalote, a computer science professor from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, as its founding director.
The board also includes Pheroz Vandrevala, R. Chandrashekar, S. Sadagopan, Ranjit Roy Choudhary and two principal secretaries from the Delhi government.
August 14th, 2008
Update: As per http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=41316&kwd= possible location of 9 of the 10 NITs are:
? … Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Uttrakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
ï‚· The NIT at Goa may also cater to the needs of Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Lakshadweep.
ï‚· Pudducherry or Andaman & Nicobar may have one common NIT, which will cater the needs of each.
Following are excerpts from the PIB release http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=41190.
… The initiative to set up eight new Indian Institutes of Technology is on course with the first academic sessions starting in 2008 in six of the new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Orissa, Punjab and Gujarat . The session for IIT Orissa has already been started at lIT Kharagpur in July 2008 and classes will begin for IIT Punjab at lIT Delhi in Sept 2008. And the academic session for the other 4 new IITs, will begin during August 2008.
Out of the 7 new Indian Institutes of Management proposed the IIM at Shillong has already commenced its first academic session from July 2008. The remaining six IIMs will be established in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.
The government proposal to set up five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research is on schedule. Of these two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata were inaugurated in 2006-07 and are now fully functional, and the IISER Mohali started its first academic session in 2007-08. Two more IISERs at Bhopal and Thiruvanthapuram will commence their first academic sessions in August, 2008.
Two Schools of Planning & Architecture (SPAs) are being set up at Bhopal and Vijayawada . Classes in both the new SPAs will begin with the academic session of 2008 through temporary campuses. The SPA Bhopal will be mentored by NIT Bhopal while the SPA at Vijayawada will be mentored by SPA, Delhi .
The strengthening of Polytechnics is under way with steps being taken to set up 1000 polytechnics (300 in Government Sector, 300 through PPP mode and 400 private polytechnics); Further 500 existing polytechnics are being expanded and the Community Polytechnics scheme being revamped and their number being increased from 669 to 1000.
Steps are being taken establish 10 new National Institutes of Technology. The likely location of these NITs will be in States/UTs which at present don’t have an NIT.
Sixteen Central Universities are being set up under the initiative seeking to established a Central University in states not having a Central University . Four existing universities; Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh, Bilaspur University in Chhatisgarh, Garhwal University in Uttrakhand and Goa University, are proposed to be taken over and upgraded as Central Universities. The remaining 12 new universities are to be set up in Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab , Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Kamataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
14 World Class Central Universities (WCCU), are proposed with the locations being firmed up in consultation with the Planning Commission. The State Governments have been requested to identify suitable land.
A total of 373 degree colleges will be set up in the districts having GER lower than the national average as identified by the UGC. Out of these districts, about 90 districts have been shortlisted which have less than 6% GER, have less than 4 colleges per lakh of population and are also minority concentration districts. It is proposed to fast-track the starting of the degree colleges in these shortlisted districts this year.
Twenty Indian Institutes of Information Technology are planned with NAASCOM having submitted a project report. The setting up of the IIITs under the PPP mode has been discussed with the States and most of the States agreed to tap not-for-profit private investment, while ensuring that PPP should not lead to any erosion of access to the poor sections of society.
Scholarships for College and University students, based on merit, to non-creamy layer students numbering about 2% of the. student population will be given to those who pass out from various intermediate boards. The scholarship will be Rs.l,000 per month for the first 2 years after which it will be of Rs.2000 per month for the balance period of the professional or other courses in Higher Education. Every year about 41,000 boys and 41,000 girls will benefit from the scheme.
The government is working on an Education Loan Interest Subsidy Scheme. It will be a Central Sector scheme for providing interest subsidy during the moratorium period on the educational loans taken by students belonging to "non-creamy" layer for pursuing professional education in India.
