Following the announcement in Budget 2001, last week the Union Cabinet approved the changeover of Roorkee University to a full-fledged IIT. When Parliament reassembles in May, an amendment to the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, would be put forward. One of the first modifications would be the change in the name of the university to IIT, Roorkee. The Finance Minister had announced in the Budget for the year 2001-02 that the Roorkee University would be upgraded to an IIT.

Sources pointed out that the non-Plan spend on the new IIT has been enhanced to Rs 45 crore for the year 2001-2002 compared to Rs 30 crore being spent annually by the Uttar Pradesh government on Roorkee University. This amount would be utilised for the increased salaries of the employees and for maintenance of the new IIT. Sources pointed out that the full fiscal impact would be known only when the changeover is implemented.

On the Plan side, the government has set aside an amount of Rs 110 crore for infrastructure upgradation. This would be invested over a period of three years.

The making of an IIT: Roorkee Univ in the throes of transitionGovernance structure The entire existing governance structure of the Roorkee University will be abolished. It would no longer have a vice-chancellor, instead, as an IIT it will now be headed by a full-time director. Also, the nomenclature of the IIT family would come into effect, the official explained.

For instance, IIT Delhi is an autonomous statutory organisation functioning within the Institutes of Technology Act as amended by The Institutes of Technology (Amendent) Act, 1963. The six Indian Institutes of Technology (at Delhi, Bombay, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Guwahati) are administered centrally by the IIT Council, an apex body established by the government to co-ordinate activities of these Institutes. The minister for human resource development of the Government of India is the chairman of the council. Each institute of technology has a board of governors responsible for its overall administration and control.

The IIT Senate decides the academic policy of the Institute, and approves curriculum, courses and examination results. It appoints committees to look into specific academic matters arising from time to time. The teaching, training and research activities of various departments at the Institute are constantly under review to improve both facilities and standards. The director of the institute is the chairman of the Senate. Financial advice to the institute is rendered by a Finance Committee. ``This structure will now come into place at Roorkee University,'' says a source close to the changeover.

According to a top official in the department of education, the conversion of Roorkee University to an IIT is part of the overall strategy of the Union Ministry for Human Resource Development to promote the middle-level institutions to high-level institutions. This is the first of the series of conversions. The long-term plan is to convert as many regional engineering colleges to IIT as possible. Incidentally, the Mashelkar Committee has also recommended converting regional engineering colleges to IITs.

Elaborating on the reasons, a Ministry official pointed out: ``This is a better option, as setting up new IITs entails a much bigger investment.'' The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, for example, is being set up at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.

Bonanza time!
If the amendment to the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, is effected in May when Parliament reassembles, it would mean a mega bonanza for the students. The graduates passing out this year then would graduate with the much-coveted title of `IIT graduates'! It is also bonanza time for the Roorkee University staff who stand to get a much higher salary after the conversion of the university to an IIT. According to the sources at the Union Ministry of Human Resources, the expert panel is currently reviewing the salary structure. On the issue of selection of faculty, the sources pointed out that the selection of Roorkee University faculty is already on the same lines as the IITs - entirely on the basisof merit.