September 22, 2020
The institutes are now to be recognized as Institutions of National Importance.
The degrees offered by the five IITs will follow the nomenclature of degrees adopted by Institutions of National Importance.
Talent in research in Information Technology will continue to be nurtured in each of the Institutes.
The Institutes were part of the Societies Registration Act of 1860 prior to the passing of the Amendment Bill.
The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which was passed by the Parliament earlier this year will allow for the transition of IITs Agartala ,Bhopal,Bhagalpur, Raichur and Surat into Private-Public Partnership mode. By means of this schedule, each of the institutes are now to be recognised as Institutions of National Importance. Subsequently, the degrees offered by them will be adapted to the nomenclature utilised by Institutions of National Importance . The five IITs will join the ranks of 15 other IITs in being governed by the IIIT (PPP) Act,2017 in addition to the Societies Registration Act of 1860. Each of the Institutes will continue to function as centres of research in Information Technology.
The privatisation of education is expected to further enhance the quality of education. The National Education Policy implemented by the Government of India places paramount focus on transforming India into a global knowledge superpower built on the principles of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability. The NAC has been given the responsibility to periodically verify the ‘not for profit’ statuses of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) both private and public wherein fees and charges levied by the latter are to be disclosed. Setups for start-up incubation and technology development centres are also embedded in HEIs.
The National Education Policy 2020 formulates a future-forward and inclusive vision to make multidisciplinary education accessible to individuals across the socio-economic spectrum. With independent boards to oversee governance within HEIs, the system is expected to become more transparent in its operations. Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) are to be established to promote state-of-the-art research among students. Given the provisions of the Digital India initiative, the scope of Open and Distant Learning (ODL) programmes is to be expanded. With vibrant initiatives like the Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill and the optimal utilisation of technology in the academic experience, the Indian Higher Education space can expect to further meaningful engagement with the learner and research communities within the nation.