Date:17/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/17/stories/2007061701490600.htm

Andhra Pradesh

IIM for A.P. in current Plan, says Arjun Singh

Special correspondent

Equity in access to education is the key, says Union Minister

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh will have an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the current Plan period which ends in 2012.

This was announced by Human Resources Development Minister Arjun Singh in response to a request by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy during the inauguration of the South Central Regional Centre of the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) at Jubilee Hall here on Saturday.

Stating that inclusive growth was Government's objective, Mr. Singh, who was instrumental in seeking to introduce 27 per cent reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Indian Institutes of Technology ( IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), said that equity in access to education was the key. Only then, education could become real instrument for change. All sections needed access to education and to become partners in transforming the country.

Asking AICTE officials not to consider themselves as ambassadors from New Delhi but serve as facilitators, he stressed that decision-making had to be decentralised, depending on the people's needs. Praising Dr. Reddy, he said the State was making rapid strides in the education sector and would shine as the 21st century knowledge and education hub.

The Chief Minister said the State was attracting several centres of excellence, including BITS and IIT. Eight more 21st century `Gurukuls' were planned this year for imparting information technology skills in rural areas. Following Government efforts, several multinational companies were visiting engineering colleges in rural areas for campus recruitments.