Thursday, February 23, 2006
IIT green signal with three riders: telegraph
Calcutta, Feb. 23: The human resource development ministry today informed representatives of Jadavpur University and Bengal Engineering and Science University that they have been selected for upgrade to IIT status.
The decision was conveyed to the institutions’ representatives at a meeting convened by the ministry in Delhi to discuss the report of an expert team that conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the two universities in December 2005.
The ministry officials made it clear to the two institutions that after the upgrade, they would have to admit students through national-level entrance tests. Under the present system, students are admitted to the two varsities through joint entrance examinations conducted by the state.
The ministry has also pointed out to the universities that once they are upgraded, they will have to appoint teachers from all over the country. At present, teachers working in the two institutions are mostly from Bengal.
Sources in the two institutions who attended the meeting said on the issue of governance, the ministry authorities informed them that they have decided to prepare a draft which will be discussed with the state government in detail.
“After the draft is prepared, the ministry will convene another meeting with the state government. The issue will be discussed elaborately with government representatives. The heads of the institutions will also be asked to attend the meeting. The governance issue will be finalised in the presence of the heads,” an official said from Delhi.
The issue of governance is important as the state government had so far remained cold to the upgrade fearing that its grip over the two institutions would weaken if it came through. However, according to the ministry’s decision, the names of the two institutions will remain unchanged after the upgrade.
Senior state government officials were present at today’s meeting. This is significant because government representatives had not been asked to attend any discussion on the issue after the ministry made the offer on IIT status.
The decision was conveyed to the institutions’ representatives at a meeting convened by the ministry in Delhi to discuss the report of an expert team that conducted an on-the-spot inspection of the two universities in December 2005.
The ministry officials made it clear to the two institutions that after the upgrade, they would have to admit students through national-level entrance tests. Under the present system, students are admitted to the two varsities through joint entrance examinations conducted by the state.
The ministry has also pointed out to the universities that once they are upgraded, they will have to appoint teachers from all over the country. At present, teachers working in the two institutions are mostly from Bengal.
Sources in the two institutions who attended the meeting said on the issue of governance, the ministry authorities informed them that they have decided to prepare a draft which will be discussed with the state government in detail.
“After the draft is prepared, the ministry will convene another meeting with the state government. The issue will be discussed elaborately with government representatives. The heads of the institutions will also be asked to attend the meeting. The governance issue will be finalised in the presence of the heads,” an official said from Delhi.
The issue of governance is important as the state government had so far remained cold to the upgrade fearing that its grip over the two institutions would weaken if it came through. However, according to the ministry’s decision, the names of the two institutions will remain unchanged after the upgrade.
Senior state government officials were present at today’s meeting. This is significant because government representatives had not been asked to attend any discussion on the issue after the ministry made the offer on IIT status.
IIT Kharagpur branch in Kolkata
KOLKATA: Delhi has one, so do Mumbai and Chennai. But Kolkata? City dwellers who have waited years for an IIT to call their own, won’t have to wait much longer. By 2008, New Town Rajarhat could be home to the second campus of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. The new campus to be spread over 10 acres will house a large number of R&D facilities and an incubation centre, in addition to undergraduate and PG departments. Like the one in Kharagpur, this one too will be completely residential, with hostel accommodation for at least 2,000 students. "The foundation stone will be laid in two months. The first phase will be over by 2007 and the entire campus should be ready by 2008,"said IIT-Kgp director S K Dube. The new campus will focus on industrial requirements. Industry-institute interface will be optimum because of New Town's locational advantage. The incubation centre will have students and researchers working on different projects given to the institute by industry.
The experience they will gain will help them find placements when industry comes scouting for talent. The New Town chapter will boost placements for another reason. Though IIT Kgp students did bag some of the plummest offers this year (giving the IIMs a run for their money), many corporate houses did not go to Kharagpur because of the distance. The Rajarhat campus will solve this problem. Yet another plus point: the new campus will be able to work closely with the IT industry that has come up at Sector V in Salt Lake. Portions of the undergraduate and PG departments in IT, computer science, electronics and nanotechnology are expected to be shifted to Rajarhat after a nod from the IIT Kgp senate. The institute has already purchased the land at a subsidised rate.
The experience they will gain will help them find placements when industry comes scouting for talent. The New Town chapter will boost placements for another reason. Though IIT Kgp students did bag some of the plummest offers this year (giving the IIMs a run for their money), many corporate houses did not go to Kharagpur because of the distance. The Rajarhat campus will solve this problem. Yet another plus point: the new campus will be able to work closely with the IT industry that has come up at Sector V in Salt Lake. Portions of the undergraduate and PG departments in IT, computer science, electronics and nanotechnology are expected to be shifted to Rajarhat after a nod from the IIT Kgp senate. The institute has already purchased the land at a subsidised rate.
