THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The funds allotted to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (IISER-TVM) in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday seem insufficient for the institute, which is currently engaged in a move to shift its campus to a permanent site at Vithura.
The institute, which is dedicated to scientific research and science education of international standards, would be carrying out a massive construction activity for shifting the campus from the present site at the College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) to Vithura.
This would mean that the institute can effectively carry out its other academic activities only if it is able to get more allocations.
"Of the Rs 500 crore allotted to the five IISERs, we would get one fifth," IISER-TVM Director E D Jemmis told Expresso.
In the present circumstances, it would take at least 18 months for shifting the academic programmes fully to the Vithura campus. The campus is expected to be ready by August 2011 with the admission of the fourth batch of students.
"However, monsoon could adversely affect the construction works. Then, the shifting process would lag for some more time," Jemmis said.
Established in 2008 by the Central Government through the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), based on the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, IISER-TVM is an autonomous institution awarding a five-year integrated MS degree, in addition to PhD degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and inter-disciplinary areas.
The permanent campus is planned on 200 acres provided by the State Government at Vithura. IISER-TVM has obtained the necessary clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to go ahead with the construction of the permanent campus.
The institution is now functioning in the first and second floors of the building of the Computer Science Department of CET.
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