New Delhi: Union Cabinet has given its approval to the proposal of amending the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) Act, 2007. The bill to amend NIT Act 2007 will be introduced in both the Houses of Parliament in their next session, and once the same is approved, the amendment to the Act will come into force after receiving the assent of the President. The amendments to NIT Act have been made with a view to eliminate certain drawbacks in the existing Act.
The main features of the amendment are incorporation of Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) in the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) Act 2007; need to strengthen existing transitional provisions of the Act; need to give representation to nearby leading Central Institutions in the Board of Governors; and need to amend the procedure for appointment of Deputy Directors in NITs.
The proposed modification aims at upgrading the existing set-up, establishing proper and effective management structures in the technical Institutions, and providing an environment to encourage innovative ideas. According to the Cabinet, declaring IISER as Institutes of national importance will enable them to award degrees. National Institutes of Technology Act, 2007 covers 20 such institutions as listed in the Schedule of the Act. Now that the Act has been in operation for about 23 months, a need has been felt to amend it.
