Kolkata: Union minister of state Sukanta Majumdar said on Monday that the Bengal govt would send a proposal to the Centre to upgrade one of the oldest engineering institutes of the country, the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST, Shibpur), erstwhile the BE College, to an IIT.He also said the proposal for the ‘Institute of Eminence’ tag and funds for JU has also been sent to the Centre and they are expecting a positive response. VC Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said, “We are hopeful and looking forward to a positive development.”Majumdar said, “At one point, there was a proposal to upgrade BESU (Shibpur) into an IIT. The then state govt did not agree. Now, the present govt wants to submit a proposal.”Director VMSR Murthy said, “It will propel the institute’s growth to the next level as we have the legacy, alumni network, resources and infrastructure.”
