Panel may recommend IIT fee hike.

initiative purpose The commit tee is also expected to recommend creation of specialised chairs at IITs in an effort to generate more funding for the insti tutes from independent sources.

Students at the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology may soon have to face a substantial fee hike if the recommendations of a panel established to suggest financial reforms are accepted by the IIT council at a meeting scheduled for January 21. The IIT Bombay chairman, Mr Anil Kakodkar, head of a panel set up by the Union HRD minister, Mr Kapil Sibal, is likely to make a presentation on the issue. At the IIT council meeting, the highest decision making body of the institutes, the panel is expected to present a new detailed financial model to allow the IITs to generate their own income and depend less on the government.

Sources stated that the new financial model, which proposes to hike tuition fee for independent resource generation, has been put forth to allow the IITs to get greater autonomy. However, it is understood that any proposal to hike the tuition fee is expected to face stiff resist
ance at the meeting.

The panel is also expected to recommend creation of specialised chairs at IITs in an effort to generate more funding for the institutes from independent sources.

A committee headed by the secretary, science and technology, Dr T. Ramasami, is also expected to make a presentation on examination reforms.

Source : DC