Institute of Eminence: Govt notifies status for five institutions, leaves out BITS Pilani

On Tuesday, human resource development ministry started the process to grant 'Institute of Eminence' tag to five institutions. The initial list, released by the ministry on July 9, 2018, had the names of 6 institutions. Three public institutions - the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, and the IITs in Delhi and Mumbai - and three private ones: BITS Pilani, the Manipal Academy of Higher Education and the yet-unborn Jio Institute, to be set up by the Reliance Foundation.

However, the ministry has decided to hold the "institution of eminence" status proposed for the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, allegedly due to its
pending court case against the University Grants Commission.

The controversy surrounding BITS Pilani
BITS Pilani is among 10 institutions that the regulator had asked in November 2015 to close the off-campus centres they had opened without ministry approval. BITS Pilani, which had opened such centres in Hyderabad and Goa, lodged a case against the commission with Delhi High Court.

Government's July 9 decision drew a lot of flak as it decided to extend the tag to Jio Institute by Reliance Foundation. While the five institutes have a proven track record to justify their inclusion, Jio Institute has nothing, including a campus, or even a website.

The government was swift to offer an explanation over its move, stating that Jio Institute was provided the tag under 'Greenfield category'.

Once the institutions are identified, the target for the IoEs would be to break into the top 500 in at least one internationally reputed ranking framework in 10 years and come up in the top 100 over time.

Parameters for greenfield projects
The parameters for greenfield projects were land availability, vision, core team, funds and location of the institute, he added. As many as 11 institutes applied under the greenfield category, out which only Jio made it.