Centre’s nod to IIIT in Punjab: Badal

Badal said the IIIT would be established as a tripartite venture based on public private partnership. The institute,which would be spread over an area of 100 acres,would have equal shares of the Centre,Punjab and a private partner. The site for the institution is yet to be selected by the state government.

This will be seventh national institute to come up in the state after the recent opening of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Ropar,and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER),the Indian Institute of Nano-Science Technology (INST),the Agri-Food Biotech Park and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Mohali. The Indian School of Business (ISB) is also being constructed in Mohali.

The CM also announced to open 13 new government degree colleges at a cost of Rs 104 crore in educationally backward districts of Amritsar,Bathinda,Faridkot,Fatehgarh Sahib,Ferozepur,Gurdaspur,Mansa,Moga,Muktsar,Nawanshahr,Patiala and Sangrur.

In order to boost higher and technical education,Badal announced to establish seven new polytechnic institutes,17 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and nine Adarsh schools in the current fiscal year.

New polytechnics would be opened in Mansa,Faridkot and Muktsar and Rs 10 lakh each has been sanctioned to improve infrastructure in Government Polytechnic Colleges in Batala and Ferozepur. Also,Rs 20 lakh each has been released for construction of hostels in Government Polytechnic Colleges for Girls in Ludhiana and Patiala.

Badal added that 11,530 new teachers would be recruited by December 31 this year. This would be in addition to the 17,417 teachers already recruited by the government,bringing the total number of new teachers to 28,947,a record number in the state,the CM claimed.

Also,infrastructure in 351 senior secondary schools has been upgraded,he added.

The CM said the Central University in Bathinda has already started its classes from the current academic session and the World University in Amritsar would be set up over an area of 700 acres.

Earlier,Badal lighted a lamp and released a souvenir to mark the inauguration of the silver jubilee celebrations of the college.

College principal Vipin Sobti read the annual report,highlighting the academic,cultural and sports achievements of the college.