State urges Centre for IIT: The New Indian Express

State urges Centre for a central tribal university
Thursday April 12 2007 12:01 IST

BHUBANESWAR: Higher Education Minister Samir Dey has urged the Centre to approve the State Government's proposal for establishment of a central tribal university in the KBK region.

Addressing a meeting of education ministers in New Delhi on Wednesday, Dey said the proposed central university will immensely benefit the deprived and backward pockets of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh having large concentration of tribal population.

Reiterating the State's demand for establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the Minister said the vibrant growth in the industrial and technical sectors in Orissa provides enormous potential for industry- institution linkage.

An IIT will facilitate the process which is of critical importance to make the industry globally competitive.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has already requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for upgrading the extension counter of IIT Kharagpur into a full-fledged campus, the Minister reminded and added the State Government has already provided 300 acres of cost-free land for the project.

He also demanded that the NISER set up by the Department of Atomic Energy be upgraded to the rank of IISc, Bangalore.

There is a great need of opening courses in oceanography and marine engineering in colleges and universities considering the long coastline of the State.

The few institutes that are offering such courses are facing financial constraint for infrastructure development and curricula upgrade. Financial assistance from the Centre is needed for opening such courses in more colleges and universities, he added.

Although a National Law University was originally planned to be established in the State, this was shifted to West Bengal after the UPA Government assumed power.

The State Government is going to introduce a Bill in the next session of the Assembly for setting up of a National Law University for which it needs substantial financial help from the Centre, he said.

Underlining the measures taken by the State Government to improve the standard of higher education despite resource constraints, Dey strongly pleaded for generous central assistance.

The UGC should take up accreditation of colleges in the State by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NACC) on a priority basis and provide infrastructure support to them, he said.

Dey demanded central assistance for establishment of an Academic Staff College for the teachers at the Plus Two level.

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