Target to increase faculty from 360 to 650: IIT-BHU director
Prof. Patra said that the institute also planned to motivate senior scholars and PhD students from India and abroad to join, with initiatives to encourage research scholars from other IITs.
VARANASI: The country’s premier educational institute, IIT BHU, is poised to increase its faculty numbers from 360 to 650 over the next three years.
Director of IIT BHU, Prof. Amit Patra, said on Friday that ongoing interviews and advertisements were being conducted to expedite this process, with a target to complete the hiring within three months in each cycle.
Prof. Patra said that the institute also planned to motivate senior scholars and PhD students from India and abroad to join, with initiatives to encourage research scholars from other IITs.
Addressing a press conference, Prof. Patra said that IIT BHU had several departments, such as pharmaceutical, ceramic, mining, civil engineering, electrical, and mechanical engineering, that had provided significant academic leadership in the country.
IIT BHU transitioned from IT BHU only 12 years ago to keep pace with advancing technology. Prof. Patra emphasised the need for speed and the importance of equipping labs with state-of-the-art facilities, supported by the ministry.
He noted the heritage buildings of departments like mining and metallurgical engineering and highlighted the excellent training facilities in student labs that simulate factory environments.
He acknowledged the abundant resources and facilities at IIT BHU but noted that there was room for improvement in rankings. He mentioned significant research opportunities in chip design, 6G communication, and AI. “With strong alumni support and company collaborations, two major initiatives are being undertaken in the areas of e-mobility and biomedical devices,” he said.
“A research park similar to IIT Madras is planned to facilitate monetising faculty patents and supporting startups, with ₹85 crores already secured for construction. Alumni and angel investors are prepared to provide significant financial support to encourage startups and reduce failure rates, promoting entrepreneurship over traditional employment,” said Patra.
He also highlighted the incorporation of aspects of the New Education Policy (NEP) into the curriculum, aiming to increase internship durations and job opportunities. Additionally, there are plans to provide recorded lectures in various mother tongues from different IITs, while also focusing on English proficiency.
Present on the occasion were dean of student affairs, Professor Rajesh Kumar, coordinator of the training and placement cell, professor Sushant Kumar Srivastava, chairperson of the press and publicity committee, joint registrar Swati Biswas, and member assistant registrar Sudhanshu Shukla.