Date:10/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/10/stories/2008081057650200.htm

New Delhi

New PG programmes at IIT Delhi

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: IIT Delhi has started three new post-graduate programmes in the new academic year.

It has started a diploma programme in Metro Rail Transport: Technology and Management in collaboration with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Two new M.Tech. programmes are also being started — a course in Molecular Engineering: Chemical Synthesis and Analysis by the Chemistry Department and Atmospheric-Oceanic Science and Technology by the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences. The latter is sponsored by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences, Indian Space Research Organisation, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.

“Also, a new School of Biological Sciences has been approved by the Board of Governors. The programme advisory committee of the School comprising national experts has met and prepared a road map for it,” said IIT Delhi Director Surendra Prasad at a press conference over the weekend.

Prof. Prasad was talking to reporters on the eve of the 39th annual Convocation of the institution on Saturday.

IIT Delhi Deputy Director of Faculty B.N. Jain said: “The student teacher ratio is 9:1 on paper, while in reality it is 12:1. Now the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and the IIT system have jointly reworked some formulae as per which the sanctioned strength has been reduced from 556 to 506. So now our goal is to achieve a ratio of 10:1.”