PANAJI
In a major breakthrough for IIT Goa, the Union Ministry of Education has approved the proposed 4.5 lakh square metre land parcel within the Goa College of Engineering (GEC) campus at Farmagudi for the institute's long-awaited permanent campus, nearly a decade after IIT Goa was established.
According to an official communication from the Ministry of Education dated June 11, the Site Selection Committee (SSC), which inspected the land at Bandora village in Ponda taluka on May 19, has recommended the site and the recommendation has been approved by the competent authority.
The Ministry has now asked the Goa government to complete the necessary documentation and transfer the land to IIT Goa at the earliest.
"The request made by the SSC has been approved by the competent authority. Accordingly, it is requested to complete the necessary documentation and transfer the land to IIT Goa at the earliest," the letter stated.
The Centre had earlier relaxed the requirement of 10 lakh square metres of land for setting up an IIT campus, paving the way for the Farmagudi proposal. The approved land parcel measures around 4.5 lakh square metres and is located within the GEC campus. Additional land could be provided in future if expansion becomes necessary.
The development marks a significant step towards ending IIT Goa's prolonged wait for a permanent campus. Established in 2016, the institute has been operating from a temporary facility at Farmagudi and has repeatedly flagged the need for dedicated infrastructure to support academic growth, research activities and student housing.
The institute's search for a permanent home has been marked by several setbacks. Proposed locations at Loliem in Canacona, Melauli in Sattari and Cotarli in Sanguem were abandoned following public opposition, while sites at Rivona and Dharbandora failed to progress due to land acquisition challenges. More recently, a proposal to establish the campus at Codar village in Ponda was shelved in September last year after strong protests from local residents.
The prolonged delay in finalising land has reportedly affected IIT Goa's expansion plans and its ability to access infrastructure and research grants, including additional funding opportunities announced by the Union Ministry of Education for IITs established after 2014.
