IIT faculty federation meets Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, June 15 (ANI): Members of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Faculty Federation met the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, here on Friday to discuss the Central Government's proposal of a Common Engineering Entrance exam.

Federation Secretary, A K Mittal, after the meeting said the Prime Minister has assured that he will talk to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

"We expressed our concerns to him, he gave us a very patient hearing and then what he told us what that he does respect the autonomy of higher education institutions. He is very much concerned and he will talk to the minister about all the issues and also requested us to continue talking and engage in dialogues, so that is what he has said," said Mittal after meeting Dr. Singh.

The Prime Minister has assured that the prestige of the IIT would not be jeopardised, as it is respected across the world.

Calling the meeting with the Prime Minister fruitful, another IIT professor, K Narasimhan, said: "We are extremely confident because our Prime Minister have appreciated the key concerns that we have been expressing and he has kindly agreed to take the matter to HRM (Human Resource Management)."

"So, we have 200 percent faith in our Prime Minister, and, we are sure that dialogue will open up again and fruitful solutions will emerge," he added.

Narasimhan further said that one of their key demands is to restore the autonomy of IIT, and allow them to conduct their own test.

"The year 2013 is too early and enough time needs to be given to the students, to the stakeholders, so our primary concern, one of our demand pointing out is that, we would like to see the reform process kick in from 2014, although the announcement for such a reform should be made at the earliest that there will be a major structural change etc.," he said.

The IIT faculty federation is opposing the proposed common entrance to these institutes.

The federation has contended that the common entrance test for admission to the undergraduate programme to the IITs and other Centrally-funded institutes will undermine the autonomous status enjoyed by the IITs. (ANI)