All the Central Educational Institutions are implementing OBC reservations as per the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006 from this year onward on a staggered basis and the necessary funds have been released to all of them, after holding the meetings of the Empowered Committees. All the IITs, IIMs and the Central Universities that are covered under the Act have started giving reservations to OBCs in a staggered manner. As a result of the implementation of OBC reservations in this academic year, there is an increase of over 20500 in the intake capacity in the Central Educational Institutions.
The states and union territories that do not have NITs are:
- Delhi
- Uttarakhand
- Goa
- Dadra and nagar haveli
- Pondicherry
- Andaman and Nicobar islands
- Lakshadweep
- Meghalaya
- Mizoram
- Manipur
- Nagaland
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Sikkim
So, I guess the majority of the 10 new NITs will be in these states. My guess would be 2, 3, 5, 8-13. (I skipped 1 because I wonder if there is any space left in proper Delhi for an NIT. The rest that I skipped, 4,6 and 7, are very remote as well as hard to reach places.) That makes 9 NITs. It would be interesting to see where the 10th NIT will be located.
August 8th, 2008
Berhampur:
- Gandhi Institute of Industrial Technology Berhampur (GII) Pvt.
- Kalam Institute of Technology, Berhampur Berhampur (KIB) Pvt.
- National Institute of Science and Technology Palur Hills, Berhampur (NST) Pvt.
- Roland Institute of Technology Surya Vihar, Berhampur (RIT) Pvt.
- Sanjaya Memorial Institute of Technology Chandipadar, Berhampur (SMT) Pvt.
- Vignan Institute of Technology & Management Berhampur (VIT) Pvt.
- IIIT Berhampur (planned)
- Parla Maharaj Engineering College (planned)
- Rahul Institute of Engineering & Technology Thatadapalli Village, Kotharsing (P.O.) Konisi Tahasil, Berhampur, Ganjam (D. T.) Orissa (planned)
Rourkela-Sundergarh:
- Padmanava College of Engineering Rourkela (PCE) Pvt.
- Purushottam Institute of Engineering & Technology Mandiakudar, Rourkela (PIE) Pvt.
- Sundargarh Engineering College sundargarh (SUN) Pvt.
- NIT Rourkela
- Rourkela Institute of Technology At P.O. Kuarmunda, District : Sundergarh Pin 770039 Orissa (planned)
Balasore-Bhadrakh:
- Balasore College of Engineering & Technology Balasore (BCE) Pvt.
- Bhadrak Institute of Engineering & Technology Barapada, Bhadrak (BIT) Pvt.
- Modern Engineering & Management Studies Balasore (MEM) Pvt.
- Satyasai Engineering College Balasore (SAT) Pvt.
- Vijayanjali Institute of Technology At Gadabhanga No. 4 P.O. Khantapara, District : Balasore 756043 Orissa (planned)
Gunupur-Rayagada:
- Gandhi Institute of Engineering & Technology Gunupur (GIT) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute of Science and Technology Rayagada (GIR) Pvt.
- Institute of Advanced Computer & Research Rayagada (IAC) Pvt.
- Majhighariani Institute of Technology and Science Rayagada (MIT) Pvt.
Sambalpur-Baragarh-Jharsuguda:
- Black Diamond College of Engineering & Technology Jharsuguda (BDC) Pvt.
- Padmashree Krutartha Acharya College of Engineering Bargarh (PKA) Pvt.
- University College of Engineering Burla (UCE) Govt.
Angul-Talcher:
- Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology Sarang (IGT) Govt.
- Adarsha College of Engineering At Saradhapur, P.O. Kumurisingha Dist : Angul, Pin 759122 Orissa (planned)
Koraput-Jeypore:
- Gopal Krushna College of Engineering & Technology Jeypore (GCE) Pvt.
- Samanta Chandra Sekhar Institute of Technology & Management Semiliguda, Koraput (SCS) Pvt.
Others:
- Jagannath Institute of Technology & Management Paralakhemundi (JIP) Pvt.
- Orissa School of Mining Engineering Keonjhar (OSM) Govt.
