The HRD ministry recently convened a meeting of state government officials and existing IIT directors to speed up the process of establishing the new IITs in Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
According to sources, while Andhra Pradesh has located a site in Tirupati which has been approved by a site selection committee other states have been a bit slow. Kerala has also finalised a site. In the case of Chhattisgarh state, a final decision has to be made whether the IIT will come up in New Raipur or some other site. Although Goa had also found a site, it is not being considered large enough in area for an IIT and the state government has been asked by the ministry to look for a bigger site. The J&K government has asked district magistrate of Jammu to locate a site. An area of 100 acres is required for an IIT and the land needs to be free of all liabilities.”
Furthermore, the HRD ministry has to submit affidavit in the Delhi High Court on November 30 for common counseling, after a direction from the High Court. It may be mentioned that the IITs and NITs are working together on a new software that will make possible common counseling so that it can be implemented from 2015-16.
