IITs' branch out plans pruned

Government has not given permission to open a branch of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Singapore, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Human Resource Development (HRD) MAA Fatmi said this in a written reply to a question.

He said only IIM Bangalore is examining the feasibility of having its campus in Singapore and all other details in this connection are yet to be worked out.

However, the Memorandum of Association of IIM, Bangalore does not allow for opening campuses abroad, the minister said.

In the meeting of Directors of IIMs held in the Ministry on February 1, the IIM, Bangalore was advised to suitably amend its Memorandum of Association if it wishes to open its campus abroad, Fatmi said.

He said a delegation of Singapore, including former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong visited IIM, Ahmedabad on January 15 and suggested the institute to broaden the scope of its existing collaborative arrangements in various areas such as faculty exchange, joint research projects and executive education.

Similarly, faculty members from the universities in Singapore have visited IIM, Kolkata to explore the possibilities of working together, he said.

He further added no programmes have, however, been finalised as yet.