Lok Sabha on March 20, 2020 passed ”Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020” to accord the status of ‘Institutes of National Importance’ to five Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) .
As many as 15 IIITs have already been awarded the status, which will now extend to institutes in Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur.
Union HRD Minister said that the Bill will “encourage IIITs to promote the study of information and technology in the country” through their “innovative and quality methods”.
Benefits: The Bill will entitle these institutes to use the nomenclature of Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) or Master of Technology (M.Tech) or Ph.D degree as issued by a University or Institution of National Importance. It will also enable the institutes to attract enough students required to develop a strong research base in the country in the field of information technology. It will also enable the Institutes to attract enough students required to develop a strong research base in the country in the field of information technology.
At present these institutes are registered as societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and do not have the power to grant degrees or diplomas.