- Seemanta Engineering College Jharpokharia, Mayurbhanj (SEC) Pvt.
August 3rd, 2008
- Ajay Binay Institute of Technology Cuttack (ABT) Pvt.
- Apex Institute of Technology & Management, Pahal Bhubaneshwar (APT) Pvt.
- Bhubaneswar Engineering College Khurda (BEC) Pvt.
- BRM International Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (BII) Pvt.
- C. V. Raman College of Engineering Bhubaneswar (CVR) Pvt.
- Central Institute of Plastics Engineering And Technology Bhubaneswar (CPT) Govt.
- Centurian Institute of Technology Khurda (CIK) Pvt.
- College of Engineering & Technology Bhubaneswar (CET) Govt.
- College of Engineering Bhubaneswar Bhubaneshwar (CEB) Pvt.
- Dhaneswar Rath Institute of Engineering and Management Studies Tangi, Cuttack (DRM) Pvt.
- Eastern Academy of Science & Technology Phulnakhara, Khurda (EAS) Pvt.
- Gandhi Engineering College Bhubaneswar (GEC) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute for Technology Bhubaneswar (GIF) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute of Technological Advancement Badaraghunathpur, Bhubaneswar (GIB) Pvt.
- Gandhi Institute of Technology & Management Khurda (GIK) Pvt.
- Ghanashyama Hemalata Institute of Technology & Management Chhaitana Puri (GHT) Pvt.
- Gurukul Institute of Technology,Janla Bhubaneswar (GKT) Pvt.
- Hi-Tech Institute of Technology Khurda (HIT) Pvt.
- Indic Institute of Design & Research Khurda (IID) Pvt.
- Indus College of Engg. Bhubaneswar (IDU) Pvt.
- Jagannath Institute of Engineering & Technology Cuttack (JIC) Pvt.
- Konark Institute of Science & Technology Jatni,Bhubaneswar (KIS) Pvt.
- Koustav Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (KIT) Pvt.
- Koustuva Institute of Self Domain (for Women) Bhubaneswar (KID) Pvt.
- Krupajala Engineering College Pubasasan, Bhubaneswar (KEC) Pvt.
- Maharaja Institute of Technology,Bhubaneswar Bhubaneswar (MIK) Pvt.
- Mahavir Institute of Engineering and Technology Paniora, Bhubaneswar (MIB) Pvt.
- Modern Institute of Technology & Management Khurda (MIM) Pvt.
- Nalanda Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (NIT) Pvt.
- NM Institute of Engineering & Technology Sijua, Bhubaneswar (NMI) Pvt.
- Orissa Engineering College Nijigarhkurki, Bhubaneswar (OEC) Pvt.
- Rajdhani Engineering College Bhubaneswar (REC) Pvt.
- Silicon Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (SIT) Pvt.
- Subas Institute of Technology Gyana Vihar, Barang, Bhubaneswar 754 005 Orissa
- Synergy Institute of Engineering and Technology Dhenkanal (SYN) Pvt.
- TempleCity Institute of Technology & Engineering Khurda (TCT) Pvt.
- The Techno School Bhubaneswar (TTS) Pvt.
- Trident Academy of Technology Bhubaneswar (TAT) Pvt.
- Agricultural Engineering at OUAT, Bhubaneswar
- KIIT Bhubaneswar
- ITER Bhubaneswar
- IIIT Bhubaneswar
- IIT Bhubaneswar
Following are some that are in the pipeline and most likely to start in 2009.
