A three-member expert committee has recommended to the Union human resource development ministry, upgrading Banaras Hindu University's Information Technology Institute into a full-fledged Indian Institute of Technology.

The committee of former Vice-Chancellor of Roorkee University D V Singh, former V-C of Tamil Nadu's Anna University Anand Krishna and former director of IIT Kharagpur Amitabh Ghosh made the suggestion on Thursday after evincing satisfaction over the existing infrastructure, faculties of engineering and technology and other parameters at the institute, BHU sources said on Thursday.

It also endorsed the BHU demand for sanction of Rs 262 crore (Rs 2.62 billion) to build the necessary infrastructure for functioning of a full-fledged IIT in the campus and the HRD ministry was expected to take a decision on upgradation of the institute soon, they said.

The committee held wide-ranging discussions with the BHU vice chancellor Punjab Singh, IT Institute director S N Upadhyaya, faculty members and administrative officials during their three-day visit to the campus, they added.