Government has emphasised on the need to upgrade the "outdated" laboratory equipment in the country's premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
IITs are role models for engineering research and education.
With the development of new technologies, there was a need to modernisation and replacement of outdated laboratory equipment in these institutes on large scale, officials in the HRD ministry said.
Observing that the rate of obsolescence in information and communication technology was quite high, they said even ten-year-old equipment in computer networks would require replacement and modernisation.
Substantial investment would be required in modernisation of digital resources in these institutes, which were now globally competitive and contribute significantly to development of technical manpower and technology development in the country, the officials said.
During the 10th Five Year Plan, the role of the IITs would be further strengthened and consolidated so that they continued to provide leadership to the technical education system.
They pointed out that in recent years, there was substantial increase in students' intake to meet the growing demand for quality technical manpower, especially in the field of Information Technology and the strength in these institutes had increased over 40 per cent in the last six to seven years.
{{/usCountry}}They pointed out that in recent years, there was substantial increase in students' intake to meet the growing demand for quality technical manpower, especially in the field of Information Technology and the strength in these institutes had increased over 40 per cent in the last six to seven years.
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