ITANAGAR, Oct 27: Union Education Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal virtually inaugurated the mechanical engineering block, the biotechnology and chemical engineering block, and facilities such as central instrumentation and reaction engineering laboratory of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) here on 26 October.
NIT Arunachal Director Prof Pinekeswar Mahanta informed that the construction of the blocks, with virtual classrooms, laboratory space, meeting rooms and sufficient numbers of faculty cabins, were completed at a cost of Rs 35.80 crore.
The minister congratulated NIT Arunachal for achieving the 200th rank in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)-2020 in the engineering category; Band A (rank between 11th and 25th) in the ARIIA rankings among the category
of institutes of national importance, central universities and CFTIs; and for the four-star ranking for the 2018-19 session by the innovation cell of the education ministry.
He expressed happiness on learning that 12 of the 23 filed patents of the institute have been granted till now and sufficient numbers of research papers have been published.
He advised the institute to work for the overall development of the five adopted villages by the NIT here under the UBA with assistance from the state government.
The minister also expressed happiness at the numbers of MoU executed by the NIT Arunachal with many external organizations for collaboration in academics and research, students and faculty exchange, internship of students, etc. He also praised the collaboration between the NIT and Gifu University of Japan.
Dr Pokhriyal said that the startup cell and innovation centre of the NIT Arunachal is working to develop entrepreneurial skills among students through hands-on/do-it-yourself activities and thereby motivating students to innovate and do things on their own.
He said that “a mega project on startup for appropriate technology has been granted recently to the institute by NECTAR, DST for a period of five years at total project cost of Rs 14 crores, which will work towards development of entrepreneurial skills of youths of the region in areas of toy-making, value added products from kiwi, ginger and cardamom, poultry rearing, pickle making, renewable energy etc, based on locally-available resources.”
He praised the steps taken by the EBSB in developing a multilingual dictionary in traditional dialects of Arunachal, ie, Apatani, Wancho, Mossang, Galo, Tangsa and Nyishi.
Pokhriyal said the new education policy would bring significant changes in the education system, “keeping in mind the rapidly changing world and future challenges and needs.”
Attending the virtual inauguration, Chief Minister Pema Khandu congratulated the NIT community and said it was a proud moment for the NIT here in particular and Arunachal in general.
He expressed hope that the construction work of the institute at the permanent campus in Jote would be completed within the timeline set by the institute, and said his government would “always extend support towards the development of the institute.”
MoS for Youth Affairs & Sports Kiren Rijiju congratulated the NIT and thanked the government of India for the revised package released to NIT Arunachal, without which, he said, “the shifting of the institute to its permanent campus would not be possible.”
Education Minister Taba Tedir expressed happiness over “the speedy development made by the NIT Arunachal during the last two years” and expressed hope that the institute would “always contribute towards the development of technical education in the state.”
The union education ministry’s ADG (HE) Madan Mohan was also present at the online meeting.
