MHRD does not have fund to establish IIT, IIM in Seemandhra during 12th Plan

Establishment of national level higher education institutions such as Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) or Central University in Seemandhra will be a tough task.

Reportedly, the budgetary allocations being made to the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) every year as part of the ongoing XII Five-Year-Plan (2012-17) will not be sufficient for the purpose.

The current allocations are not adequate to meet the budgetary needs of existing institutions, which are exploring various options such as increase in fees, and cut in scholarships, said a MHRD official.

Officials estimate that nearly Rs 8,500 crore would be required to set up these institutes in Seemandhra, and the XII Plan allocations will have to be increased manifold. More than funds, it’s the amount of time that would take to set up these institutions.

As per official estimates, it requires Rs 1,850 crore to set up an IIT, Rs 1,500 crore for NIT, Rs 900 crore for IIM, Rs 1,080 crore for IISER, Rs 3,000 crore for three Central universities and Rs 75 crore for an IIIT in Seemandhra. All this adds up to Rs 8,405 crore.

As against this, the Centre allotted Rs 16,120 crore for higher education in the 2013-14 budget. Out of the Rs 16,120 crore earmarked for higher education this year, Rs 2,220 crore will go to the existing IITs, Rs 331 crore for IIMs and Rs 5,147 crore to the University Grants Commission (UGC), 

HRD Ministry okays IIT, IIM, 3 central univs for Seemandhra

The HRD Ministry has given its nod for an IIT, an IIM and three central universities among other institutes for the Seemandhra region which has witnessed widespread resentment over the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

The Ministry has conveyed its decision to the Home Ministry which had forwarded representations made by different stakeholders to it earlier in response to the GoM on Telangana inviting suggestions on bifurcation of the state.

The decision would be placed before the GoM for consideration, sources in the Ministry said.

The ministry has also cleared an IISER and an IIIT for the region.

The move is aimed at striking a balance between the two regions -- Telangana and Seemandhra -- as far as establishment of premier institutes are concerned, though the end objective is to ensure that students derive maximum benefit, they said.

Rough estimate suggests an investment in the range of Rs 6000 to Rs 7000 crore for establishment of the institutes in the Seemandhra region.

The ministry's decision assumes significance as the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh will leave the Seemandhra region without any of the elite higher educational institutes which are mostly concentrated in Hyderabad in the Telangana region.

HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju represents the Kakinanda constituency in Seemandhra.

In their representation, various stakeholders had suggested that all central institutions in Seemandhra should be backed by a bill and all national parties should sign it.

"Most of the highly developed educational institutions are going to the state of Telangana. The Centre should immediately grant the above said institutions and they should come into operation within a year," the representations said.