New Delhi: Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal has said that foreign students, faculty and medical courses are among the modifications planned for Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). He said this on Friday i.e. September 10, 2010 in a meeting of Council of IITs.
Sibal further added that the foreign students will be offered admission only in postgraduate (PG) courses. He also informed that these admissions will not affect the present number of Indian students in IITs, as the strength of the foreign students will be restricted to 25 percent.
Keeping security concerns in mind, the mechanism to appoint foreign faculty will be decided in consultation with the Home Ministry. The strength of foreign faculty will be restricted to 10 percent.
HRD Minister also said that medicine and medical research will be added to the field of IITs, as the field of medicine includes large number of medical techniques. Appropriate changes in the Indian Institute of Technology Act may be considered to enable IITs offer courses in medicine with the approval of the Medical Council of India (MCI).
Lastly, Sibal said that IIT entrance exam needs a renovation to discourage coaching institutes. The minister said that a committee has been formed under Science and Technology Secretary T. Ramasami and it will submit its report in three months. After that they will involve all the IITs and have a full discussion.
