PM assures IITs to look into controversial faculty reservation issue

Guwahati, Aug 26 (UNI) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government would look into the demands of the IITs to exempt them from the purview of reservation in the selection process of their faculty members.

''I have understood the gravity of the problem. I shall bring up the matter before my cabinet and will take a decision,'' the Prime Minister assured the faculty members and students, who applauded him with a standing ovation.

The Prime Minister was in the IIT Guwahati's to inaugurate its new convocation hall.

He said the government was making every effort for improvement of educational standard as it earmarked Rs 2,75,000 on educational sector.

'' Our government's effort is to create the next big wave of investment in higher education and the 11th Five Year Plan, now under implementation, is basically a knowledge investment plan. We have significantly increased allocations to the education sector with a five-fold increase to an unprecedented Rs. 2,75,000 crore,'' he said.

''In higher education we are building eight new IITs, seven new IIMs, sixteen new central universities, fourteen world class universities and five new Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research of which few are already functioning.

Some of these IITs, nearly six of these have already started functioning and I am very happy that IIT-Guwahati is mentoring one of the new institute to be established in Patna. Three Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research and an IIM in Shillong have also started functioning. We have tried to address the uneven geographical spread of higher education facilities in this phase of rapid expansion.

The North-East and in particular Assam has received its due share of such institutions'', Mr Singh said.

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