New Delhi, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh slammed the faculty of the prestigious IITs and IIMs, saying these educational institutions are “not world class” but are “excellent” because of the quality of students.

“There is hardly any worthwhile research from our IITs. The faculty in the IIT is not world class. It is the students in IITs who are world class. So the IITs and IIMs are excellent because of the quality of students not because of quality of research or faculty,” Ramesh, who is himself an alumni of IIT Mumbai, told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.