IIEST-Shibpur Infrastructure Need To Be Upgraded: Director

The infrastructure of the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology(IIEST), Shibpur, needed to be upgraded fast, its director Professor Parthasarathi Chakrabarti said on Sunday. The IIEST, Shibpur, owes its origin to the erstwhile Bengal Engineering College, the history of which goes to the19th century. To attract the cream of students to IIEST, "We will have to upgrade the infrastructure, in terms of building classrooms with multimedia facilities, improving basic infrastructure," Mr Chakrabarti said.

The hostels of the institution are 60 years old and the infrastructure creates a big impression on students who want to be admitted to an institute, Mr Chakrabarti said while interacting with PTI after the Annual Convocation of the institute here in Howrah district.

He said, "We (IIEST) are not an isolated institution.There are many other institutions (in the country). To bring better students we have to upgrade infrastructure." Mr Chakrabarti, who had been associated with the IIT-BHU and the NIT Allahabad in various capacities in the past, said NITs and IITs have very good infrastructure and students make comparison.

"If you start comparing with neighbouring institutes (in West Bengal), you (IIEST) are better off or on par. But in comparison with national institutes there remain huge differences - in terms of classrooms, quarters, faculty," he said.

Mr Chakrabarti had taken over reins of the IIEST in May this year. On his stint here, he said, "You have given me eight months time and all pending things have been done, recruitment is going on. In another year's time I think we should see all the differences." "We should be on track, we need to instill work culture. Everything should be organised. We are not a degree college, we give professional courses. We have to change ourselves, everyone needs to tighten up the belt," he said.

Earlier in his convocation address, the Director said 22 new research projects, totalling Rs 31.49 crore, were sanctioned to the institute, by funding agencies such as the UNICEF Kolkata, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the CSIR and the Department of Biotechnology. He said 35 new consultancy projects valued at Rs 1.98 crore had also been sanctioned by agencies like the Kolkata Port Trust, the Rail Vikas Nigam ltd and the Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. Altogether 768 students were given degrees and 30 candidates given institute medals at the Convocation. One student, who secured first position among undergraduates of all ten engineering disciplines, was given the President of India Gold medal on the occasion.