Bharat Shiksha Kosh opposed

KANPUR: The Bharat Shiksha Kosh formed by the human resource development ministry has shattered the desires of hundreds of IIT alumni like Narain Murthy, Prabhu Goyal, Rakesh Gangwal and Satish Kaura who wanted to see their alma mater at the top of the world. Several IIT-K alumni spread all over the world have started e.mail chatting over the latest stand of the government to put a check on the flow of their donations which they had voluntarily offered for the growth of their mother institution.Sources said the alumni may say 'no' to the Bharat Shiksha Kosh as the credibility of Indian funds abroad is seen with suspicion. Most of the faculty members of IIT-K are taking Bharat Kosh as an attack on the autonomy of their institution as a senior faculty member said, "IIT will also become HBTI if the funds flow was stopped". IITians felt that alumni donate funds to the institute because of their emotional bond with their alma mater and once they come to know that government will interfere into the planning for utilisation of funds, they will stop funding. It may be noted that hundreds of alumni of HBTI (Harcotians) settled abroad, despite their desire to help their alma mater, have not come forward to donate funds because of bureaucratic hurdles. IITians felt that similar problems may be faced by them in future. Sources said that members of the IIT-K Foundation in US are apprehensive of Bharat Shiksha Kosh and they have started inquiring about it. They had never thought of giving funds to the government for helping the IIT. A senior faculty member said, ''IITians settled abroad can not rely on the government on financial matters. The credibility of the our government is not good abroad". During his last visit, Narain Murthy visited a hostel room at the institution and asked the director to make an ambitious plan to modernise all hostels. He has told the director not to care for money, recalled a senior faculty member. ''Such people are not expected to donate to the government's Bharat Shiskha Kosh because the credibility of such funds is low among NRIs".