Rajya Sabha passes bill for 8 new IITs

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed two key bills to enable students of Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research get their degrees and give 8 new IITs their status through an Act of Parliament.

The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2011, already passed by the Lok Sabha, seeks to set up eight new Indian Institutes of Technology in Bhubaneshwar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Mandi, Patna and Ropar and integrate the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, within the ambit of the Act.

All these institutions shall be declared institutions of national importance as per amended Act.

The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2011, seeks to set up IITs at 8 places including Patna and Jodhpur.

The National Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2010, also passed by the Lok Sabha, declares certain institutions of technology as institutions of national importance and seeks to add five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (established in Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram) as institutions of national importance.

It also specifies the members of Board of Governors of each institute and establish a Council for all Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research.

Introducing the Bills in the Rajya Sabha, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said any fear about inclusion of BHU under the ambit of the Act was unfounded and said, "If there is any misgiving, one would be ready and revisit in the manner that members consider it appropriate."

Sibal said 20 NITs were covered under the Act and with amendments not being passed, students were waiting to get their degrees.

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