Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology Expansion Suffer

New Delhi: The ambitious plans of the Human Resource Ministry to set up new institutions of higher learning like IITs and IIMs and expand infrastructure for the benefit of OBCs and likely to suffer wit the Planning Commission deciding to cut the allocation for higher and technical education in the 2007-08 budget.

Though the Commission had promised Rs.5, 500 crore for this purpose, it is understood that it has now slashed it down to Rs.4, 300 crore. The ministry’s original demand was for Rs.8, 000 crore.

As a result of the cut, states like Bihar, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh might have to wait for IITs while plans for a new IIM in Shillong and over a dozen Indian institutes of information technology might be delayed.

The reduction in allocation is also likely to tell upon aided institution desirous to expand their infrastructure to accommodate OBCs as per the new law which gives three years time implement the 27 percent reservation for them in aided institutes of higher learning.

IIMs, IITs Expansion Suffer