Top institutes to run for 'Institute of Eminence' tag

Many Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are set to join the race for 'Institute of Eminence' tag which would provide them a complete autonomy in their functioning.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, along with the some of the older Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and central universities are also expected to apply for it.

The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry recently had an interaction with these institutions to encourage them to join the race.

The Centre has initiated a move to establish a total of 20 'Institutes of Eminence' as a distinct category of deemed-to-be-universities so that they become "world class" institutions over the next 10 years and also figure in the international list of top 100 best universities in the world.

Ten out of these twenty distinct category of deemed-to-be-universities will be established by declaring best of the government-run higher educational institutions as 'Institutes of Eminence' in public sector while the remaining ten will be set up by approving applications to be coming coming from the private sector.

"All these institutions have been  suggested to apply for the tag by December," sources added.

"We will apply for 'Institute of Eminence' tag. WE are preparing our applications," IIT-Delhi director V Ramgopal Rao told DH when asked.

 Under the scheme, the Centre will provide a fund of Rs 1000 crore for a period of five years to each of the 10 higher institutions to be selected and declared as the 'Government Educational Institutions of Eminence' under the scheme.

The Government, however, will not provide any fund for establishment of the proposed higher educational institutions in private sector.  

Other six older IITs including IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras and IIT-Kharagpur will also join the race, official sources in the All India Council for Technical Institute (AICTE) said.

"All the older IITs, IISc, some of the IIMs and some of the central universities will apply for 'Institute of Eminence' status. Institutes proposal will be evaluated in a challenge mode and only best of the institutions will be selected for the tag," he added.

The HRD Ministry has identified as many as 102 universities and colleges in the country as "potential" to higher educational institution for grant of the 'Institution of Eminence' status under the scheme.