PM Modi virtually lays foundation stone for Phase-B works of IIT Jammu

Jammu, Sep 27 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday laid the foundation stone for Phase-B infrastructure works of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu through virtual mode, officials said.

The development marks a major step in expanding the capacity of one of India’s third-generation IITs, established in 2016, the officials said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who physically participated in the ceremony on the institute campus here, hailed the IIT Jammu as a rising hub of innovation and start-ups.

“The IIT Jammu has emerged as a priority institution for the government from its inception, conceived to address long-standing aspirations for a premier technical institute in the region,” the minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office said.

He recalled that Phase-A construction, including academic blocks, lecture theatres, hostels, dining facilities, and utility buildings, has already been completed, enabling the institute to grow rapidly in its formative years.

“The Phase-B expansion, sanctioned at a cost of Rs 1,398 crore, will include new academic and residential infrastructure, laboratories, and a dedicated research park,” he said.

Singh underlined that this research park will be the first of its kind in north India, modelled on IIT Madras, and will strengthen industry-academia linkages, foster start-ups, and support small and medium enterprises through technology-driven solutions.

Highlighting IIT Jammu’s steady rise, the minister noted that the institute secured the 56th rank in the 2025 NIRF Engineering rankings, a sign of its progress in less than a decade of establishment.

He also pointed to the unique advantage of IIT Jammu’s location, surrounded by institutions such as AIIMS, IIM Jammu, and the Central University of Jammu, which enables collaborative projects and interdisciplinary research.

Singh also said that the Union Cabinet has approved capacity expansion across five new IITs — Tirupati, Bhilai, Dharwad, Jammu, and Palakkad — with an overall outlay of Rs 11,828 crore.

“This investment will allow these institutions to collectively increase their student strength to nearly 12,000 in the coming four years, alongside creation of faculty positions and advanced facilities,” he said.

Recalling the initial challenges of setting up IIT Jammu, including difficulties in attracting leadership and faculty in its formative years, he praised the dedication of Director Manoj Singh Gaur and his team and noted that under their stewardship the institute has overcome early hurdles and earned national recognition within a short span of time.

The minister expressed gratitude to the prime minister for his continued focus on Jammu and Kashmir’s development, stating that IIT Jammu’s expansion reflects India’s broader vision of becoming a global centre for research, education, and innovation. PTI TAS TAS KVK KVK