Union Minister of State for Education, Communications, and Electronics and Information Technology Sanjay Dhotre inaugurated the newly constructed mega hostel at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) through videoconferencing on Friday.
Mr. Dhotre lauded the collective efforts of the faculty, staff and students of the institute in achieving various milestones — the all-India 23rd position in engineering; third position in architecture in National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF); and eighth rank amongst Institutes of National Importance, Central Universities and CFTIs in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020.
He acknowledged the active contributions of the NIT-C alumni to the development of the institute, currently celebrating its diamond jubilee. The Minister also appreciated the NIT-C for successfully taking ahead its projects and academics during the COVID-19 period.
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He said government initiatives such as Digital India were instrumental in taking technology to the doorsteps of commoners while Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and Atmanirbhar Bharat would help India leap forward technologically.
Mr. Dhotre said the National Education Policy (NEP) was framed so as to transform India into a knowledge superpower. It would help set up an Academic Bank of Credit (ABC) and upgrade the academic curriculum to include flexible entry-exit options. He emphasised the importance of holistic education, and collaboration among government agencies and the industry.
The allocation of ₹50,000 crore for the National Research Foundation in the Union Budget would be a boon to ideate, incubate and innovate technological solutions. As part of making technology accessible to commoners, academic institutions should endeavour to publish their activities in local languages, promote interaction with schools and make their research and laboratory facilities accessible to young students, said Mr. Dhotre.
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The student intake to NIT-C has increased by 37% during the last five years. The new Mega Hostel-II for Boys, constructed by the Central Public Works Department at the cost of ₹165.24 crore, has 1,500 single-occupancy rooms and will be beneficial to the large student community with representation from all over India and abroad. The foundation stone of the project was laid by former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
M.K. Raghavan, MP; Gajjala Yoganand, chairperson of the Board of Governors, NIT-C; P.T.A. Rahim, MLA; Sivaji Chakravorti, former director of NIT-C; P.S. Sathidevi, Director-in-charge of NIT-C; and Lt.Col. K. Pankajakshan, Registrar of NIT-C, spoke.