Caught in the political web is another institution which Jammu was proud of getting in the last Union Budget, the much talked about Indian Institute of Technology or commonly known as IIT which initially many misunderstood for the ITI (Industrial Training Institute). Questions were raised on the validity of such an institution and when reality dawned then they realised this is not just an industrial training institute but an institute of excellence in higher technical education. The Rs 200 Cr Union Budget allocation for Jammu and Kashmir for development of infrastructure in many fields had allocation for this prestigious technical institute. Today the IIT is caught in a situation of uncertainty about its future. This is not the first such institute of higher learning to get caught in a political web. Earlier, it was allocation of Central Universities. Kashmir took an edge over Jammu and CU here is still developing infrastructure. The coming up of two stadiums too is caught in the same web. Today the hype created by announcing a world class higher learning centre in Jammu, the IIT, the situation has come to a stage of uncertainty. Till date successive Govts have been high on promises but when it came to ground work the situation changed and political compulsions took the front seat. Will another agitation be launched to get the institute for Jammu? What stops young generation to go outside the State and pursue higher studies? No doubt setting up of an institute of IIT magnitude will change the education map of Jammu, but there is a political lethargy and lack of interest to keep the issue lingering otherwise the central team which was in the State to map out the land would not have gone empty handed as no big chunk of land could be identified for the institute. So all the hopes of starting IIT from the coming session have been shelved. Though Govt may come out with some statement to justify the situation but if delayed it will be another loss to Jammu following the lines of AIIMS which seems to be heading for a premature death.
