Project to boost IITs junked even as rankings slip

A scheme aimed at allocating around ₹8,700 crore to seven top Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) as part of ongoing efforts to enhance their global standing has been turned down by the finance ministry.

The rejection of the Vishwajeet project —proposed by the human resource development ministry — comes as a setback to the premier technological institutes, which slipped further in worldwide rankings this year. The IITs were supposed to use the funds (₹1,250 crore each over a five-year period) to upgrade their infrastructure, hire foreign faculty members, tie up with international institutions and adopt a host of other measures for improving their QS and Times global institution rankings.

According to sources, the finance ministry sent back the human resource development ministry’s request for in-principle approval of the project with a note that the IITs should first address “fundamental issues” such as the autonomy to fix fees, raising resources from corporate houses and alumni members, and strengthening existing schemes.

No Indian institute of higher education figured in the top 200 of the 14th edition of the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings released on Tuesday, triggering concerns about the plummeting standards of education in India and its possible impact on the job market. Only the Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore figured in the 251-300 band of the list, which lists the top 1,000 universities from 77 countries.

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