Odisha-based Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on Saturday expressed happiness over UGC's recommendation to grant Institution of Eminence (IoE) status to it.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which also recommended the IoE status for Delhi University, Hyderabad University, BHU and IIT Madras and Kharagpur.
KIIT is the only institute in Odisha and among seven private universities in the country to be recommended for the IoE status.
"For this (recommendation) Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder, KIIT... has given the credit to PM Narendra Modi, Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, Minister, HRD and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik," a KIIT statement said.
The institute came into being in 1997.
In addition to KIIT, Samanta, an academician-turned BJD MP, also set up KISS (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences) for tribal students.
At present 50,000 indigenous students are provided food, lodging and education for free.
The effort is aimed at weaning away poor tribal youths from the clutches of Naxalism.
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