Centre to consider Kakodkar panel suggestions on IITs: PM

Updated on: Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the government would consider recommendations of the Anil Kakodkar committee on the functioning of IITs after a council of the premier institutes looks into them.

Speaking at the 57th annual convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur here, he said, "The Kakodkar panel formed on the functioning of IITs had made a number of important recommendations. These will soon be considered by the council of IITs and then by the government of India."

He said the panel had noted that the number of PhDs emanating from the IITs were "very small as compared to similar institutes in the US or China".

The prime minister said the panel therefore emphasised the importance of technology and innovation linked to advanced research.

He said that India had declared the current decade as a 'decade of innovation'.

"The panel suggests that the IITs take on the challenge of creating an advanced research based innovation eco-system with the involvement of industry and national technology related programme," Singh said.

The government had provided a special grant of Rs 200 crore in this year's budget for the development of IIT, Kharagpur, he said.

"There is abundant land here. If a science park can be created with the requisite infrastructure, industries can locate their R&D units in IIT, Kharagpur," Singh said.

IIT, Kharagpur was also proposing to establish an institute of medical science and research, he said.

"This innovative model will integrate two perse disciplines of engineering and medicine and signals new directions in medical education and healthcare delivery."

Singh said IIT, Kharagpur was able to provide a fertile breeding ground to drive innovation by creating a strong R&D environment and entrepreneurial support.

Nearly 1900 candidates were awarded graduate degrees and PhDs to 245 students at the convocation.

IIT, Kharagpur conferred Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) to Sunil Mittal of Bharti Enterprises, Brij Mohan Lall Munjal of Hero Motocorp, agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan and nuclear scientist R Chidambaram.

Centre to consider Kakodkar panel suggestions on IITs: PM

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