Reliance Foundation Owned Jio Institute Bags Institute of Eminence (IoE) Tag

On July 09, 2018, the University Grants Commission and Ministry of Human Resource Development approved the names of six institutes for esteemed ‘Institute of Eminence (IoE)’ status. Among these is the privately owned Jio Institute that will be set up by the Reliance Foundation in Mumbai soon. Inspired by the prospective plan submitted by Reliance Foundation, the central government has granted IoE status to Jio Institute.

The central government’s decision to award IoE status to Jio Institute also sparked controversy. The MHRD received wide criticism from different sections of people on the inclusion of Jio Institute in IoE scheme following which it has come with a clarification on the same.

As per MHRD, Jio Institute has been granted IoE status under Greenfield category that is meant for proposed or new institutes that are yet to set up. The ministry further cited that the UGC (Institute of Eminence) Regulation 2017 allows a new or proposed institute under the IoE scheme to be recognised as one. The government is empowered to granting an approval to new or proposed institute with respect to the Eminence tag, MHRD explained.

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The Ministry has detailed down the parameters under which a new/proposed institute can be granted IoE status: -

• Availability of Land for Construction
• Placing a Core Team with Very High Qualification
• Availability of Funding
• Strategic Vision Plan with Clear Action Plan and Annual Milestones

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MHRD further clarified that the Empowered Expert Committee (ECC) was able to identify only 11 institutes eligible for IoE status out of 114 institutes which had applied for the same.