New Delhi:  The higher education system has seen many ups & downs, changes & transformation and reforms in 2016. Among these developments, the most significant is the establishment and approvals of new premier educational institutes. In a nut shell, several new institutions have been started during the year: 6 new IITs, 7 new IIMs,  one new NIT, two new IISERs, eight new IIITs are all fully operationalised.  Further, four Central Universities would start functioning shortly.

Six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have commenced classes from academic year 2016-17: IIT Goa, IIT Bhilai (Chattishgarh), IIT Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir), IIT Dharwad (Karnataka), IIT  Tirupati, and IIT Palakkad. Following the new six IITs, the total number of IITs reached 23 while total number of student capacity for various BTech courses offered by these IITS stood at 10,572 for the academic year 2016-17.

Seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have commenced their full fledged academic session from 2016-17: IIM Amritsar, IIM Sambalpur, IIM Sirmaur, IIM Bodh Gaya, IIM Visakhapatnam, IIM Jammu, and IIM Nagpur.  Now, total IIMs in India stand at 20.

The Union Cabinet on 07 December 2016 approved a scheme to set up 21 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), on a Not-for-profit Public Private Partnership (N-PPP). The HRD Ministry had already approved 19 out of 20 IIITs. Approval for setting up of a new IIIT in PPP mode in Bihar has granted permission on 11 November 2016.

Here it can be mentioned that the Union Cabinet approved setting up and operationalisation of IIM Jammu from its temporary campus on 13 October 2016. Aa amount of Rs 61.90 crore has been granted for IIM Jammu for an initial period of 4 years.