Amit Shah lays foundation stone of Saptrishi multidisciplinary research centre at IIT Jammu

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 24 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the Saptrishi Multidisciplinary Research Centre at the IIT Jammu campus, stated an official release.
The Minister also inaugurated Phase 1A and 1B of the existing campus and Saptrishi Multidisciplinary Research Centre in the presence of Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan; Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha and other officials.
Shah appreciated the efforts of IIT Jammu for creating an ecosystem for research and education as well as focusing on the overall development of the region.
The newly inaugurated Phase 1A and 1B was planned as a self-contained transit campus that could cater to the needs of 840 students at IIT Jammu for the initial few years. The area of Phase 1A is around 22,200 sq. m. and the area of Phase 1B is around 13,800 sq.m at a total of 210 crores.
The newly laid Phase 1C, with an estimated cost of Rs. 680 crore. once completed in 2023, would add an additional plinth area of around 1,00,000 sqm more built-up area and enhance majorly teaching, learning and research facilities at IIT Jammu.
The total approved cost of the campus is 1,182 crore and is spread over an area of 405 acres.
The newly inaugurated Saptrishi Multidisciplinary Research Centre at IIT Jammu is set to become a unicorn of technological excellence in North India with the commissioning of brand new NMRI spectrometer, powder x-ray diffractometer (PXRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and other high-end technology. These will be available for use by other institutions and research scholars of the region as well.
The occasion was marked with the launch of some unique initiatives of IIT Jammu to implement NEP-2020. It includes the first of its kind 6-year-long dual-degree program offered collaboratively by IIT Jammu and IIM Jammu for students to pursue MBA after their B.Tech without having to qualify CAT given they maintain a 7.0+ GPA throughout their course of study. This is the first time in the country when a technical-management education will be imparted by an IIM and IIT.
Similarly, a 2-year long MBA program in Hospital Administration and Healthcare management is another first of its kind collaboration of IIM-AIIMS-IIT was also launched to strengthen management education in healthcare with a special focus on technological excellence. It is one of the best examples of collaboration and inter-disciplinarily in the spirit of NEP-2020.
IIT Jammu offers a course in Tunnel Engineering by Civil Engineering Department for capacity building in indigenous Infrastructure Development for the Himalayas. Research at IIT Jammu has a multidisciplinary approach, wherein the focus is given to problem solutions by including various domains instead of blue-sky research. (ANI)