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IIT-IBM in a thick of a major controversy over land deal
By siliconindia staff writer
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Monday, 15 December 2003, 20:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Faculty members of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here have sought a probe into the institute renewing a land-use contract with US software giant IBM without adhering to established rules and norms.
India's leading centre for technological teaching finds itself in the thick of a major controversy over the renewal with faculty members demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the deal.
Well-placed sources in the IIT said the land use contract was renewed without referring the matter to the "critical review committee" as suggested by the Bharti Bhat committee -- whose recommendations were accepted by the senate, the highest academic body of the institute, and approved by the board of governors.
One of the recommendations of the committee states: "Decision for the renewal of the agreement and contract for all units, including those already existing on the campus, be undertaken after a critical review of the functioning of such units by a single institute level committee for this purpose."
But the institute did not do that.
"Instead of complying with the recommendations of the committee, the authorities renewed the land use deal with the US firm. The faculty members are stunned at the way this has been done," said a senior faculty member.
"We should have assessed if the IBM's presence helped the students and the teachers or not," the member told IANS.
The deal between IIT and IBM dates back to 1997.
The institute's board of governors, the highest academic body, had provided 6,842 sq ft of land to IBM for its research and development facility on the IIT campus on March 3, 1997. The deal was fixed for a rent of 
1,100 per sq ft annually for a period of five years.
Later, the institute allotted another 13,200 sq ft of land to the US firm and the contract was extended up to May 2004.
IBM then made a separate request to club these two agreements into one. Consequently, in 2002, the agreement was extended for five years to 2007.
However, the deal has come to light only now.
The objective behind the deal was to provide high-tech facilities to teachers and students at the institute as well as enable them to do projects with IBM researchers.
"I don't know how many of us have done projects with the IBM researchers. If anyone has, its quality and outcome should be made available to students and faculty members," a researcher said.
IIT Director R.S. Sirohi has said all norms were followed while renewing the contract with IBM.
"The renewal of the contract was approved by the deans committee first and then subsequently by the board of governors. A critical review committee was not set up since we didn't feel its requirement.
"The IBM's research and development centre has helped the students and teachers in several ways including the placement of the students," he said.
The IBM, on its part, preferred to be aloof from the controversy, saying they "have nothing to comment, as the matter doesn't concern" them.
"To be on the IIT campus is of great help not only for us but also for the students and faculty members so far as research is concerned," said an IBM executive.
1,100 per sq ft annually for a period of five years.
Later, the institute allotted another 13,200 sq ft of land to the US firm and the contract was extended up to May 2004.
IBM then made a separate request to club these two agreements into one. Consequently, in 2002, the agreement was extended for five years to 2007.
However, the deal has come to light only now.
The objective behind the deal was to provide high-tech facilities to teachers and students at the institute as well as enable them to do projects with IBM researchers.
"I don't know how many of us have done projects with the IBM researchers. If anyone has, its quality and outcome should be made available to students and faculty members," a researcher said.
IIT Director R.S. Sirohi has said all norms were followed while renewing the contract with IBM.
"The renewal of the contract was approved by the deans committee first and then subsequently by the board of governors. A critical review committee was not set up since we didn't feel its requirement.
"The IBM's research and development centre has helped the students and teachers in several ways including the placement of the students," he said.
The IBM, on its part, preferred to be aloof from the controversy, saying they "have nothing to comment, as the matter doesn't concern" them.
"To be on the IIT campus is of great help not only for us but also for the students and faculty members so far as research is concerned," said an IBM executive.