Being The Best

Several critical issues engage the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Council meeting today. Proposals on autonomy as well as switching from a course-based to a credit-based system of study will be considered. At stake is the future of the prestigious technical institutes that have come to be extremely proficient at churning out quality engineering graduates but lag behind in cutting-edge research. This is also the primary reason why, despite being an excellent brand, the IITs fare poorly in global rankings. IIT Bombay, the highest ranked IIT, ranked a lowly 187 in the 2010 QS World University Rankings.

The remedy lies in freeing up the IITs both administratively and financially. Presently, the technical institutes are burdened by bureaucratic red tape. Thanks to higher education being a politically sensitive issue, there exists a significant amount of resistance to the concept of autonomous IITs. It is this same logic that sustains the government-funding-quota mentality. However, autonomy is crucial to the IITs emerging as truly world-class institutes. It will give the IIT boards the flexibility to hire quality faculty from across the world and decide salaries accordingly. It will also make the creation of new posts and facilities far easier. Lowering dependence on government funding might result in substantial student fee hikes. But facilitating education loans for IIT students has never been an issue. It would be a good idea for the government to realign its current funding strategy to focus on providing scholarships to those IIT aspirants who come from economically weaker sections of the society.

On internal reform, the intense pressure of the curriculum at the IITs is a matter of serious concern. Not only has it led students to commit suicide in extreme cases but is also an impediment to fostering an atmosphere of creativity that is crucial for research. A credit-based system of study eases a lot of the pressure. IITs must promote advanced scientific and technologic! al resea rch which also serves the needs of Indian industry. An interactive portal that helps align research with industrial needs should be explored. And with autonomy, private sources of funds for research will open up.

This should also take care of the obstacles that the eight new IITs are facing. Announced in 2008, these are still struggling to put in place the infrastructure needed for a premier technical institute and attract quality faculty. Autonomy will give them the freedom to acquire the required physical infrastructure and funding on their own. The IITs have played a crucial role in catalysing growth in technical learning in the country. It is time to make them stand up on the global stage.

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