NEW DELHI: India's premier design institute, the National Institute of Design(NID), has been accorded the status of "institution of national importance" by an act of parliament, making it the 41st institute to have such a status.

This is the first bill under the Narendra Modi government to be passed within a span of three days in both the houses. It was first passed by the Rajya Sabha Monday, followed by a unanimous passage in the Lok Sabha Wednesday.

The bill under the National Institute of Design Act, 2013 states "to declare the institution known as the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, to be an institution of national importance for the promotion of quality and excellence in education, research and training in all disciplines relating to design."

With the passing of the bill, this autonomous Ahmedabad-based design institute that was established in 1965, will be authorised to give degrees and offer PhD's.

"It is very heartening to see that design has been brought to the forefront. It is indeed a big recognition for the design profession in the country and this bill will give an impetus to the activities of the institute, giving design education in India a global foothold," Pradyumna Vyas, director NID, said in a statement.

"The students and faculty will get immense benefit with this recognition. This status will also help in repositioning the institute globally for networking with premier design institutions, create additional opportunities for research scholars, faculty and student exchange and boost design research in the country," he added.

Any institute getting this status receives special recognisition and funding from the government.

India's premier educational organisations like Indian Institutes of Technology, National Institutes of Technology, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, and Indian Institutes of Science, Education and Research, among others have been conferred this status.
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