By TN Education Desk
Copyright timesnownews
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (September 27) laid the foundation stone for Phase-B infrastructure works of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu. “The IIT Jammu has emerged as a priority institution for the government from its inception, conceived to address long-standing aspirations for a premier technical institute in the region,” the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office said. The foundation stone was laid virtually by PM Modi through a video conference. This foundation stone has been laid for Phase B which includes construction of new academic blocks, Saptrishi building, hostels & Research & Innovation Park. The Phase-A construction covered academic blocks, lecture halls, hostels, dining facilities, and utility buildings, which has now been completed, allowing the institute to expand swiftly during its early years. “The Phase-B expansion, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 1,398 crore, will include new academic and residential infrastructure, laboratories, and a dedicated research park,” Modi said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh was physically participated in the ceremony on the institute campus in Jammu. Singh hailed the IIT Jammu as a rising hub of innovation and start-ups. He emphasised that this research park, the first of its kind in North India and modelled after IIT Madras, will enhance industry-academia collaboration, promote start-ups, and assist small and medium enterprises with technology-driven solutions. Singh also said that the Union Cabinet has approved capacity expansion across five new IITs — Tirupati, Bhilai, Dharwad, Jammu, and Palakkad — with an overall outlay of Rs 11,828 crore. “This investment will allow these institutions to collectively increase their student strength to nearly 12,000 in the coming four years, alongside creation of faculty positions and advanced facilities,” he said. Reflecting on the early challenges of establishing IIT Jammu, such as attracting leadership and faculty, he lauded the dedication of Director Manoj Singh Gaur and his team, noting that their guidance helped the institute overcome initial obstacles and achieve national recognition in a remarkably short period. IIT Jammu is a third generation IIT that came into existence in 2016 when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Department of Higher Education, Government of Jammu and Kashmir and Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, was signed. The IIT campus has been constructed in the village of Jagti, in Nagrota Tehsil, in Jammu district.
