The HRD Ministry on Friday directed all institutes selected under the Institution of Eminence (IoE) scheme to submit Detailed Project Report (DPR) immediately and announced constitution of a project management unit to monitor the works of the IoEs.
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal ‘Nishank’ chaired a review meeting on the progress of works sanctioned under the IoE scheme.
“A Project Management Unit should be established in MHRD for monitoring the works of the IOEs and HEFA in 15 days. A commitment letter from the ministry will be issued to various public institutions of IoEs that funds will be released for expenditure done as per the MOU. Construction activities are open now and work may be expedited in IoEs which have stopped due to COVID-19,” Nishank said at the meeting.
“DPR’s for IOE works has to be submitted by institutions immediately. A vision document of three years may be prepared by each institute and sent to MHRD for compilation,” he added.
The HRD Ministry had launched the IoE scheme in 2018 as per which 20 institutions were to be selected – 10 public and 10 private – that will enjoy complete academic and administrative autonomy.
In the first lot, IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and the Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Science (IISc) were awarded the status in the public sector, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education and BITS Pilani in the private sector, while the Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation was given the tag in Greenfield category.
Last september, five public institutions including Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University, University of Hyderabad, IIT-Madras and IIT-Kharagpur, were granted the eminent status.
A Letter of Intent for granting the IoE status was also issued to five private universities- Amrita Vidyapeetham and Vellore Institute of Technology in Tamil Nadu, Odhisha’s Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Jamia Hamdard University in Delhi and Satya Bharti Foundation’s Bharti Instiute in Mohali.
While the government will provide funding upto Rs 1,000 crore to public institutions with IoE tag, in case of the private institutions proposed as Institutions of Eminence, there will be no financial support. But they will be entitled to more autonomy as a special category Deemed University. The IoEs will also not be subjected to inspection by the UGC.
Source: News18