Dream fulfilled, Dharwad IIT launched, but what about basic facilities?
Hubballi: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar gave Karnataka its first IIT on Sunday, cutting the ribbon to inaugurate the prestigious institute but left the 120 odd newly admitted students severely disappointed.
Reason: They had waited through the day to meet him and raise several issues including one on when their permanent campus would be ready so that they could shift from the temporary facility where they are forced to study. The institute is running short of water and power and the students are also sore over the fact that they have no proper transport means to visit Dharwad city. The temporary campus is housed at Water and Land Management Institute (WALMI) in Belur village on the outskirts of Dharwad.
Dharwad gets IIT but 25 per cent quota?
It was Dharwad’s golden moment on Sunday when Union human resources minister Prakash Javadekar formally inaugurated the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here opening a new chapter in the higher education sector in the city.
The minister said the premier institute would get top priority when it comes to ensuring quality education but did not give any specific assurance with regard to the demand put forth by elected representatives for 25 per cent reservation for students from Karnataka during admission to the institute.
“It’s a moment of great pride as seven educational institutes of national importance have been established in the country. Education is our national agenda rather than a political agenda for our government. Therefore, we will make IIT-Dharwad the best campus in the country as the state government has assigned us very good land in the heart of the city,” Mr Javadekar said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who presided over the function, urged the minister to fulfill various demands including according priority to local farmers in recruitment of non-teaching staff and other posts in the institute in return for handing over the 470 acres of required land.
The local elected representatives have also demanded setting up of Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Raichur and the launch of Navodaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Dharwad.
Meanwhile, the cancellation of the interaction programme with the Union minister, caused a lot of disappointment among the 120 students newly admitted to IIT-Dharwad. These students had waited for the Union minister through the day to express their grievances including lack of adequate electricity and water supply in the temporary campus.
They also wanted to convey several other problems like absence of transportation facility to visit Dharwad and the time it would take to establish a permanent campus for them. But, the minister left without hearing their queries after wishing them all the best.
Union minister Ananth Kumar, higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddy, industries minister R.V. Deshpande and Opposition leader in the Assembly, Jagadish Shettar were present.
