Jio Institute, whose online presence till Monday night was the digital equivalent of a tumbleweed rolling through the Thar, found itself the most searched institute overnight. That was after the Modi government declared it had been selected as one of the six ‘Institutes of Eminence’. Outrage ensued on social media with people questioning the rationale.

After all, what makes Jio Institute special?

Before answering questions about the institute’s eligibility, it is important to examine the necessity of a category like ‘greenfield’ that grants an unborn institute sweeping autonomy.