Rama Krishna Sangem
All deans of Indian Institutes of Technology IIIT) have met in Hyderabad for two days on May 8 and 9, and discussed about strategies to enhance the overall research and development (R&D) ecosystem. This is part of the thrust at the national level by the union education ministry. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to increase R&D in our higher education institutions and IITs play a big role in this.
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) organized a two day all IITs Dean’s (R&D) conclave to deliberate on how all IITs can come together to enhance the overall Research &; Development ecosystem and promote towards the technology development for Self- Reliant India. Dean(s), Associate Dean(s) from 21 IITs across the country participated in this first-of-its-kind conclave, according to a media relase from IIT-H.
The conclave was inaugurated by Prof B S Murty, Director, IITH, with a welcome address to the delegates.
Prof B S Murty, Director, IITH, emphasized that the R& D activities at the IITs should focus on innovations, which will result in generating technologies, more employment, startups, and a connect with the industries for their commercialization. Prof Murty also suggested using this opportunity to ensure the sharing of research infrastructure for their best utilization.
He also mentioned that all IITs should come up with a plan jointly on how to handhold other neighboring Institutes to mentor their faculty for research activities.
The agenda of the conclave was prepared with an aim to share and learn the best Institutional practices from each other to facilitate the research and develop Inter-IITs research collaborations to find the solutions to grand challenges of societal importance, said Prof. Chandra Shekhar Sharma, Dean (Sponsored Research &D; Consultancy), IITH and also the convener of this conclave.
Prof Sharma added that the challenges being faced by the individual researchers and the various Institutes, such as delay of receipt of funds and procedural delays in the procurement of high-end sophisticated research equipment, were also deliberated. All Dean(s) agreed to work on developing a common portal to showcase the technologies ready for their commercialization for better industry connection.
The conclave ended on a note to organize such a conclave annually and to develop this conclave as a platform to suggest new ideas and recommend a few measures for the ease of doing research to the Ministry of Education and Principal Scientific Advisor office through the IIT Council
