Some links:
The text of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special address is here:
There is enough evidence from the IIT Joint Entrance Examinations that for every student who got an opportunity to study in IITs, there are at least 3 to 4 who are as bright, but are denied the opportunity because of the intake capacity constraints. This is highly regrettable because it denies opportunity to thousands of deserving young men and women. If India is to become a global leader in science and technology as well as an economic super power, such talent must not go unutilized. Many more such institutes are needed. Realizing this, our government decided to increase the capacity by creating eight new IITs in the 11th Five Year Plan. I am proud of the fact that during the current academic year 2008-09, we could start 6 IITs though through temporary campuses or through the campus of an existing IIT. I am grateful to the existing IITs for mentoring and helping in the establishment of the new IITs.
Yogesh Upadhyaya's interview of Prof. M.S. Anant, Director, IIT-M.
Mallik Putcha has an interesting article on the IITs' pre-history.
Ludwig informs us that the Pan-IIT spouses program has undergone a sampoorna transformation to become a Family Track -- For the Whole Family. He also tells us that this change was probably not a result of blogospheric outrage (there's more here, here, here, here, here, here, and here).
Abi, as I said when we met [and it was lovely to meet you], I blame YOU for the absence of shilpa shetty from the program!
ReplyDelete:)
Well, well, well. Who would have thunk ?
ReplyDeleteLas Vegas does family vacations too :-)
Hi Abi,
ReplyDeleteSorry for taking this slightly off topic. But is do you or any other person that you know of have blogged about the IISc centenary celebrations? Any recordings? I have heard a great deal about it, and am desperate to know who all talked and what they talked.
Again, sorry for taking the topic at hand off, but it was conceptually related one. :-)
just as PM raised the issue of contribution of private enggr colleges, i hope the pan-IIT conference discusses the issue of reputable programs as the IIT in sociology, law, economics, environment, international studies,geography, languages, journalism and other fields of humanities...
ReplyDelete"I am proud ... we could start 6 IITs though through temporary campuses or through the campus of an existing IIT." This is a wonderful fix for the woefully underutilized IITs and their ungainfully employed professors. And sure, these underutilized technology institutes should diversify so that they match all the moribund state universities, in scope and quality. Just that reality has an annoying habit of getting in the way.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the above commenter that IITs should diversify. They should excel in whatever their mission is for and whatever broad-based education technocrats, technologists, entrepreneurs need. But we need IIT like institutes in other branches besides enggr. too.
ReplyDeleteAs reg. infrastructural problems in IITs or non-IITs that is a whole different issue.
I wonder if the reporter has an inkling of all the brouhaha that surrounded this Hemamalini event.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/12/22/stories/2008122250570100.htm
Since many of the Pan-IITs alumini have American kids...here is an interesting radio show
ReplyDeletehttp://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2008/12/india-rising/