Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Indian Institute of Technology Indore’s proposed satellite campus in Ujjain, which was supposed to commence classes from the academic session 2022-23, is unlikely to become operational even in session 2023-24.
The brainchild of State’s higher education minister Mohan Yadav the satellite campus seems to have become a non-starter as the funds issue is still unresolved despite announcement of the proposed campus about-one-and-a-half-year ago.
While IIT Indore, which is already having a loan of Rs 350 crore to repay is unwilling to borrow another Rs 500 crore for setting up the satellite campus, the state government can’t fund a central government’s project until it gets direct benefit for the state.
In October 2011, Yadav—who is an MLA from an Assembly constituency in Ujjain—revealed that IIT Indore had planned a satellite campus in the ancient town, which is located around 50 kilometres from Indore.
The then IIT Indore officiating director, Neelesh Kumar Jain, had confirmed the development, stating that the satellite campus would start with some PG courses.
Vikram Vishwavidyalaya had announced that it would provide space for a transit campus of IIT Indore until the institute’s own premises, proposed on 100 acres at an outlay of Rs 500 crore, was set up.
While the minister wanted the satellite campus from session 2022-23, IIT Indore denied borrowing loan of Rs 500 crore for the proposed facility in Ujjain even when it had Rs 350 crore loan to repay to the Centre.
As the cash-strapped IIT Indore could not do it on its own, the MP government got into talks with the Union Ministry of Education for sharing the budget required for setting up a satellite campus in the ancient town.
The idea was that the institute would run skill-development programmes also from the satellite campus so that investing money for the state government in the establishment of a central institution can be justified.
Once the state’s percentage is finalised with the Centre, the proposal for funding the establishment of the satellite campus can be placed before State Cabinet for its approval, an officer in the Department of Higher Education said.
Replying to a query lately, Yadav had said the state government has already sent its recommendation to the Centre and now they are waiting for the process to get completed from the other side.
IIT Indore PRO Sunil Kumar said that the proposal related to setting up the satellite campus in Ujjain is with the Ministry of Education. “Once the approval is received, we will be able to share the timeline for starting the proposed satellite campus,” he added.
IITI has to repay 10% loan amount annually
According to sources, IIT Indore has to repay 10 per cent amount on a year-wise basis to the Centre from the Rs 350 crore loan. According to the rules, the old IITs have to return 25 per cent of the money received as loan from the Centre and new IITs around 10 per cent on a yearly basis. Previously, the government used to give grants to the IITs, but now loan is granted to the elite institutes.
