IITs, IIMs to open doors for more

DIDN'T GET through this year's CAT? Take heart, the ministry of human resources development plans to increase the intake of students at all levels in IIMs as well as IITs.

In a new action plan prepared to give a boost to higher education in the coming academic year, the HRD ministry wants to increase the number of students at the undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels. "It is for the IITs and the IIMs to specify the additional seats. We have told them that the intake has been increased to meet the demands of the market," said a senior ministry official.

The new courses, the official added, would bring more revenue to the IITs and the IIMs. At present, there are about 23,000 students in seven IITs and about 10,000 students in IIMs. But the institutes lose money on each student because of the high input costs. For example, an IIT spends Rs 1.90 lakh on a student every year whereas the money recovered from the student is only Rs 30,000.

"More students will help to bridge the gap," the official commented. 

Though the opening of new IITs has been ruled out, the ministry wants these premier institutes to open study centres in the far-flung areas of the country.

"One such centre of IIT-Kanpur has been opened in Amethi. Each IIT should have at least one centre," an official said.

The ministry has already decided to upgrade seven institutes to the level of IITs. Officials estimate that the upgradation will require additional funds of Rs 1,000-1,500 crore depending on the final report of the expert committee which is constituted to study the vision documents of the seven institutions.

"We have asked for Rs 21 crore for the next financial year when the basic work will start. The money will be allocated once the committee submits its report by mid-January. The upgradation will commence from 2007-08," the official said.