IIIT-PPP Bill 2017: 15 IIITs Granted Degree Awarding Power

New Delhi: Cabinet has finally given a positive nod to the IIIT-PPP Bill 2017. This has also finalised the much awaited decision of granting degree awarding power to IIITs set up through Public Private Partnership (PPP). A total of 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) set up under the PPP mode were today granted degree awarding power with the Cabinet approving a bill declaring them as Institutions of National Importance. In a meeting presided over by the Prime Minister, the Union cabinet has given a positive nod to the bill.

In addition to this, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has also approved the proposal for 50 new Kendriya Vidyalayas. The proposal has been approved at a cost of 1160 crore. Near about 650 regular posts will be generated for 50 new schools (for Class 1-5). After being fully functional, the newly formed Kendriya Vidyalayas will hold a strength of about 50000 students (near about 12 lakh students are studying currently in the already established KVs).

As stated in PTI, The Indian Institute of Information Technology Public Private Partnership (IIIT-PPP) Bill, 2017 was passed by the Cabinet today to "grant statutory status to 15 IIITs set up under the PPP mode and declare them as Institutions of National Importance, to enable them to grant degrees to the students in the academic courses conducted by them".

With this, the institutes can now use the nomenclature of BTech, MTech or PhD Degree as issued by University or an Institution of national importance and recognition. A formal degree will not only help the students to carve a niche in the job market, but will also increase the prospects of the institute in attracting large number of eligible talents.

The HRD Ministry had announced to set up 20 new Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs) across the country under PPP mode, out of which 15 are already functioning at Chittoor (Andhra Pradesh), Guwahati, Vadodara, Kota, Srirangam (Tamil Nadu), Una (Himachal Pradesh), Sonepat (Haryana), Kalyani (West Bengal), Lucknow, Nagpur, Pune, Ranchi, Kottayam, Kurnool (AP)and Dharwad (Karnataka).

The cost of each IIIT is Rs 128 crore and is contributed by the Centre, State government and the industry in the ratio of 50:35:15.

(With Inputs From PTI)

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