New IITs hit by poor infrastructure: Sibal

Hyderabad: The eight new IITs that were permitted to set up in 2008 do not have the necessary infrastructure and are not up to the mark making it difficult for the country s prestigious institutions to retain faculty, said Kapil Sibal, Minister for HRD, Science and Technology and Telecom here on Tuesday.

The Minister blamed the state governments for not allotting the required land for setting up permanent campuses for these institutions.

"These new IITs are functioning in temporary campuses and unable to attract new faculties. Due to the same reason we are finding it difficult to retain faculties. We need commitment from state governments for at least 500 acres of land without any liabilities attached to it," Sibal said on the sidelines of Geospatial World Forum which began here today.

The ministry started these new IITs (Indian Institute of Technologies) three years ago. Each institution should have at least 90 teachers from all disciplines. According to reports most of the institutions do not have the required number of teaching staff.

According to the Minister, these new IITs are yet to get permanent campuses. In some states like Andhra Pradesh, where land has been allotted, building and other infrastructure is not in place yet.

Sibal said the ministry is holding talks with respective State Governments on the issue of land allocation.

"It is not only the IITs which are suffering. Even the new Central universities announced by the Centre are finding it difficult to get land in states," Sibal told reporters.

In 2008, the Union HRD ministry had announced setting up eight new IITs and seven Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) along with 30 Central and world class universities in the country.

The new IITs have come up in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.

Replying to a question, Sibal said the telecom ministry will hold the first session of the round table on New Telecom Policy-2011 in a day or two.

The Minister also informed that the National Geospatial Data Accountability bill which is currently at inter-ministerial discussion, will be tabled in the coming Budget session.