Following articles are published about IITs in news media by our alumnus Yogesh K. Upadhyaya (Chemical 1977).
1) New IITs announced
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=134542
The government on March 28 decided to set up eight more Indian Institutes of Technology. Never before in the history of India has such large expansion been planned in a go. It is definitely a good news, provided the educational standards are met.
Excerpts:
Introduction
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http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=5295
This article contains the news and analysis about the recent govt. decision to set up 8 more IITs, 4 IIESTs and 10 NITs. Some of the information in the article is taken directly from the sources within HRD Ministry of India and after discussing with some of the faculty of IITs.
Excerpts:
The IITs have come a long way in establishing its unique brand. The recent government decision (of setting up more IITs), being unparallel in the history of technical education in India, has created a fear of dilution of the IIT brand. Moreover, other powerful brands (such as NITs, IIESTs) have started appearing in past few years. We shall examine the coming up of such other institutes and how they will meet our country’s requirements.........
New IITs and dilution theory
In March 2008, our government has announced the setting up of eight more IITs (including 4 already announced) and converting Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University into an IIT. This is in addition to existing seven IITs. The setting of new IITs in such a large number has raised some concerns among select groups about dilution of IIT brand. Their fear is unfounded. IIT brand will not get diluted as long as all the related criteria are maintained within limits. For example, the brand will not get diluted if: The selection ratio (students selected for IITs/students appeared for the IIT-JEE) is within 2-3%; teacher to student ratio is between 1:8 and 1:10; and govt. annual funding is Rs. 2.3-2.5 lakhs (Rs. 230,000-250,000) per student.
At the end of completion of IIT expansion by the year 2012-2013, The 8 new IITs will add a total of 4,000 undergraduate seats to the existing system. Moreover, as per recent Supreme Court ruling, there will be 27% reservation quota for the OBC (Other Backward Class) students admitted to IITs and other premier institutes. This will necessitate 54% overall increase in seats at existing seven IITs and IT-BHU over a period of next 3 years. In the academic year 2007-2008, these institutes admitted close to 5,000 students, which will rise to about 7,500 students after implementing expansion program to meet quota requirements. Adding 7-10% natural expansion of available seats each year, about 12,000-14,000 seats will be available after 5-6 years from all the sixteen IITs.
This will only encourage more students to appear for IIT-JEE exam. This year 320,000 students appeared for IIT-JEE, compared to 250,000 last year. It is expected that by 2012-2013, about 600,000-700,000 students will appear for IIT-JEE, maintaining 2-3% selection ratio.