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IITs, IISc seek Rs 5,520 cr to double seats

August 03, 2006 14:00 IST

The Indian Institute of Science and the IITs will double their student intake from 38,500 to 60,600 in five years at a cost of Rs 5,520 crore (Rs 55.2 billion).

This is being done to comply with the annexures to the interim report of the Veerappa Moily committee on reservation in higher education.

The report projects a total requirement of Rs 9,640 crore (Rs 96.4 billion) for all technical educational institutions and seeks a three-year time frame to implement the 54 per cent seat expansion.

The figure for IITs, IIMs, medical colleges and central and agricultural universities put together touches Rs 16,000 crore (Rs 160 billion). Except medical colleges and agricultural universities, which will bring in the changes in two years, all other institutes want a 3-5-year time-frame.

The IITs and IISc have said their total approved intake for 2006-2007 was 12,813, which would increase by 7,390. But it is silent on the exact number of additional students to be admitted next year.

However it gives a break up of the number of teachers who are to be recruited over a period of five years. The estimated total additional faculty requirement spread over five years is 3,200.

Similarly, in the case of the National Institutes of Technology, the total cost requirement has been put at Rs 3,385 crore (Rs 33.85 billion), with the student intake to increase from the present 49,185 to 76,000 in five years.

The report says 2,000 additional faculty members would be required over the period. Other central government technical educational institutions have asked for about Rs 735 crore (Rs 7.35 billion) and 500 additional faculty members.

The report recommends relaxation of retirement of the faculty to 65 years, re-employing retired faculty up to 70 years, securing services of ad hoc and visiting faculty, adopting large classrooms with tutorial sections, utilising the services of senior research scholars for assistance in teaching and tutorials, establishing virtual classrooms and starting e-learning facilities.

IIMs: IIMs, on their part, have asked for Rs 611.46 crore (Rs 6.11 billion) spread over four years to effect 54 per cent expansion in seats. They have also asked for full freedom to fill faculty positions based on a teacher to student ratio of 1:7. The interim report of the committee has incorporated these demands in its recommendations.

Central universities: About Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 20 billion) has been demanded for 54 per cent expansion in seats in 17 central universities.

Medical colleges: The central medical colleges have asked for Rs 2,442.05 crore (Rs 24.42 billion) to implement expansion over two years. With the expansion, seats in medical colleges will increase from the present 355 seats to 546. Post graduate seats will rise from 1,173 to 1,771.

Agricultural universities: The four colleges under the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, and the IARI New Delhi, IVRI Izatnagar, NDRI Karnal and CIFE Mumbai have projected expansion in seats over a period of three years. The total fund requirement sought is Rs 194.6 crore (Rs 1.95 billion).

While Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, has agreed to increase 18 per cent seats in the first year for PG and PhD, 36 per cent would be increased in the second year.

IVRI, Izatnagar, and NDRI, Karnal, have also made similar commitments. The latter, however, is to increase 54 per cent seats at the undergraduate level from next year itself.
Sreelatha Menon in New Delhi
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