The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill that seeks to declare five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur as institutions of national importance along with existing 15 IIITs.
Replying to the debate on the Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020, Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said that a "beautiful" model had been created for the first time with the participation of the Centre, states and the industry to impart training to students.
He said while placements at some institutes were 100 per cent, it was 70 per cent overall in the IIITs.
The minister said that there had been significant improvement in international rankings of institutions since the Narendra Modi government came to power.
He said while five institutions figured among the top 1,000 in QS world university rankings in 2015, the number was 48 now.
Pokhriyal said that the institutions were also figuring among top 100 and top 50 in rankings and were also forging ahead in research.
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Noting that the IIITs will need to meet the prescribed quota requirements, he said the curriculum is decided in consultation with the industry.
The bill intends to declare the remaining five IIITs along with the existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology in PPP mode as 'Institutions of National Importance' with powers to award degrees. It will entitle them to use the nomenclature of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) or Master of Technology (M.Tech) or Ph.D. degree as issued by a university.
The bill seeks to amend principal Acts of 2014 and 2017 and also intends to grant statutory status to the five institutes.
These IIITs, at present, are functioning as Societies registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
They will now be covered under the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, similar to the other 15 IIITs established under the scheme in PPP mode.
IIITDM (IIIT Design and Manufacturing) Kurnool has been established as per the IIIT Act, 2014 and is functioning with the other 4 IIITs -- IIIT Allahabad, IIITM Gwalior, IIITDM Jabalpur, and IIITDM Kancheepuram.
IIITs are envisaged to promote higher education and research in the field of Information Technology. A scheme for setting up 20 new IIITs in PPP mode was approved by the Union Cabinet in November 2010.
Participating in the debate on the bill, Trinamool Congress member Saugata Roy said that education at IIITs should in line with the demands of the industry. He also urged the government to promote scientific temper.
BJD member Bhartruhari Mahtab said that these institutes should help boost start-up culture in the country.
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