National Institute of Technology

Dec 20, 2023

NIT Calicut Designated as Centre of Excellence in Urban Planning and Design

In a significant milestone for the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC), the institute has been designated as the first Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Urban Planning and Design in the country. This prestigious recognition was bestowed upon the institute by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.

The institute bagged the achievement after submitting a comprehensive proposal under the leadership of the Department of Architecture and Planning (DAP, which has been demonstrating excellence, securing the second position in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the past three consecutive years.

It is a rewarding time for the institute, which has strived for various scientific and technology-driven initiatives, striving towards perfection every time," said Prof Prasad Krishna, emphasizing NIT Calicut's commitment to excellence and innovation.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has allocated an endowment fund of Rs 250 Crores for each institution selected as a CoE. An announcement in this regard was made during the Union Budget 2022-23 presentation. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) shortlisted the five institutions following rigorous processes to identify eligible academic institutions.

The Centre of Excellence at NIT Calicut is envisioned as a platform for multi and transdisciplinary learning and research, aiming to enhance capacity building, consultancy, and innovation in Urban Planning and Design. The goal is to contribute to the creation of urban areas with improved quality of life, aesthetics, and economic opportunities, serving as catalysts for national growth.

The CoE at NIT Calicut will come up under the leadership of Dr P P Anilkumar, Professor, Department of Architecture and Planning, NIT Calicut, who is also a reputed urban planner. The centre will be supported by a team of experts, advisors, consultants, research associates, and administrative staff.

The establishment of CoE will provide the institute with an opportunity to evolve and provide context-based, smart and sustainable solutions to various urban development issues, especially to urban local bodies and other institutions and to offer state-of-the-art training to various cadres of urban planning professionals in cities in all South Indian states, said Prof. P P Anilkumar, who is the Team leader of the project. “This will also help the institute to play a key role in formulating national level policies on urban development, which in itself will be a significant achievement for an urban planning department started only 8 years back,” added, Dr. Anilkumar.

The proposed CoE will have Dr Naseer M A, Professor, DAP as the Deputy Team Leader. The core group will include Dr Mohammed Firoz C, Head of the Department; Dr Sanil Kumar, Dr Shyni Anilkumar, and Dr Bimal P, Assistant Professors at the department.

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