IIT to be set up in Banki,Cuttack.

Pioneer News Service | Bhubaneswar

Though every one in the State is happy over the fact that an IIT will begin to function from the State in the current academic year, but uncertainty prevails there. "We have complied with all the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development on setting up an IIT. But they have to take the final decision on this issue," said Secretary, Industries Chinmoy Basu, adding that the State Government would soon send a detailed proposal to the Centre.Sources said a section of officials in the IIT wants that it should not be allowed to operate from the State in the current academic year, rather in should run in the campus of the IIT, Khargapur. As Saturday is an off-day in the Centre, the State Government will likely to send the proposal on Monday.
However, the State Government held a detailed and elaborate discussion on setting up the IIT in the State. A high-level meeting to this effect was held under the chairmanship of Industries Minister Biswabhusan Harichandan on Saturday.Briefing the media, Harichandan said the Government has identified 1,200 acres of land near Banki for setting up the world-class institution. This would be set up in an area between Dampada and Talabasta road near Banki.The Centre had given a condition that the institution should be located closer to the Airport, National Highways and Railway station. "Its only 62 km from the Bhubaneswar Airport and would take one hour drive from the State capital to reach there," he said, adding that though the Centre wants only 600 acres of land for this purpose, the State wants to give more land to make it a world-class institution.
In order to begin classes from this year, he said the Government has decided to provide the campus of College of Engineering and Technology (CET), Bhubaneswar, to start classes of IIT from the current academic year. "Eighteen quarters will be converted to students' hostel within 15 days," he said, adding that students would be allowed to use their laboratory after 2 pm. Some arrangements would be made to this effect so that the students would use all the facilities available in the CET.
On the question of availability of required number of faculties, he said guest lectures would be arranged from the Institute of Mathematics and NISER also. "We have already met all the conditions laid down by the Centre. We hope that the IIT in Orissa would begin functioning from the current session," he said.
However, the State Government and its officials are still uncertain about the exact number of students that are going to take admission this year. "We don't have got any clear information at official level from the Centre," said Secretary Industries Basu, adding that as per the unconfirmed students over 100 students are likely to get admission in IIT, Orissa.Sources said a section of officials in the Centre and IIT have begun to oppose that the IIT should not be allowed run from this year.