IIT Student Intake to Reach 1 Lakh by 2020

Speaking about education and progress made in that sector, the government announced in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, November 24, 2016, that the overall students’ strength of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in India will be increased to one lakh by the year 2020.

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Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, said in his written reply to the upper house that the IIT-Council has approved the proposal for increasing the seats and intake in the IITs. The number of seats currently in the institutes is 82,604 that will be raised to one lakh by 2020.

The decision was taken by the IIT Council at its 50th meeting on Wednesday, November 23, 2016, added the Minister. Pandey also said that there will be no adverse effect on the quality of education imparted by the institutes due to the shortage of faculty. The IITs have been working on increasing the faculty strength without compromising the quality of recruitment.

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The premier institutes have been advertising and conveying to potential candidates about vacancies in the faculty posts. Invitations have also been sent through search-cum-selection procedures to alumni/ scientists/ faculty. Information has also been conveyed through international journals to attract qualified NRIs and PIOs for faculty positions on the same terms that are applicable for the post of regular faculty. Visiting faculties are also being invited to the campuses.

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Pandey also informed that the Global Initiative for Academic Networks (GIAN) initiative has also been launched by the government to invite foreign faculty to teach at the higher educational institutions. Other steps that are been taken to improve faculty engagement are introducing awards for outstanding young faculty and mobility of faculty from one central educational institute to another.