[Dharwad] Karnatak University to provide land for IIIT

Source: The Hindu

Dharwad: Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University – Dharwad H.B. Walikar has said that the university was ready to hand over 20 acres of land for the establishment of the proposed Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Dharwad.

Speaking to presspersons here on Monday, Mr. Walikar said the Centre has sanctioned one of 14 new IIITs proposed to be set up in different parts of the country. Earlier, a proposal was mooted to set up the IIIT in Gulbarga but Minister for Higher Education V.S. Acharya, who is the alumni of Karnatak University, has favoured setting up of IIIT in Dharwad. So, the Government sought land for the purpose.

The KUD has submitted a proposal urging the Government to set up the prestigious institute on the varsity premises. And, the Government has been requested to allow the faculty of the proposed IIIT to teach postgraduate students of KUD. According to Prof. Walikar, once the proposal gets Government's approval, the institute would be set up on KUD premises.

Research centre

On the new projects to be launched in the next academic year, he said Rs. 1.5 crore has been earmarked for the construction of Mathematics Research Centre in the varsity which would be named after the former Vice-Chancellor and mathematician D.C. Pavate. It will provide opportunities for students to take up research in mathematics.

Scholarship

Besides, the varsity would launch scholarship programmes for the students taking up courses in basic sciences. A 100 would be provided annual scholarship of Rs. 10,000 each for three years. While the varsity will contribute funds for providing scholarship to 50 students, managements of educational institutions will contribute the rest of the amount. During the second phase, the scholarship programme would be extended to postgraduate science students, he added.

In order to select eligible students for the scholarship, State-level test on par with the CET would be held followed by counselling. Those who secure the first hundred ranks would be given scholarships. And, only students interested to take up B.Sc. with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology (PCMB) combination would be eligible.

Correspondence course

Karnatak University will launch postgraduate correspondence course in mathematics, MBA and mass communication and Journalism from the next academic year. It is proposed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangalore University to offer M.Sc. in electronic media. An additional MoU with the VTU will ensure faculty development programme for the teachers in basic sciences. In reply to a query, Prof. Walikar said mineral water plant would be set up in every hostel to ensure that the students get clean drinking water.

A plan to distribute meals at Rs. 1 has been mooted and will be implemented soon, he added.

Registrar S.B. Hinchigeri and Prof. A.S. Balasubramanya were present.

Dharwad to have new IIIT

Source: DHNS

The IT dream in north Karnataka has just gotten more distant. In a surprising volte-face, the state government has proposed shifting the new Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) from Gulbarga to Dharwad.

Earlier this month, the state government had announced that a new IIIT would be housed at Gulbarga as part of the 20 such  institutes being set up by the Centre across the country. But the state government has now written to the Centre to locate the new IIIT in Dharwad instead of at Gulbarga. Confirming the move, state Higher Education Minister V S Acharya said the IIIT was being shifted as Gulbarga already had two universities—a central university and a state university. “Moreover, the Employment State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) is establishing a medical college and hospital in Gulbarga. Since there is a constraint on land, we decided to shift the IIIT to Dharwad,” he said. Acharya said Dharwad was chosen as Hubli-Dharwad was the second largest city in Karnataka. “Dharwad has a very supportive academic environment, and we felt that it would be better suited to have the IIIT in Dharwad,” he said. Since Karnatak University in Dharwad was nearly 50 years old, it would provide a supporting environment for the IIIT. The state government will now have to identify around 50 acres  to hand over to the Central government. Interestingly, Hubli-Dharwad already has a functional IIIT. With the present proposal, the twin city will have two IIITs. The Bangalore unit of IIIT has opened a centre in Hubli that offers a finishing school programme in collaboration with the IT industry. Currently, it offers certification programme in Information Technology Management, and Embedded and Real Time systems. The institute has also been holding special recruitment drives for students from the region. The IIIT will be established on a private-public partnership model, with Centre bearing 50 per cent of the cost of establishing the institute.  The state government will bear 35 per cent, and industry will bear 15 per cent of the total cost. The capital expenditure will be around Rs 128 crore, while the Centre  will provide partial support towards recurring expenditure of upto Rs 10 crore to the IIIT depending on requirements.