After IIMs, now IIITs may soon get degree granting powers

MHRD is working on an ordinance to expedite empowering the institutes with degree granting ability

After the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), now the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) may also join the bandwagon for availing degree granting powers.

With the IIIT Bill still impending in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) is reportedly working towards an ordinance to expedite empowering the institutes with degree granting ability.

While spokespersons of some of the IIITs to whom Business Standard has reached out to were unavailable for comment, sources said that with several of the institutes likely to see their first batch graduate this year, a degree awarding power was timely.

This was being done through the government planning an ordinance that would instantly grant such powers to the 15 functional IIITs out of the total 20 planned on a public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The MHRD is learnt to have even moved the ordinance proposal to the ministry of law, after which it is likely to be taken to the Cabinet and eventually to the President for approval. The rush for such an ordinance has been resulted by the pressing need for creating job prospects for several IIIT student, which could affect adversely amidst lack of a degree.

Some of the prominent functional IIITs in the country includes Chittoor, Guwahati, Sri City, Kota and Vadodara who could get degree awarding powers this year itself.

Meanwhile, the impending IIIT Bill looks to declare the existing functional 15 IIITs on PPP mode as 'institutes of national importance' with degree granting powers. However, promulgation of such a bill is likely to take sometime.