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

Sreelatha Menon / New Delhi August 03, 2006



The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) 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.

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 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. 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 (NIT),
the total cost requirement has been put at Rs 3,385 crore, 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 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 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 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 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.

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.