IIT Council discusses PhD reforms, research commercialisation

REforms in PhD programmes, commercialisation of search within higher training institutions (HEIs), integrating of unreal intelligence agency (AI) into curricula, promotion of student mental well-being, and strengthening the reputation of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) as hubs of advanced research were among a host of issues discussed at the IIT Council meeting on Monday.The 56th meeting of IIT Council, the apex coordination body of the 23 premier engineering institutes, was held after two years at IIT Delhi under the chairmanship of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The council last held its meeting at IIT Bhubaneswar on April 18, 2023.“We discussed how IITs can produce job creators, not job seekers, by solving real-world problems, and promoting translational research in critical technologies of national importance. We [also] discussed how IITs can promote Indian languages by introducing regional languages in addition to English as the medium of instruction of courses for inclusive growth,” Pradhan told reporters after the meeting.According to officials, IIT council members discussed ways for reforming PhD education to enhance quality, global relevance, and research outcomes, boost global rankings, attract top-tier talent, and strengthen the IITs’ reputation as hubs of advanced research.“Extensive deliberations were held on the commercialisation of research within HEIs,” the education ministry said in a statement.The council also stressed the need to adapt curriculum and pedagogy in real time with the rise of AI and set up a task force to draft an action plan for higher and school education. It also acknowledged the global impact of IIT alumni and called for leveraging their networks for mentorship, industry linkages, and student development, the statement added.The council underscored the role of IITs in translational research aligned with national priorities, stressing stronger industry-academia-policy linkages, and decided to frame a policy within a month to boost campus-based research and product development for an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India). Different IITs shared various models to promote mental well-being of students.“The minister [Pradhan] told institutions to see students as their families and engaged with them individually. He said faculty must interact closely with students—talk to them on WhatsApp, share meals in the mess, and understand what is going on in their lives, so that their small issues do not grow into serious problems. He stressed the need for a compassionate approach to ensure students are happy on campus. He also suggested to promote healthy living habits inside the campuses, as well as to have an annual health check-up,” an education ministry official said.The council discussed the issues related to recruitment under the Central Educational Institutions (CEI) Act, ways to elevate the IIT R&D Fair as a global platform, and measures to support international students and foreign faculty.