New Delhi [India], August 25 (ANI): Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan chaired the 56th IIT Council Meeting, emphasising making Indian Institutes of Technology more inclusive, research-focused, and aligned with 21st-century needs.

The roadmap aims to ensure IITs lead India's scientific and societal progress by 2047, supporting PM Modi's vision of 'Samriddh, Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

In a post on X, Pradhan wrote, 'Pleased to chair the 56th IIT Council Meeting to take stock of the academic progress and chart the roadmap for the next 25 years, particularly for making our IITs more inclusive, research-driven, aligned to the needs of the 21st century and how these prestigious institutions will lead India's scientific, technological and societal progress by 2047 in sync with the strategic goals outlined by Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji during his Independence Day address.'

He referred to IITs as 'the crowning jewels of our higher education system' and envisioned their central role in achieving the goal of a 'Samriddh, Viksit and Atmanirbhar Bharat.'

Earlier, on August 20, Pradhan called the passage of the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Parliament a 'historic milestone.'

This comes after the Lok Sabha on August 19 passed a bill to establish the Indian Institute of Management in Guwahati.

In a post on X, Pradhan said, 'A historic milestone in Assam's ascent as an eminent educational hub. With the passage of The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Parliament, Assam gets its 1st #IIM in Guwahati. Envisioned by Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodiji as an outcome of the trilateral agreement between Union Govt., Assam Govt., and ULFA for the comprehensive development of Assam, IIM Guwahati will address regional disparities in higher education, facilitate world-class management education and research and further contribute to the development of 'Ashtalakshmi' in line with the vision of Purvodaya.'

Pradhan said amid opposition uproar that the IIM (Amendment ) Bill, 2025, will further amend the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017. He said the bill seeks to establish the Indian Institute of Management at Guwahati in Assam, which is an important centre of the North-Eastern region of the country.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 18, amidst the commotion caused by the opposition over their demand for debate on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar.

This IIM will be second in the North East and 22nd in the country. The permanent campus of IIM will be at Palasbari, and IIM Ahmedabad will be mentoring it. After Meghalaya, the Union government has given another IIM to Assam. (ANI)