Jammu, Goa and Tirupati among 6 to get new IITs

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the Institute of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2016, paving way for setting up of six new IITs, including in Jammu and Tirupati. Other four cities are Palakkad, Goa, Dharward and Bhilai. On July 25, the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill which sought to bring the Indian School of Mines in Dhanbad, within the ambit of the proposed Act. The Bill was passed through a voice vote.

Before voting, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar assured the House that “IITs will remain to be the centre of excellence and there will be no financial constraints to their growth.”

“We will not allow anything that will lower their standards. Actually we all should try to improve them further and make them really world class institutes. Therefore quality is absolutely important,” he said, while addressing concerns by some members. To Congress MP Jairam Ramesh’s apprehensions over autonomy for the IITs, Mr Javedekar said the HRD ministry is not there on any board of IITs.

“MHRD is not even represented on Board of governors. It is completely run by the board,” he said.

We only facilitate in finance and that is where we will concentrate,” he said, adding, “The government is already working on a scheme for financing higher education infrastructure needs, particularly research infrastructure requirements.”

Admitting lack of faculty in the IITs, the HRD minister said currently there are around 30 per cent vacancies in the premier institutes. “We need to take proactive steps in this regard, including interviews of talent who are out of the country. We want to fill up the vacancies as soon as possible, in a continuous process. It’s our priority,” Mr Javadekar said. Replying to a matter raised by CPI member D. Raja on issue of having freedom of expression on the campuses, Mr Javadekar said the government will ensure freedom on the campuses. “As responsible citizens of the country, we also work within the Constitutional framework and will abide by the laws of the land and these are the only two things we need to keep in mind. Expression of freedom is not curbed and we have no intention of doing so,” he added. Mr Raja said obstructionists and fundamentalists were destroying the academic freedom on the campuses. He said sedition charges have been filed against students at various places including JNU. “The(sedition charges) should be withdrawn,” Mr Raja said, adding, “The government is also not adhering to reservation policy in terms of appointments to IITs and NITs.”

Replying on the issue, Mr Javadekar said: “As far as reservation is concerned I will review immediately and we will ensure that reservation is implemented in letter and spirit.”