The Centre seems to have given in to the clamour from states to “launch” more Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) from the 2008-09 academic session itself. The Union ministry of human resources development, it is learnt, has given the nod to another three IITs to begin functioning from 2008-09. These are the IITs which are to be located in Orissa, Gujarat and Punjab. So instead of the initial three IITs that were slated to begin functioning from the forthcoming academic session, the government has now decided to launch another three. A decision to this effect is reported to have been taken earlier this week and conveyed to the existing IITs that will act as their mentor institutes.
The three IITs that were initially expected to begin functioning from 2008-09 are the ones in Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. This brings the total number of IITs to be “launched” during 2008-09 to six — all of course without the required infrastructure and faculty. A “record”, if it may be described thus, given that the existing seven IITs were launched over a period of several years. Whether the standards of “brand IIT” will remain the same is a question that is being asked by many. Punjab will have IIT-Delhi as its mentor institute while the one in Gujarat will have IIT Powai as its mentor. The one in Orissa will be mentored by IIT Kharagpur