Click to play videoNew Delhi: Reports suggest UPA may set aside more funds for schemes run by the HRD ministry but what’s going on in the previous ambitious projects?
“We propose to make a beginning in 2008-09 by establishing 16 Central Universities. Besides, we propose to set up three IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan; two IISERs at Bhopal and Tiruvananthapuram; and two Schools of Planning and Architecture at Bhopal and Vijayawada,” Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram had said.
The formula for the UPA now seems clear – multiply the number of institutions to get an added advantage in the coming elections.
Like the 90 students of IIT Gandhinagar who are presently not in their own campus. They are sharing it with a government engineering college in the city. The Dean of the institute Prof UA Yagnik said, “Next year they have promised more area within this campus.”
But experts say an exclusive campus is not the only thing this batch might be missing out on.
Former Director of IIT Madras PV Inderesan said, “I don't know how they will get trained faculty. To set up one IIT it takes about Rs 1,000 crore so to set up eight new ones they need Rs 8,000 crore. So I don't think they have that kind of money.”
The IITs at Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Patna, Punjab and Rajasthan are all operational, sharing facilities with existing colleges. Two schools of planning and architecture are running at makeshift campuses in Bhopal and Vijaywada while the five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research too have opened at Kolkata, Pune, Mohali, Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram.
The Central Universities Bill was also introduced in the Lok Sabha two months ago, but to continue at break neck speed, the government has already taken the ordinance route so work can start in time to set up 12 central universities and upgrade of another three.
“In terms of numbers the growth it has been good, but in terms of quality I am not so sure,” Inderesan said.
So brand dilution, notwithstanding, this Government is keen to march ahead. Reports suggest that the vote on account may set aside more funds for the HRD ministry.
(With inputs from Meghdoot Sharon)
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