PM announces setting up of five more IITs

KANPUR: Impressed with the researchand development record and the quality standards maintained by the IndianInstitute of Technology (IIT) across the country, Prime Minister Atal BihariVajpayee on Wednesday announced setting up of five new IITs.Declaring this during his speech after the inauguration of thenewly-constructed building complex of the department of biological sciences andbio-engineering at IIT-Kanpur, Vajpayee said that this decision had been takenby his government "in wake of the increasing global challenge and competition"in the field of higher education.Seeking private participation inthe endeavour to building the new IIT''s, which would be done by "upgradingexisting academic institutions that have the necessary promise and potential"the Prime Minister lauded generous contributions - ''guru dakshina'' - made byalumni to their alma mater in the country."I am told that manydistinguished alumni have given generous donations to set up new facilities atIIT, Kanpur and at other IIT''s. I warmly commend their spirit of giving back andurge more and more wealthy people in our society to emulate this spirit, so thatwe can rapidly modernise our educational infrastructure," Vajpayee added.Expressing his happiness at being present at the occasion ofinaugurating the new faculty in IIT, Kanpur which has been raised by the MPLAD(MP local area development scheme) of Union Minister for Disinvestment, Telecomand IT Arun Shourie, the Prime Minister also reminsced his good old days in thecity when he studied in the DAV College as a post-graduate student of politicalscience.