Hyderabad, October 25: Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandareswari has reiterated that there would not be any political interference in framing the eligibility conditions for admission into Indian Institutes of Technology.
Speaking on the sidelines of a book release function organised at the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) here today, she said: “A committee, comprising educationists and pedagogues, is constituted and they would frame the rules. HRD minister Kapil Sibal’s words were taken out of context and blown out of proportion.’’ She also maintained that the performance of the students at 10+2 level is being considered to ensure all- round development. “There are many dropouts in these prestigious institutes. Moreover, students are concentrating more on the competitive exam pattern and are neglecting the Intermediate (+2) curriculum, which is unhealthy,’’ Purandareswari said.
Earlier, she released a book authored by former IT advisor to AP State Government T Hanuman Chowdary titled: `Telecoms, IT and Society.’ Pointing at the private network operators, Chowdary said that there should be telephone/mobile adalats to safeguard customer rights. “It would be very meaningful to have these adalats especially at a time when the country is becoming the fastest growing market with 500 million telephones at the rate of 100-120 million new connections per year,’’ he said.
He said that he is carrying on a campaign questioning the Government’s share in the telephone revenues. “Almost 30 per cent of the revenue goes to the Government in the form of licence fees, spectrum charges, revenue shares and cess. If this share is reduced the charges would come down further enabling better access to many, ’ ’ Chowdary said.
Director-General ASCI SK Rao gave the welcome address and Advisor to International Institute of Information Technology-Hyderabad also spoke on the occasion.
–Agencies