§ Mr. Coulsonasked 'the Secretary for Technical Co-operation to what extent the United Kingdom is participating in the recently announced intention of the Government of India to develop the Delhi College of Engineering and Technology into an independent institute of technology.
§ Mr. VosperSome five years ago it was first suggested that the United Kingdom might co-operate with the Government of India in setting up a College of Engineering and Technology as an integral part of Delhi University.
In 1958 and 1959 a number of British industrialists agreed to invite contributions from British industrial concerns towards the cost of British manufactured equipment which the College would need. A charitable Trust was formed to which over £250,000 was contributed in donations and covenants. At the same time the British Government agreed to pay from the Colombo Plan Technical Co-operation Scheme the emoluments of a number of British professors who would advise on curricula and start the various Departments at the College. The British Government also agreed to provide such other requirements as reference books and training for librarians. The Government of India undertook to provide land and buildings and to pay for locally domiciled staff and locally manufactured equipment.
In January 1959 H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh laid the foundation stone of the college at a site in Delhi. Two years later the college was opened with the first year's intake of 150 students.
It later appeared that it would be advantageous to enable the College to 128W award its own degrees instead of training students for Delhi degrees. As stated by the Indian Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs in the Lok Sabha on the 20th March last, the Government of India proposes to introduce legislation to declare the College an institution of national importance and to raise its status to an Institute of Technology. It will then be independent; will frame its own academic policies and confer degrees; and will be known as "The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi".
The Institute is being planned to have a capacity of 1,250 undergraduate and 300 post-graduate students. The British Government and British industry have agreed jointly to provide over the years 1963–67 a further £400,000 worth of British manufactured equipment for the Institute so that the total value of equipment provided from Britain will be £650,000. The British Government has also agreed to meet the emoluments of up to 15 British professors over the same period.
The raising of funds for the supply of equipment on this scale and the recruitment of highly qualified British staff are a major undertaking in the technical assistance field and I should like to express my gratitude to British industry and to educational bodies such as the Imperial College of Science and Technology of the University of London for their generous co-operation.