NEW DELHI: A bill providing for opening six new IITs, including at Jammu and Tirupati, was today passed by the Lok Sabha.
Under the Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill 2016, new IITs will also be started in Palakkad, Goa, Dharward and Bhilai.
The Bill also seeks to bring the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, within the ambit of the Act.
Replying to a debate on the bill, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Government has formed High Education Financial Agency (HEFA) to upgrade the infrastructure.
The Government’s credo is ‘Sabko Shiksha Acchi Shiksa (Good Education to All) and has taken a number of efforts in this regards, he said.
On the fee structure, he said students from the ST and SC communities, from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and physically challenged have full waiver of fees in the IITs and NITs. He said, those whose family income is below Rs 9 lakh per annum also get zero per cent education loan. (AGENCIES)