Avtar Bhat
JAMMU Aug 6: To fulfill the aspirations of younger generations of the country in general and J&K in particular, Union Minister of Human Resource and Development (HRD) Prakash Javadekar today declared the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu open in its temporary campus at Paloura near here.
To boost the technical education in the State, the Union Minister also announced Rs 100 crore for setting up of research infrastructure at Srinagar based NIT, besides up-gradation of higher and technical education institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister while addressing the inauguration function of IIT said, “I declare this IIT open” adding ”I want to make two more important announcements being here in Jammu region to further improve higher and technical education across the State,”.
He said ”NIT Srinagar is doing well and to improve it further, we have plans of investing Rs 100 crore to improve facility and research infrastructure in this institute,” . He further said apart from this, all higher and technical education centers in this regard will also be upgraded further.
”Under Technical Education Upgradation Programme, an initiative of Government with focus on the State, technical education infrastructure will be further upgraded and strengthened,” he said.
On ‘Make in India’, the Union Minister said, ”It is all about research and innovation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inviting talents of India among Indian diaspora abroad appealing them to come and contribute in Make In India”, he added
The Union Minister also praised the State for “keeping pace” with education despite a decades-long turmoil with gross enrolment figures higher than the national average.
Ninety students have been enrolled at IIT, Jammu for the first academic session.
“Jammu and Kashmir has excelled in education despite the turmoil,” said Javadekar.
“Compared to the national average of 23.6 per cent of gross enrolment in higher education, girls pursuing higher studies in Jammu and Kashmir have a 27-per cent gross enrolment, more than the 25 per cent of boys, and both the figures are higher than the national average,” he added.
The Union Minister said the Centre has laid emphasis on creating centres of excellence in higher education and IIT, Jammu was a step towards that direction, adding that the Government has also launched a free online coaching programme for IIT aspirants.
He said the inauguration of IIT, Jammu was delayed due to a land problem.
Javadekar announced Rs 100 crore for NIT, Srinagar under a special plan this year to facilitate research and development.
He said a fund of Rs 1,000 crore has been earmarked in the Union Budget to create a finance agency and another Rs 1,000 crore is expected to come from a bank soon to create a kitty of Rs 2,000 crore for infrastructure building and research in IITs.
He said over 2,000 research proposals have been received and of these, 450 have been shortlisted and around 300-400 would be funded.
“Now, researchers will teach here and do research as well,” said Javadekar.
He also announced that the foundation of IIM and AIIMS will also be laid soon. He said 23 IITs have come up in country and 10,000 admissions were made in this academic year.
Addressing the function Union Minister of State in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh said the IIT will prove a milestone in the progress of the State. While stressing on quality education he said out of 23 IITs in country six are prime institutes.
Stressing on making IIT Jammu an institute of excellence, he said “I wish that Jammu should also be identified by IIT like Khadkpur. Dr Singh stressed on providing best faculty to the institute so that it can touch heights in excellence.”If the first batch from this institute gets campus selection in reputed organizations and companies it is a guarantee to its future excellence”, he added.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the first step taken for the State of J&K by Modi Government which took over on May 26, 2014 was issuance of order for re-opening of Yuvawani services of All India Radio. He said he took up the issue with Mr Javedekar who was the Minister of I&B at that time and he issued the order that the services of Yuvawani be continued in Jammu.
He said the second thing done by the Modi Government for the State was announcement of opening of IIT Jammu among the other IITs announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley after he (Dr Singh) took up the issue with Finance Minister.
Dr Singh said that he had proposed allotment of 200 acres of land along the National Highway from Jammu Airport to Kathua for establishment of IIT, AIIMS and IIM campus and the issue was taken up by him with former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed too. He said the foundation stone of new campus of IIT will also be laid in the coming days. “To make it an institute of excellence stress is to be given to proving of best faculty to it”, he added.
Terming the inauguration of IIT campus a historical moment for Jammu, Deputy Chief Minster Dr Nirmal Singh said that the Modi Government is committed to make Jammu an educational hub and establishment of IIT is a step to that direction.
“While formation of PDP -BJP alliance it was said that what sort of combination it will be but we resolved to give good governance to provide jobs to educated youth in the entire State so that the J&K will compete other States of the country in progress and development”, he said, adding that the technical education institutions were announced for the State with the same purpose.
He also complimented the State administration in allotment of land for the IIT Jammu. He while referring to prevailing situation in State and the problems faced at NIT Srinagar said these are short lived and students should not pay attention to it as Government will deal with the situation firmly.
Minister of State for Education, Tourism and Culture, Priya Sethi also termed the establishment of IIT Jammu a historical moment. She said it was the BJP led NDA Government in 2002 under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee which had sanctioned the IIT for Jammu but due to certain reasons it was not established at that time. She stressed that there should be such facilities in this IIT that the students of the institute can interact with students of other IITs so that they will not feel isolated here.
Priya Sethi termed it a prestigious moment for the people of J&K while expressing the hope that the institute will lay its impact all over the country.
Parliament Member and senior BJP leader Jugal Kishore Sharma also spoke on the occasion while the function was also attended by BJP senior leader and MP, Shamsher Singh Manhas and prominent citizens.
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