Koda: For a bright future

Ranchi, June 9: Eager to make a good impression at a meeting convened by Union human resource development minister Arjun Singh, the state government has stepped up efforts to finalise land for the proposed IIM that is to come up in the state.

At the meeting, called by Singh on July 2-3 in New Delhi to discuss new initiatives in higher and technical education, the Madhu Koda government would like to pitch for the establishment of an IIT in Jharkhand in the next phase.

Sources close to the chief minister said around 202 acres had been identified at Nagri village under Kanke block, around 25km from here. “The only problem was that the proposed Ring Road was passing through the plot. But we can sort that out by constructing a flyover,” said a senior official who accompanied Koda to the site last week.

“If we aren’t able to locate land for IIM ahead of the July meeting, we cannot claim an IIT,” he said.

In a letter to Koda, Singh has pointed out that the meeting was aimed at discussing the role of states in higher and technical education and the rationale behind, and strategy for, bringing about educational reforms.

Accordingly, the state government would be making a presentation on the status of higher and technical education and the new initiatives it was planning.

So far, the Centre has allotted an IIM and a central university for Jharkhand, though Bihar and Orissa have managed IITs. In fact, Orissa has already finalised 600 acres near Banki.

Jharkhand, too, said state human resource development minister Bandhu Tirkey, had identified land for the central varsity — 300 acres in and around Dungra village in Khunti district, 18km from the state capital.

In his letter to Koda, Singh has sought the state’s support in ensuring that the new IITs, 600 polytechnics and 370 new degree colleges were successful ventures.

“For the first time, it has also been proposed to give incentives to the state government for starting new institutions of higher and technical education,” Singh pointed out.

He said several new institutions were being planned in the states that missed out this time — among them were eight IITs, seven IIMs, 10 NITs, 20 IITSes, 16 central universities, three Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) and two Schools of Planning and Architecture.

Besides, Singh spoke of a proposal to provide one-time assistance of 50 per cent to institutions not eligible for UGC grants due to the absence of infrastructure.

In addition, he said the Centre would extend help to states for establishing 370 new degree colleges and 600 polytechnics in districts.

Singh has also asked states to increase spending on education to meet the targeted expenditure of 6 per cent of GDP. Allocation under the 11th Five Year Plan for higher and technical education was going to be 10 times that of the previous plan.