NKC Chairperson Pitroda lends his support for an IIT in Orissa and talks about education and 11th plan
Various articles report on this. Following are some excerpts:
From a Telegraph article:
Chairman of National Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda today lent his support to Orissa’s hope for an Indian Institute of Technology, saying the state “deserved” one.
Orissa-born Pitroda, who ushered the telecom revolution in India in the eighties, today joined chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s long-standing demand, and said: “It’s high time. But, I am not the right person to comment on this matter. The HRD ministry should take a decision.”
Pitroda had come to Orissa to discuss the recommendations of the NKC, an advisory body to the Prime Minister on matters of higher education, with chief secretary T.K. Tripathy. Pitroda’s support went down well with Naveen, who has time and again reiterated his demand , but has been “refused” by the HRD ministry.
… Last year the Union HRD ministry decided to set up IITs in Bihar and Rajasthan and IISERs in Pune and Calcutta. The decision angered Orissa, which doesn’t have a single centre of excellence.
Non-resident Oriyas have been petitioning and writing to the ministry to set up an IIT in Orissa. While organisations have launched agitation against the Congress-led UPA and staged demonstrations before the Parliament over the issue.
Naveen has written several letters to Singh protesting the Centre’s decision of ignoring Orissa’s claim. The BJD-BJP MPs from Orissa had also staged a dharna before Parliament last week to protest against the Centre’s “step-motherly attitude”.
From a Statesman article:
The need for expansion as we do not have enough schools/colleges and varsities, providing quality education and ensuring equity as well as access are the three major challenges said Mr Sam Pitroda, chairman National Knowledge Commission. Talking to reporters he said the 11th Plan does make a substantial commitment to education and states must be ready to avail the funds that will flow.
He said Orissa was the first state he was visiting to interact with officials vis-à-vis the Knowledge Commission’s activities and recommendations. "I will visit a few other states like Rajasthan, Dellhi, Andhra Pradesh before we prepare a document on what states need to do," he remarked. He emphasised on vocational training and making students employable. He suggested setting up of a advisory committee of eminent citizens at the state level, a working group headed by the chief secretary and small groups to deal with each of the aspects involving education.
Mr Pitroda shared the view if more IITs were to come up in the country, Orissa should get one.
… On mushrooming private colleges which lacked trained faculty as well as infrastructure, he said it was a demand-supply problem. Suddenly the demand for education increased substantially and there was a short supply of institutions and hence people stepped in to fill up this gap. In the process institutions of low standards had come up everywhere.
January 12th, 2008