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(Chronicle note: This is Update 1 posted on February 4 to reflect the latest news media reposts and the feedback provided by the informed sources.)
Government drops the plan for converting IT-BHU into an IIT.
From the stream of news coming out in last few days, it appears that conversion of IT-BHU into an IIT is dropped, at least for the foreseeable future. The news link is provided at the end.
We have also got separate reports from our informed sources that the HRD Ministry has decided NOT to go ahead with the planned upgrade of our institute into an IIT. The whole situation is unclear now. It appears that when the govt. amends IIT Act in February 12-26 session of parliament, the name of our institute will not be included in the list of institutes to be designated as IITs.
The govt. sources have cited various reasons for the decision to deny us IIT status. It includes questions raised by the University for allowing separation of institute, flood of new IITs being set up in a short time, objections being raised by IIT Council in the recent meeting and lack of funding to convert the institute into an IIT. In our opinion, most of the objections do not stand on merit or alternation solutions can be found for the problems.
This is despite the fact that the new IITs which are being set up in unplanned manner, will not have necessary infrastructure, faculty and resources ready for next few years. Compared to that, our institute is already in ready mode from day one of the implementation of the decision about conversion. Moreover, each of the new IITs will require funding of about Rs. 3,000 crores over a period of 6-8 years, while our institute will need only about the half of that cost for upgrade.
During the meeting of union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on March 28, 2008, it was decided to set up 8 new IITs and also to convert IT-BHU into an IIT. Now the govt. has gone back on its decision without stating any reason behind the move.
We all hope that govt. will take the necessary decision and will work towards fulfilling its promise to convert our institute to an IIT.
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1) Following is the report on 39th meeting of IIT Council: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IIT_faculty_likely_to_be_exempt_from_quota/articleshow/4044599.cms
Excerpts:
“There was a lot of discussion on converting IT-BHU into a fully fledged IIT but no decision was taken." IT-BHU is an important part of the BHU system. There was discussion on how to empower IT-BHU without taking it out of the BHU system. But there is no clarity on that front yet," an official said.”
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2) Following is the report on the discussion took place at IIT Council meeting:
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090204/jsp/nation/story_10482942.jsp
IIT tag eludes Banaras tech school
CHARU SUDAN KASTURI
Banaras Hindu University: Upgrade hurdle
New Delhi, Feb. 3: The Centre plans to shelve the promised upgrade of Banaras Hindu University’s engineering school to an Indian Institute of Technology, citing opposition from the IITs’ top decision-making body.
The upgrade was opposed last week at a meeting of the IIT Council by R. Chidambaram, member of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Committee, government officials have said.
Now, the human resource development ministry plans to cite the opposition to freeze the transformation of one of India’s best and oldest engineering schools into an IIT.
The ministry had prepared a note seeking the expenditure finance committee’s clearance for the upgrade but is now likely to argue that the plan be kept in abeyance, a top ministry official said.
The committee’s clearance is a precursor to seeking the mandatory approval from the cabinet. The ministry, the official added, has no plans of approaching the cabinet.
The Institute of Technology, BHU (IT-BHU), has admitted students based on the IIT Joint Entrance Examination since 1971 and is widely regarded as the best government engineering college after the IITs. But at the council meeting, sources said Chidambaram argued the government was opening too many IITs together — six were started in 2008 and two more are planned in 2009.
Chidambaram also argued that IT-BHU was a crucial component of the varsity, the sources said. Separating it would hurt the university, he said.
A decision to backtrack from the promised upgrade is, however, unlikely to please Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayavati, now opposed to the ruling UPA. Mayavati is learnt to have written at least once to HRD minister Arjun Singh voicing concerns over the delay in the upgrade.
Early in 2008, first the Prime Minister and then Arjun had announced the government was starting eight new IITs besides converting the IT-BHU into an IIT. But in July last year, when the cabinet cleared starting eight new IITs, it did not take a decision on IT-BHU.
Today, a senior IT-BHU administrator questioned the opposition to the upgrade. Officially, BHU has not opposed the separation of IT-BHU, required for the conversion, he said.
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The Telegraph has different report/story of the outcome of the meeting of IIT council.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090204/jsp/nation/story_10482942.jsp
Please have a look at it.
February 4, 2009 11:05 AMLeave a comment
(if you having troubles, try posting your comment on this page or send an email to chronicle @ itbhuglobal.org)Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi 221005, UP
students are coming through is JEE.it's one of the important point as well as all of the acadmic record it clears that we deserve a tag of IIT-v and it will be our full n final fighting for seeking one n only one result that is "IT-BHU has coverted into IIT".
February 8, 2009 7:44 AM