Kerala in fix over IIITM handover

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government is in a dilemma over bringing the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala (IIITM-K) under the recently constituted Kerala Technological University (KTU).

The IIITM-K is at present under the IT department. The Planning Board made the proposal for strengthening its performance. However, both the KTU and a section of IIITM-K employees are not happy.

IT principal secretary P. H. Kurian said the matter was under consideration, but a final decision was yet to be taken.

“IIITM-K was set up at a time when the state had only a few institutions offering advanced technical education,” he said.

“But now the scenario has changed. Hence, it would be good for IIITM-K to be under a university so that it could offer better courses and attract more candidates.”

The IIITM-K was set up in 2000 with the aim of creating a pool of highly trained manpower to support growing IT sector.

It offers courses like postgraduate diploma in information technology in tie up with Cusat, provides research facility and train government employees.

It is now functioning at a 33,000 sq ft facility in Technopark and a full-fledged campus is under construction on ten acres of land in Technocity.

The IIITM-K employees allege that the primary motive behind the move was to hand over its campus to the KTU.

But government sources said a section of IIITM-K faculty fear job loss as they do not have Ph.D. and hence the opposition.

"Had the government offered enough autonomy, rights to award degrees and even deemed university status like in many other states, IIITM-K would have also become a centre of excellence by this time," said an IIITM-K official.

Meanwhile, sources in the KTU said they were not much interested in taking over IIITM-K. “The present work culture of IIITM-K does not match with the work culture we are planning. Hence we fear it could adversely affect KTU,” said a senior official.