Centre proposes 2 new full-fledged Schools of Planning and Architecture, 18 additional SPAs under IITs, NITS

NEW DELHI: The Centre has proposed setting up two new full-fledged Schools of Planning and Architecture “on challenge mode” in the Union Budget 2018. The further proposed to establish 18 new SPAs under Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) as autonomous schools, “also on challenge mode.”

There are currently three Schools of Planning and Architecture in Delhi, Bhopal and Vijaywada. Admission to undergraduate programs in all SPAs are conducted through Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). 

The government also announced the launch of ‘‘Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF)’’ Scheme. 

“Under this (PMRF), we would identify 1,000 best B.Tech students each year from premier institutions and provide them facilities to do Ph.D in IITs and IISc, with a handsome fellowship. It is expected that these bright young fellows would voluntarily commit few hours every week for teaching in higher educational institutions,” said Finance Ministry Arun Jaitley. 

Jaitley also announced a series of new moves in the education sector. The government will allocate Rs 1 lakh crore to update the current education infrastructure and technology across the country over the next four years.

The Centre will set up 24 new medical colleges and upgrade existing district hospitals.

The government will also relaunch the RISE or Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education by 2022.