No money, state cuts 3,000 IIIT seats

In a major blow to students from rural areas, the state government on Thursday decided to reduce the intake into IIITs by half citing infrastructure constrains.

Against yearly admissions of 6,000 students over the last two years, the government will now allow only 3,000 students. The IIITs, the brainchild of YSR, are located in Basar, Idupulapaya, where YSR gave away his land to set up the institute, and Nuzividu. As much as 80 per cent seats are reserved for students from rural areas in these technical institutes run under the aegis of Prof. Raji Reddy.

Not wanting to be blamed for the cut-back, sources say the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, left the decision to the Cabinet and on the group of ministers constituted for this purpose.

Though the government has been citing infrastructure constraints as reason for the cut-back, sources said the actual reason was burden on the exchequer.

The annual expenditure on each student is Rs 1 lakh for the six-year course and because of government’s fee reimbursement scheme, 80 per cent students in IIITs study free of cost.