The Indian Institute of Technology is now a household name in India and the highest aspirational goal for many brilliant students.Jawarharlal Nehru is usually credited with the establishment of IITs.
Actually the story goes back a few years before Nehru became Prime Minister.Sir Ardeshir Dalal,a member of the Viceroy's executive council,proposed three steps to promote technology in the country:
1)The establishment of science & technology laboratories under the council of Scientific and Industrial Research(CSIR).
2)World class technology institutes to provide manpower for research.
3)As a short term measures,special scholarships in American universities for able young graduates.
He did mot live to see his dream fulfilled but had to lay the foundation of a future IIT by appointing a committee under Sir N.R.Sankar.
History:
At this stage,politics took a hand.Dr.B.C.Roy,CM of West Bengal ,impetuosly demanded that the first IIT be located in his state and be started immediately.He had a strong case because at that time WB was the most industrialised state in the country .Dr.B.C.Roy had the support of Sir J.C.Ghosh,a former Director of Indian Institute of Science,who in fact became the first director of IIT Kharagpur .
Kharagpur was choosen as the location for the first IIT only because it had the Hijlee jail,which was being closed down and therefore provided a large ,readymade building .Gauhati too started as a political whim.When PM Rajiv Gandhi went to Assam to propitiate agitating students,he was presented a list of demands -of which one was an IIT for Assam.He agreed to it on the spot .Similarly ,the UNIV of Roorkee was converted into an IIT because Murli Manohar Joshi wanted one for his state as the Delhi College of Engineering.The British were pursuaded to support it because the Russians,the Americans and even Germans had committed to support an IIT each.At the instance of the British,the Delhi College was converted into an IIT.
Incomplete Fragment:
The Sakar Committee Report is an incomplete fragment;most of it is a detailed proposal of how to set up a hydraulic engineering laboratory .However,it have gems of wisdom in its introductory pages.One of its important recomendations of the chief executive from the chairmanship of the executive body.
In universities,Vice Chancellors combine both positions.Thus,while a VC is like a fighter with a sword in each hand,IIT Directors hold a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.
The IITs were lucky to come up at a time of excruciating foreign exchange crunch.Short of funds,Nehru persuaded Russian Gov. to fund the one in Bombay.The Germans,who were accumilating embarassingly,large trade surpluses with India,offered to setup the third one in Madras.
Not to be left behind,the Americans brought in a strong team to start the IIT in Kanpur.
International support conferred two special privileges on the IITs.One,it provide foreign experts,who added much glamour and some academic brilliance.Two,the IITs became the only institutions in the country with substantial foreign exchange to establish modern laboratories.Both ways,IITs got an advantage over traditional universities.
The IITs were also lucky in having persons of grit as Directors.They were ably supported by a far-seeing bureacrat in Delhi.L.S.Chandrakant was nit from the IAS and had an academic background.He consciously subjugated his authority as Educational Adviser for Technical Education to promote academic autonomy in the IITs.It was due to such a fortuitous combination of circumstances tha strong foundations were laid for the IITs.
For decades,very few politicians were conscious of what IITs were.They offered no opportunities for political or financial patronage.Often they were confused with ITIs-beneath the attention of MPs.On the other hand,for the Education Ministers of those days,the IITs were the jewel in their crown-to be cherished,nurtured and protected.The times have changed.The IITs have now become political pawns to buy political favours.At present,neither Ministers nor bureaucrats see any value in promoting quality;for them the IITs are a commodity,to be bought and sold in the political market place.
Brain drain:
Two years ago the U.S. congress passed a special resolution commending the contributions made by IIT graduates to the American economy.Such praise is both an advantage and a handicap.It recognise the quality of education IITs provide so its is an advantage.where as it is a handicap because it follows that IITs have not done enough for their own country.
Many IIT graduates did forsake their country;fewer of them do so these days.Few people apprciate the reason:the talents of IIT graduates are not valued here.Indian Industry depends mainly on foreign know-how ; it needs only technicians,not IIT graduates.In the government,engineers have wait almost till retirement to reach responsible positions;even then ,they have to report to an IAS officer nearly 20 years younger.Both ways,IIT graduates have little scope and less autonomy to practise their skills.
The fact that IIT graduates are badly under-rated is usually forgotten.The fact that they can face the toughest international competition is deemed to be a flaw than as an asset.The Indian Gov. and Indian Industry too.has much to for squandering some of the finest talent available anywhere in the world.
Academic independence:
What about the next 60 years?Unlike L.S.Chandrakant,present day bureaucrats have no respect for academic autonomy.IIT directors do not have the grit that their predecessors like Dr M.S.Muthanna had and fought a determined fight against political interference.IIT perquisites used to be extraordinary;salaries quite satisfactory.That is no longer true . IITs cannot attract faculty the way they used to ;even if they can, the government with its insistence on caste based reservation in faculty recruitment will not allow them to do so.
"" IITs used to get outstanding students through a national entrance examination.That test has now become anachronistic;tutorial institutes have proliferated and feed rote learners rather than intellectuals.""
To overcome these threats ,IITs should a)learn to face political/administrative interference;b)attract top quality academics and c)devise a better system for admitting students.
THIS IS AN ARTICLE TAKEN FROM "THE HINDU" WRITTEN BY P.V.INDIRESAN,former director of IIT MADRAS.
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