Autonomy for IITs says Sibal
Concerned that Indian institutions lag in research output, HRD Minister Sibal said it was time the country thought differently and gave its education institutions freedom to think freely. Sibal’s remarks were prompted by a study on engineering education in India conducted by IIT Bombay professors Rangan Banerjee and Vinayak P Muley, which found that though India produces roughly 2.3 lakh engineering graduates, only 1% out of them go for research.
Human resource development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal has grand plans to reform our education system After advocating a formula that would test the analytical ability of students instead of promoting learning by rote, Sibal wants educational institutes to be free from university affiliations. At present, institutes with degree courses need to be affiliated to state universities.
Concerned that the Indian institutions lag in research output, the HRD minister said it was time the country thought differently and gave its education institutions freedom to think freely.
According to him, they should be free from the affiliation process of universities, who use institutions to make money. He said all major universities in America were set up by businessmen, but India’s business community hasn’t realised the potential in this sector.
“Mukesh Ambani recently announced plans to set up a world-class university that would promote research in all disciplines. A lot more people are coming to me now. We are opening up the education sector for private,” Sibal said.
Sibal’s remarks were prompted by a study on engineering education in India conducted by IIT-Bombay professors Rangan Banerjee and Vinayak P Muley, which found that though India produces roughly 2.3 lakh engineering graduates, only 1% out of them go for research.
According to Banerjee, there should be at least 20,000 PhDs per year, possibly half of them supported by the industry if India is to grow into a major economic power.
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