As plans to set up eight more Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) take off, IIT Rajasthan was inaugurated Saturday by Minister of State for Higher Education D. Purandeswari.
The new institute will initially function from the IIT Kanpur campus, a human resource development ministry statement issued here said.
Since land is yet to allotted for the new institute, the ministry has asked IIT Kanpur to serve as its mentor institute for the time being.
Addressing the first batch of students, Purandeswari said: 'The IITs have enjoyed the three basic freedoms of an educational institution – freedom to choose whom to teach, who will teach, and what to teach. The IITs also enjoy full cost budgetary support. The IITs remain successful so long as these amenities continue.'
The minister also mentioned that in the past few years, the IITs have been ranked as the top educational institutions in India and Asia by national and international magazines. 'This is indeed a matter of great pride.'
Lamenting the shortage of quality teachers, she invited the academic community to come forward to give suggestions, proposals for solving the problem of 'increasing quantity with quality in higher education'.
S G Dhande, director of IIT Kanpur and IIT Rajasthan, and Higher Education Secretary R.P. Agarwal were among those present on the occasion.
India currently has seven IITs. Besides IIT Rajasthan, five more will open during the current academic session.
