Rajya Sabha passes Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020

Rajya Sabha passed Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 in New Delhi today. The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Act of 2014 and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017 are the unique initiatives of the Government of India to impart knowledge in the field of Information Technology to provide solutions to the challenges faced by the country.The Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed in Lok Sabha on 20th March 2020.

Union Education Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ expressed his gratitude towards Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi under whose leadership Indian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 has been passed in Rajya Sabha today. He also thanked the Members of the House for their support in passing the Bill. Shri Pokhriyal said that the Bill will encourage IIITs to promote the study of information and technology in the country through their innovative and quality methods.

The passage of theIndian Institutes of Information Technology Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 will amend the principal acts of 2014 and 2017. The Bill will declare 5 IIITs in Public-Private Partnership mode at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala & Raichur as Institutions of National Importance by granting them statutory status along with the already existing 15 IIITs under the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, the Minister said.

Shri Pokhriyal further said that IIIT Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2020 will entitle the institutions to use the nomenclature of Bachelor of Technology (http://B.Tech) or Master of Technology (http://M.Tech) or PhD degree as issued by a University or Institution of National Importance. The Bill 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.

Background

(i) IIITs are envisaged to promote higher education and research in the field of InformationTechnology.

(ii) Under the Scheme of Setting up of 20 new IIITs in Public Private Partnership (IIIT PPP) mode as approved by the Union Cabinet on 26.11.2010, 15 IIITs are already covered by the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, while remaining 5 IIITs are to be included under the Schedule of the Act.

Implementation Strategy and targets

The objective of the present proposal is for formalization of IIITs at Surat, Bhopal, Bhagalpur, Agartala and Raichur.These IIITs are already functioning as Societies registered under Societies Registration Act of 1860. They will now be covered under the IIIT (PPP) Act, 2017, similar to the other 15 IIITs established under the scheme in PPP mode.

Major Impact

The Act will declare the remaining 5 IIITs-PPP along with the existing 15 Indian Institutes of Information Technology in Public Private Partnership modeas ‘Institutions of National Importance’ with powers to award degrees. This will entitle them 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.

No.of beneficiaries

The emerging needs of theindustry and the economy, as a whole for skilled technical manpower is expected to be met from the talent pool of trained personnel of the institutes.

States/districts covered

States: Gujarat(Surat), Madhya Pradesh(Bhopal),Bihar(Bhagalpur), Tripura(Agartala), Karnataka(Raichur).

Every Institute shall be open to all person irrespective of gender, caste, creed, disability, domicile, ethnicity, social or economic background