- School of Engineering at the proposed World Class Central University
- HI – Tech College of Engineering, Rasulgarh, Pandara, Bhubaneswar, Orissa
- International Institute of Engineering & Technology (IIET) 290 Bhatkhuri, Gangapada, Bhubaneswar 752 054 Orissa
- SRM College of Engineering At Giringaput, P.O. Mendhasala, Orissa
- PJ College of Management & Technology At Kesora, P.O. Bankual, Bhubaneswar 751 002 Orissa
- KMBB College of Engineering & Technology At Mahatpalla, Tahasil Khurda Orissa
- Pan Institute of Technology, Knowledge City Unit – 7, Bhubaneswar 751 003 Orissa
- Vivekananda Institute of Technology At Chhatabar, P.O. Dandi, Chhatabar P.S. Chandaka, Bhubaneswar Orissa
- Bhubaneswar Institute of Technology (BIT) At Harapur, P. O. Janla District : Khurda, Pin 752 054 Orissa
- Pioneer Institute of Technology Village : Ambilijhari Mouza : Machhapangi, PS Choudwar, District : Cuttack Orissa
- MITS College of Engineering Mouza: Alkar At P.O. Janla, Bhubaneswar 751016 Orissa
August 3rd, 2008
Following is from a report in Pioneer.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday wrote a letter to the Union Ministry of Human Resources, demanding that Burla Engineering College be accorded National Institute of Technology (NIT) status. In his letter to Union Minister of HRD Arjun Singh, the CM said the institution which was established in 1956 in an area of 200 acres, is one of the premier engineering institutes of the State. The institute provides facilities for nearly 500 students.
Following is from Dharitri.
Following are excerpts from a report in Pragativadi.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged the Union Human Resources Development ministry to accord National Institute of Technology (NIT) status to the Burla Engineering College.
… It may be mentioned here that there was a vociferous demand for converting the Burla Engineering College to Indian Institute of Technology soon after the Centre’s announcement to set up an IIT in Orissa.
Later, a delegation of the Old Students’ Forum, led by Sambalpur MLA and commerce and transport minister Jayanarayan Mishra had met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum to this effect.
But the state government later expressed its reluctance in this regard as it wanted the IIT location near Bhubaneswar.
The chief minister, however, urged the Centre to accord the NIT status to the premiere engineering college.
Justifying his contention, Patnaik said that the college has been providing education in nine subjects including the BTech while it has got the necessary infrastructure facility for MCA, IT and other IT related courses.
Considering the fact that the college has the reputation of imparting quality education, the chief minister said that there should be no difficulty to accord NIT status to this college.
It may be mentioned here that the former Regional Engineering College at Rourkela has already been accorded with the NIT status.
This is a good step as there are plans to have 10 more NITs during the 11th plan.
August 3rd, 2008
Following is an excerpt from a report in Telegraph.
Under pressure from the IISERs at Calcutta, Pune and Mohali, the Centre is rushing to amend the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) Act of 2007 to recognise the degrees, top government officials have said.
Over 250 students are studying for unrecognised degrees at the institutes set up in 2006 at the behest of the Prime Minister as the Centre’s answer to the lack of top-quality undergraduate science schools.
In a month, the three existing IISERs — billed as potential Indian Institutes of Technology — are expected to increase their intake by 300 with a record number of students joining their courses this year.
Two new IISERs — at Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram — are also starting classes this academic session, admitting an additional 42 students each in their debut year.
The human resource development ministry was earlier planning to introduce an IISER act recognising the five-year integrated MS degrees offered by the institutes.
But the new law, modelled on the IIT act that guides India’s premier engineering schools, was taking time and testing the patience of the IISERs, sources at the ministry and the institutes said. Now, the ministry has decided to recognise the IISER degrees through an amended NIT act.
“Minor amendments to an existing law are easier to pass through the cabinet and then Parliament. A completely new law is scrutinised more at both stages and takes longer. The IISERs are under pressure and can’t wait any longer,” a senior ministry official said.
The NIT (Amendment) Bill, 2008, has been drafted and is currently awaiting the approval of HRD minister Arjun Singh, sources said.
Ministry officials said they were hoping to introduce the amendment bill in the monsoon session of Parliament, expected in August.
… But the pressure from the existing IISERs is not the only reason behind the move now, ministry sources said. “We are starting two new IISERs this year, and the concern that five premier institutions would be offering courses without recognition proved too much,” an official said.
July 13th, 2008
