Feather in the IIT cap

That India's best and brightest invariably ended up at the IITs is old hat. Now, the IITs themselves have a feather in their collective cap. A listing of the world's top 200 universities by The Times Higher Education Supplement has put them at No. 41, ahead of many well-known US, British and French universities.

The survey, the first of its kind on a global level, ranks the universities on the basis of peer review, international character of faculty and students, teacher-student ratio and the impact of their research.

What's more, India?s IITs are the sole flagbearer for institutions of higher education in south Asia.

Marine varsity

Ahoy there! India could soon have its first university dedicated to maritime studies. The Union shipping and surface transport ministry is studying the draft Indian Maritime University Bill, 2004. If it gives its nod, the government may soon fork out Rs 200 crore to buy land and equipment and to construct buildings and infrastructure for the two campuses, one each on the west and east coasts. In fact, one hears that Calcutta could very well get the east coast campus while the one on the west could be located in Mumbai.