Kerala   

Conditional nod for Cusat upgradation

G. Krishnakumar

KOCHI : The Government has agreed to convert Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) into an Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) subject to certain conditions.

The Higher Education Department informed the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD) that the Government was ready to change the status of the university from a State entity into a national entity. But the proposal for upgradation would be ratified only after holding detailed discussions on certain specific recommendations made by an expert committee appointed by the MHRD.

State's share

Government sources told The Hindu that students in Kerala should get adequate representation once Cusat was upgraded into an IIEST. It is learnt that the Government suggested that 70 per cent of the students on the campus should be from the State. This suggestion might not find many takers, as the expert committee had made it clear that all IIESTs should preserve their all-India character in their student population through national-level admission tests.

Final report

In its final report, the committee recommended that the institutes selected for upgradation could adopt the joint entrance examination (JEE) system of the IITs or the All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) for admitting students. For admission to two-year postgraduate and Ph.D programmes, all institutes should prescribe common all-India level tests.

The Government also expressed its objections to some of the recommendations regarding the governing council of the institute proposed by the expert committee headed by M. Anandakrishnan, former Vice-Chancellor of Anna University.

According to the expert committee, the Board of Governors of the university would be chaired by an eminent academic/engineer/ scientist/industrialist. The board would be the highest decision making authority of the institute. The President of India, who is the visitor of all IIESTs, would appoint the chairman of the board. Each institute would have an executive council and an academic council to be chaired by the president of the institute.

Government suggestion

The Government suggested that it should have considerable representation in the governing council. Out of the estimated 12 members in the council, the Government could now recommend three to four persons. It is learnt that the Government wanted more representation in the highest decision making authority of the institute. Sources said the Government was ready to hold discussions with MHRD for making necessary amendments to the recommendations made by the expert committee. The Ministry of Human Resources and Development would take a final decision.

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