Friday, February 17, 2006
IITs decide to 'almost double' intake, open new campuses HRD backs expansion plan, IITs to start social sciences
IITs decide to 'almost double' intake, open new campuses HRD backsexpansion plan, IITs to start social sciences*
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 15: *
All set to expand, Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs) will be "nearly doubling" their present intake, opening new campusesand introducing new courses. Sources in the IIT have told *The Indian Express* that IIT-Roorkee has already zeroed in on NOIDA to locate its new campus while at least two otherIITs are "scouting for land."
Thoughthe attempt by IIM, Bangalore to open a campus in Singapore had ran into trouble with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, IIT expansion plans have the full backing of the Ministry. Asked if the IITs were contemplating a campus abroad, one of the IIT directors said "it is a question of how one prioritises, IITs are keen to expand within India".IIT-Delhi is likely to open a campus in Rajasthan, either in Jaipur or Alwar. IIT-Chennai will start a research centre in BHEL at Trichy, keeping the option of developing it into a campus later. IIT-Mumbai, which had signed an MoU with the Goa government four years ago, is pursuing the project to start a campus there. It will also upgrade its present campus in Powai. IIT-Kanpur too will have a new campus. "IITs which have land to upgrade will do it in the present campus whereas others are looking for new places," sources told *The Indian Express*.
*Who's going where*•
*IIT Roorkee*: Identifies land in NOIDA•
*IIT-Delhi*: Eyes Rajasthan, campus either in Jaipur or Alwar•
*IIT-Chennai*: Research centre at BHEL in Trichy, may develop it intocampus later•
*IIT-Mumbai*: Wants to start campus in Goa. May upgrade Powai campus•
*IIT-Kanpur*: Also wants to open a new campus Those state governments who can pitch-in with land and some resources will stand a better chance. "There is already a scramble among state governments and towns to locate new campuses" sources said.The intake increase will be across the board, including the flagshipB.Tech programmes in all IITs.
Moreover, all IITs will start a string of new programmes, mostly in socialsciences. IIT Chennai has already unveiled its new five-year integrated MA in Humanities last week and other IITs are in the process. Delhi IIT will have a Policy Research Centre in collaboration with a foreign partner. Most new courses will be five-year integrated MA programmes in different social science streams, meant to "further add value to the brand IIT". IITs are also in the process of enhancing coordination amongst themselves to ensure uniformity in standards. All IIT directors met in Roorkee in January where they discussed these issues. A meeting of all registrars too is in the pipeline. It's not immediately clear how the new initiatives will be funded. Planning Commission sources, who said the Human Resources Development Ministry had made a credible case for increased allotment in higher and technical education, were non-committal on increasing funds. An IIT source said more private participation would be sought.
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 15: *
All set to expand, Indian Institutes of Technology(IITs) will be "nearly doubling" their present intake, opening new campusesand introducing new courses. Sources in the IIT have told *The Indian Express* that IIT-Roorkee has already zeroed in on NOIDA to locate its new campus while at least two otherIITs are "scouting for land."
Thoughthe attempt by IIM, Bangalore to open a campus in Singapore had ran into trouble with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, IIT expansion plans have the full backing of the Ministry. Asked if the IITs were contemplating a campus abroad, one of the IIT directors said "it is a question of how one prioritises, IITs are keen to expand within India".IIT-Delhi is likely to open a campus in Rajasthan, either in Jaipur or Alwar. IIT-Chennai will start a research centre in BHEL at Trichy, keeping the option of developing it into a campus later. IIT-Mumbai, which had signed an MoU with the Goa government four years ago, is pursuing the project to start a campus there. It will also upgrade its present campus in Powai. IIT-Kanpur too will have a new campus. "IITs which have land to upgrade will do it in the present campus whereas others are looking for new places," sources told *The Indian Express*.
*Who's going where*•
*IIT Roorkee*: Identifies land in NOIDA•
*IIT-Delhi*: Eyes Rajasthan, campus either in Jaipur or Alwar•
*IIT-Chennai*: Research centre at BHEL in Trichy, may develop it intocampus later•
*IIT-Mumbai*: Wants to start campus in Goa. May upgrade Powai campus•
*IIT-Kanpur*: Also wants to open a new campus Those state governments who can pitch-in with land and some resources will stand a better chance. "There is already a scramble among state governments and towns to locate new campuses" sources said.The intake increase will be across the board, including the flagshipB.Tech programmes in all IITs.
Moreover, all IITs will start a string of new programmes, mostly in socialsciences. IIT Chennai has already unveiled its new five-year integrated MA in Humanities last week and other IITs are in the process. Delhi IIT will have a Policy Research Centre in collaboration with a foreign partner. Most new courses will be five-year integrated MA programmes in different social science streams, meant to "further add value to the brand IIT". IITs are also in the process of enhancing coordination amongst themselves to ensure uniformity in standards. All IIT directors met in Roorkee in January where they discussed these issues. A meeting of all registrars too is in the pipeline. It's not immediately clear how the new initiatives will be funded. Planning Commission sources, who said the Human Resources Development Ministry had made a credible case for increased allotment in higher and technical education, were non-committal on increasing funds. An IIT source said more private participation would be sought.
