Bhubaneswar: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the state govt to upgrade the Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology (IGIT), Sarang, in Dhenkanal district into a unitary university. In a letter to chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi Pradhan said the upgrade is essential to strengthen technical education in the Dhenkanal-Angul region, which is witnessing rapid industrial growth.Lauding the state govt’s decision to transform Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT) and Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR) into world-class technical universities, along with the allocation made in the 2026-27 budget for the purpose, Pradhan said IGIT-Sarang deserved similar status because of its more than four decades of academic excellence in technical education.Established in 1982, the institute is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Located in the Dhenkanal-Angul industrial belt, IGIT-Sarang has the potential to drive industry-oriented research, innovation and skill development, the Union minister said. Granting it unitary university status would provide it with greater academic autonomy, facilitate multi-disciplinary education, attract distinguished faculty members and strengthen research activities.Pradhan further said upgrading IGIT-Sarang to a unitary university would not only reinforce Odisha’s technical education landscape but also contribute significantly to the state’s industrial development, innovation ecosystem and research output. Expressing confidence in the proposal, the Union minister said the move would align with the vision of Viksit Odisha-2036 and help establish IGIT-Sarang as a leading centre of technical education with national and international recognition.
