Shri Arjun Singh lays the Foundation Stone of IIT, Ropar
	18:21 IST

Shri Arjun Singh, Union Minister of Human Resource Development, today laid the Foundation Stone of the campus of Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, in Punjab. On this occasion Shri Singh said that IITs are our national pride and owe their existence to the scientific temper and disposition of our First Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Making India the knowledge hub of the world was a cherished dream of Pt. Nehru, Shri Arjun Singh said. This new IIT is part of the 8 new IITs that have been established in the country by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development during XIth Plan. The State Government has offered 513 acres of land at Ropar, which is about 40 km. from Chandigarh and has excellent road and railway connectivity. The academic session of IIT, Ropar, is already in progress from 2008-09 and is being conducted from its Mentor institution : IIT, Delhi. In this first year B.Tech. course in three engineering disciplines has been started, namely Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The intake of students this year was about 40 each in each of these disciplines. However, the classes from the ensuing academic session 2009-10 will be conducted from the temporary campus being set up at Women’s Polytechnic, Ropar. And as soon as the buildings of the campus are ready the classes will be moved to the new campus. Shri Arjun Singh expressed happiness at the fact that the State of Punjab is getting its due share. It has already got the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Mohali, National Institute of Technical Teachers' Training & Research, Chandigarh and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sangrur. Union Minister of Human Resource Development also said that his Ministry has decided in this Plan Period to have in the State, one Central University, one National University, assistance for setting up seven Polytechnics in those districts which currently do not have a Government Polytechnic and also assistance for establishing 13 degree colleges having GER lower than the national average. The Government and Private Engineering Colleges are also getting opportunity to upgrade their facilities through TEQIP. This will provide the youth of Punjab with vocational & professional educational opportunities to realize their individual potential & create a globally competitive India. Shri Arjun Singh expressed confidence that these initiatives will significantly contribute in providing a platform for the youth of Punjab to realize their full potential. The Government of India in its Eleventh Plan has given a major thrust to education. The Central Government has taken several initiatives in respect of new institution building. These include setting up of 30 new Central Universities, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, eight new IITs, seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), two new Schools of Planning & Architecture (SPAs), 10 new National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and 20 new IIITs. A very high priority has been accorded to the education sector and a ten fold increase has been provided in the budgetary outlays for the higher education during the XIth Plan as compared to Xth Plan. -------------------------- KKP