IIT Bombay likely to double fees from next yr

"As of now we have not heard any official communication from the government. However, once we do get it, the fees would be doubled. But for those who cannot afford this fee, we would have in place scholarships and loans from banks. I don't think this hike would be effective this year as the academic year starts from June but maybe next academic year," said Ashok Mishra, Director IIT Bombay.

The current fees at IITs is Rs 25,000 per year. IITs spend close to Rs 2 lakh per student. "Currently fees amount to just 4-5 per cent of our revenue. After the hike, it will go up to around 8 per cent," clarified Mishra.

IIT Bombay is also gearing up its infrastructure - in terms of classrooms, hostel rooms, etc. - to accommodate the 9 per cent quota from other backward classes (OBCs) in the coming year. It will increase the quota numbers by 9 per cent every year. "We will start with 9 per cent then to 18 and in the third year will reach 27 per cent," added Mishra.

Meanwhile, as a part of its initiative to take the IIT curriculum to as many students and industry professionals, IIT-B is also increasing its distance-learning focus. The institute as already tied-up with ISRO and connected to 100 colleges and is planning to expand this further. It has also extended its Continuing Education Programme (CEP) to Gujarat through its satellite campus. The extension centre in Gujarat currently offers 12 short courses.

The institute plans to take CEP into the international market as well. Currently through partnership, the CEP is available in Dubai. IITB may take this to Singapore as well. Mishra said, "We might take this to Singapore. But it all depends on the how much time does the faculty has for such initiatives. But we can clearly double the revenues from CEP in the next 2-3 years if we are able to take it to more countries." For the current year CEP contribution to the revenue was Rs 4-5 crore.

With an emphasis on increasing the number of doctorate students, Mishra said that for the first time, the upcoming convocation will witness passing out of 200 doctoral students. "The reason for this high number is because we have increased the enrolment numbers. Form 650 in 2001 we have almost doubled the number of enrolments," Mishra said. He also shared that many of these Doctorate student have been accepted in the industry as well due to the initiative that IITB has taken with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

As a part of IIT-B' 50 years celebration, the institute also launched a competition called