IIT-B to open extension centre at Ahmedabad early next year

Mumbai, Nov 20 (UNI) Owing to the forthcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat, the proposed extension centre of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) may see the light of the day only early next year.

The country's premier technology institute has recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government for setting up of the institute's extension centre in the State.

''We are not proceeding further on the issue in view of the State machinery being busy in the preparations for the Assembly hustings,'' an IIT-Bombay official said today.

''We will initially start from the new building of the Government Engineering College at Chandkheda, offering courses in some of the disciplines. Since Gujarat is an industrial state, we will be introducing courses in petroleum and chemicals to begin with,'' the official said.

Though the Gujarat government had requested the Union Government for setting up of IIT-Bombay's satellite campus in the State, the Centre yesterday told in the Upper House that ''it had taken a decision that establishment of large satellite campuses with regular Bachelor and Masters' programme, amounting to setting up of new IITs, should be avoided.'' ''The government, however, has no objection to the setting up of small extension centres of the existing IITs outside their main campuses, devoted to continuing education, diploma courses, finishing schools and incubation programmes,'' the Rajya Sabha was informed.

UNI