Centre pours cold water over state’s IIT hopes

Centre pours cold water over state’s IIT hopes


Express News ServiceFirst Published : 10 Sep 2009 04:48:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 10 Sep 2009 06:48:40 AM IST
BANGALORE: Despite an assurance by Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily to get an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) for Karnataka, the Centre has rejected the proposal.
D Purandareshwari, Union Minister of state for Human Resources Development, made it clear on Wednesday that Karnataka was not in the scheme of things, at least this year.
Purandareshwari, who was in the city to inaugurate the Sri Krishna School of Engineering and Management, told reporters that the number of IITs which needed to be started under the 11th five year plan had already been allocated to different states.
“There is direction from the Prime Minister’s office that states which already have Central universities should not be given IITs,” she said.
Purandareshwari said that the government was aware of the geographical disparities in the establishment of Central universities. Moreover, Karnataka has prestigious institutes like IIM and IISc. “Probably at a later stage, this can be considered.
But right now, Karnataka will not get an IIT,” she said.
On the reforms in higher education, Purandareshwari said that they would establish the National Commission for Higher Education and Research (NCHER) that aimed to bring different regulatory bodies like University Grants Commission and All India Council For Technical Education under one umbrella.
“We have presented the proposal on NCHER to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and are waiting for his nod. Once we get the approval from him, the same will be sent to the Law Ministry,” she added.