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Mecca of Indian technology to focus on social commitment
Monday, 17 February 2003, 20:30 IST
BANGALORE: Alumni of the Indian Institutes Of Technology (IIT) Sunday turned their attention on social commitments to payback what they had imbibed from their alma mater and the country.
The alumni, drawn from Bangkok to San Jose and across India, met here to celebrate the global recognition that IIT alumnus had achieved. At the same time, the celebration was accompanied with characteristic IITian introspection and contemplation of the road ahead.
The discussion zeroed in on ways of improving the governance of the seven IITs and quality of teaching with enhanced focus on research and development and social commitment.
"The most important role of an IITian is not just to create wealth or jobs. It is incumbent upon the IITian to leverage all that they have learnt by making this country a better place to live in," said Infosys Technologies CEO Nandan Nilekani, an alumni of IIT Mumbai.
"IITians have contributed to the world, but not to the development of Kanpur or Kharagpur (where two of the oldest IITs are situated). What is really called for is not elitist excellence but mass excellence?" said Jairam Ramesh, secretary of Congress Party's economic cell.
Ramesh moderated a debate on the "role of IITs in nation building", which concluded with a decision to set up either a national task force, headed by Nilekani, or a small working group for a pan-Indian initiative for the future of IITs in the country.
The task force would look into all issues that were raised at the largest congregation of IITians in India.
Last month, a convention was organised in San Jose, California, celebrating the 50th anniversary of IITs. Microsoft Corporation chairman, Bill Gates had addressed the convention.
"This is the right time to reiterate the focus on research by IITs. India's research output is clearly declining," said P. Balaram, professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and an IIT alumnus.
"Jawaharlal Nehru (who set up IIT) did not distinguish between science and technology. It was started with a great emphasis on research but that has started declining. It is a matter of concern."
"Wealth is important, but in our stride towards wealth, IITians should also look at issues concerning the world," Balaram added.
"If we have to brand ourselves as a bigger brand than the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), then the focus should be on research and development," said R. Gopalakrishnan, executive director, Tata Sons.
"We have done well in the past. We can do much more by involving the alumni," said Ashok Jhunjhunwala, professorat IIT, Chennai, and the brainchild behind six companies. One of them being a telecom company that boasts of business worth 
10 billion.
However, to enhance the quality of education, the institutions need further collaborations with the industry and attract good faculty members, representatives of the directors of IITs maintained.
"The biggest impediment is the lack of compensation to faculty," said Bijendra Jain, an IIT, New Delhi, representative.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parriker and an ex-IITian himself felt that to improve the quality of education, each IIT could adopt two or three engineering colleges to facilitate a multiplier effect.
"IITians have migrated away from entrepreneurship. We have to create clusters around the IITs for entrepreneurship to evolve so that the problems of Kanpur and Kharagpur can be solved," Nilekani said.
"IITs were set up with a vision for the larger benefit of the society. It is, therefore, incumbent upon them to make the difference. If they don't give it back, they have failed society."
"A back of the envelope calculation puts it at 50 billion spent for 125,000 IIT graduates," Ramesh said.
Source: IANS
10 billion.
However, to enhance the quality of education, the institutions need further collaborations with the industry and attract good faculty members, representatives of the directors of IITs maintained.
"The biggest impediment is the lack of compensation to faculty," said Bijendra Jain, an IIT, New Delhi, representative.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parriker and an ex-IITian himself felt that to improve the quality of education, each IIT could adopt two or three engineering colleges to facilitate a multiplier effect.
"IITians have migrated away from entrepreneurship. We have to create clusters around the IITs for entrepreneurship to evolve so that the problems of Kanpur and Kharagpur can be solved," Nilekani said.
"IITs were set up with a vision for the larger benefit of the society. It is, therefore, incumbent upon them to make the difference. If they don't give it back, they have failed society."
"A back of the envelope calculation puts it at 50 billion spent for 125,000 IIT graduates," Ramesh said.
Source: IANS