Mou Chakraborty
Kolkata, November 9
Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur’s wait to become an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) might soon be over. The university is expecting to receive an official communication from the Centre regarding its elevation to an IIEST within this month.
After a meeting with Ravi Mathur, joint secretary of ministry of human resource development (MHRD) on November 5, BESU vice-chancellor N.R. Banerjea said, “Very soon MHRD will be sending us a formal communication informing us about our up gradation to IIEST and announce the takeover of administrative and financial control of the university from the state government.”
The university is currently celebrating its 150th year, and is one of the five institutions that have been short-listed by the Anandkrishnan Committee to be upgraded to an Institute of National Importance (INI) and renamed as IIEST. “This letter will be important to us, because for the first time, the Central government will be making a written commitment about taking the university’s control from the state government and upgrading it to an IIEST,” said Banerjea.
But the letter would not solve all woes related to BESU’s upgrade to an IIEST. The institute wants to get it declared as an IIEST by this month, which the last month of its 150th year. Authorities are hoping that the IIEST bill will be placed in Parliament once the winter session begins from November 15. It is only after that that BESU would be able to start preparing for next year’s admission as an IIEST.
The state government as well as the university does not want any further delay. Higher education minister Sudarsan Roychoudhuri has written a letter to MHRD on November 6, urging it to bring the bill in Parliament quickly. “Since the state and the Centre have jointly agreed upon the upgrade and important decisions like the participatory mode of governance and 50 per cent seat reservation for Bengal students have been accepted by both parties, I have urged the Centre to do the needful at the earliest.”
However, the institute need not despair if the bill is not tabled soon. According to sources within the MHRD, even if the IIEST bill is not tabled during the winter session of Parliament, if it issues an executive order stating that the bill will be passed in the next session and urge the institution to go ahead with governance and admissions, the problem could be solved.
To avoid complications, the MHRD had also offered to draft the IIEST bill by bringing some amendments in the already existing National Institute of Technology (NIT) Bill and create an umbrella statute. But BESU has spoken out against it because, while an IIEST would enjoy equal status with the IITs, an NIT is merely a state run institution adopted by the Centre with a centralised admission process. BESU, however, would not mind if the IIEST bill is clubbed with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IIESR) bill, which though released through an execution order of Parliament last year, is yet to be passed.
Mou.Chakrabory@hindutsantimes.com
This is very heartening to note that BESU is finally going to be taken over by the Centre to make it a National Level Institution. Now, what is the status with the other institutions which are also proposed to be upgraded? Like, Cochin University of Science and Technology, which is also State run at present?
ReplyDeleteIf you have any info, please pass on...
Mathew
Hi Mathew
ReplyDeleteThe Anadkrishnana Committee kept BESU at top while preparing the list of institutions to be upgraded into IIEST. BESU too wants some sort of written assurance at the earliest as till November, 2007 they are celebrating their 150th year.
As far as my knowledge goes MHRD would include BESU while making the bill and the others will be take up in due course (May be by next year). Just like IIT-Kharagpur's name was included while passing the IIT Bill and it became the 1st IIT of the country and the rest of them followed.
But all the short listed institutions will be absorbed. The bill might not be passed/placed in winter session but BESU would get a letter &/or and executive order from Parliament / MHRD by this week stating that it is becoming an IIEST and that it could go ahaed with its academic, financial and administrative preparations. The letter may come today.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI understand the IIEST Bill is not scheduled to be placed in the winter session of the Parliament. It is also to be noted that talks were on about next years admission procedures, where it was proposed that admissions should be done to the proposed IIESTs in the manner as recommended by the Anadakrishnan Committee, by conducting a Centralised examination for all the five institutions.
Now, if BESU is just going to be getting a letter of consent for upgradation to IIEST, what purpose will it serve?
BESU cannot on its own conduct the said examination for admission. The other institutions will be continuing with their usual admission procedures as they do not get any sort of assurance from the Centre.
Putting such proposals as these in the cold storage, is sure to affect the institutions adversely as the uncertainty would definitely act as a deterrent to any of the developmental activities they are pondering.
Thanks for your reply.
Mathew
For the first year BESU is due to admit studnets from AIEEE as per agreement with the centre. The MHRD would then decide whether to take studnets through IIT-JEE, AIEEE or through a seperate set of exams onces the other IIEST's come up.
ReplyDeleteAlsp BESU has 50% of its seats reserved under state quota for that it has alredy been agreedec with the center that the studnets will be takne through West Bngal Joint Entrance Exam (Even after the mode of centralised exam is decided).
What is the latest development on BESU upgradation. Has any commitments from Centre been communicated?
ReplyDeleteMathew
Hello,
ReplyDeleteNot seeing anything further added on to the blog? What is the current position? Still where it started? Or has BESU already become an IIEST (Not likely, the speed of Indian Politicians being what it is today). Please update.
Mathew