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.
