SAMBALPUR: BJD’s Sambalpur president and former minister Rohit Pujari has urged Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to upgrade Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla to an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
In a letter to Pradhan, who is also the Sambalpur MP, Pujari said VSSUT is the first technical university of western Odisha and the state. “VSSUT is the only university which was formed under the Orissa Act 9 of 2009 by converting University College of Engineering, Burla to a non-affiliating unitary university. The university is empowered to award degrees as specified by the UGC under section 22 of the UGC Act. It has also been declared eligible to receive central assistance under section 12B of the UGC Act in 2012.”
The BJD leader further said VSSUT, established in 1956, has all the necessary infrastructure facilities including 300 acre of land, buildings and renowned faculty members. The university provides its students modern educational facilities while retaining traditional values and using its strong industrial contacts to mould young, talented individuals who can compete in the global arena.
“IIM-Sambalpur has been already established here. If VSSUT is upgraded to an IIT in line with Roorkee and BHU, Sambalpur would be considered as an important educational hub. I request you to kindly consider the request to upgrade VSSUT to an IIT for greater interests of students,” he added.
In 2022, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari, during his tenure as Bargarh MP, had raised demand in the Parliament to convert VSSUT to a centrally-funded technical institute (CFTI) in line with the Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar in Assam. During his tenure as the petroleum minister, Pradhan had also endorsed a letter of the then vice-chancellor of VSSUT to convert the university to an IIT.
Besides, the previous Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in the state had approved a Rs 2,000 crore plan to transform VSSUT last year.