IIT Rajasthan Inaugurated at IIT Kanpur

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) An Indian Institute of Technology for Rajasthan was inaugurated by Minister of State for Higher Education D Purandeswari at IIT Kanpur, which is to be a mentor for the new facility, the Human Resource Development Ministry reported tonight.

In its formative years, the proposed IIT at Rajasthan is expected to share the laboratory and faculty resources of the IIT Kanpur.

Noting the IITs' reputation the world over, Purandeswari said India's ace technology schools enjoy three basic freedoms-- who should teach whom and what.

''IITs have enjoyed the three basic freedoms of an educational institution: freedom to choose whom to teach, who will teach, and what to teach. The IITs also enjoy full cost budgetary support.

''The IITs remain successful so long as these amenities continue,'' she remarked.

She said the IITs have long been ranked by Indian and foreign media as top educational institutions and are in the world's top 500 universities listed by Professor Nian Cai Liu and colleagues at China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Another Indian institution to figure in the list is the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, she remarked.

She invited the academic community's suggestions on solving the problem of increasing quantity with quality in higher education.

Rajasthan's Education Minister as well as top education officials from the Centre and the IITs attended the event.

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