NIT Act to be amended coming session to include IISERs

Updated on: Tuesday, February 09, 2010

New Delhi: The government will introduce NIT Amendment Bill during the ensuing session of Parliament to bring the Indian Institutes of Science Education Research (IISERs) under its ambit and give them the status of Institutes of National Importance.

The government wants to amend the NIT Act to include the five IISERs under the Act. The five IISERs are now functioning as societies and are unable to award degrees to the students.

The issue was discussed during the meeting between NIT directors and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal today. Parliament had enacted the NIT Act in 2007, giving the status of Institutes of National Importance to the erstwhile 17 Regional Engineering Colleges (REC). The RECs were renamed as NITs since then.

However, the five IISERs, which have been started at Pune, Kolkata, Mohali, Bhopal and Thirvuananthpuram to promote science education, have been functioning as societies. These institutes are offering five-year Master of Science courses.

'Most likely the NIT Amendment Bill will be introduced in the Parliament during the ensuing session. The proposal to amend the Act has been approved by the Cabinet,' a ministry official said.

NIT Act to be amended coming session to include IISERs

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