IIT Madras Zanzibar

Source-This post on IIT Madras Zanzibar is based on the article “IIT-Madras Zanzibar aims to triple intake for 2024-25 batch” published in “Times of India” on 14th February 2024.

Why in the News?

IIT-Madras Zanzibar has recently revealed its plans to triple its intake for the 2024-25 batch.

What are Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)?

1. About– The IITs are a group of autonomous engineering and technology institutions in India.

2. Controlling Authority– They operate under the ownership of the Ministry of Education and are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961.

3. Institutes of National Importance– The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 designates them as Institutes of National Importance. It outlines their authority, responsibilities, and governance framework as leading technological institutions in the country.

4. History–  The history of IITs dates back to the 1940s and 1950s when India realized the need for high-quality technical education to support its industrial development.
a. The Nalini Ranjan Sarkar Committee’s Report in 1940 proposed the establishment of IITs along the lines of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
b. The first Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kharagpur, was established in 1951.

About IIT Madras Zanzibar

1. It is the first overseas campus of an IIT.

2. It is located on Zanzibar Island in Tanzania (an East African nation).

Note– The K. Radhakrishnan Committee has proposed establishing IIT campuses abroad.

UPSC Syllabus- Science & Technology