Panel fails to deliver model, IIT autonomy may take a hit

Owing to lack of a politically acceptable alternative funding model, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) may continue to depend on the government for up to 75% of their financial requirements. Charu Sudan Kasturi reports.

Owing to lack of a politically acceptable alternative funding model, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) may continue to depend on the government for up to 75% of their financial requirements.

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But Directors of the premier engineering schools may soon be selected by the Institute Boards rather than the government, under a much-awaited blueprint for the future of IITs, multiple sources privy to the document has told HT.

The blueprint — drafted by a panel set up by HRD minister Kapil Sibal under former atomic energy chief Anil Kakodkar —is scheduled to be presented to Sibal on Thursday. The HRD ministry is likely to form a fresh panel to examine the proposals of the Kakodkar committee.

As reported by HT on April 23, the panel has proposed that students’ fees be used to finance only up to 25% of the recurring costs of the IITs —after the HRD ministry objected to a plan to fund the entire financial requirements of the IITs through fees.

But the IITs have repeatedly failed to generate adequate funds through research, consultancies and alumni donations.

The panel recommendation to allow Boards of Governors (BoGs) — instead of government selection teams - to pick Directors is unlikely to be easily acceptable to IIT heads, source said.