The HRD Ministry has informed Bihar and Andhra Pradesh that admissions to the two new IITs will start in temporary campuses, while the ministry sets up new campuses.

The new campus will be built around 100 kilometres from Patna in Bihar and Isnapur in Medak district of Andhra Pradesh. The campuses will be built in an area of 500-600 acres at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore.

In a letter to the chief secretaries of the two state governments, the HRD ministry has asked for makeshift campuses so that enrolment of students can start.

"Only a few students for limited disciplines will be admitted in the first year and temporary campuses will be linked to an existing IIT," a ministry official said.

However, IIT aspirants in Rajasthan might not as fortunate. "No final decision has been taken as to where an IIT will come up in Rajasthan," a senior ministry official told HT.

The ministry had announced new IITs for Bihar Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan in 2006-07.

There is a debate over whether an IIT should come up in the education city of Kota or somewhere near Jaipur. Since the location of the proposed IIT in Rajasthan has not yet been decided, the Centre has held back its final decision, a ministry official said.

A committee headed by the ministry's joint secretary Ravi Mathur had visited the proposed sites in Rajasthan but no final decision has been taken.

Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh had received a number of representations from state politicians to the people for IIT at both the sites.

"In this confusion we are not sure whether IIT admissions can start in Rajasthan from the next academic year," a ministry official said.

The HRD ministry has also denied that Bihar will be getting an IIM, as stated by officials in the state Chief Minister's office.

"As of now, only one new IIM at Shillong is coming up," the official said.