IITs may compete as single unit for place in global rankings

Giving an indication in this regard, Higher Education Secretary Ashok Thakur said the idea is to position the IITs as a single unit much like the IIT brand which has become an entity in itself for finding a place among the top three best institutes the world-over.

International ranking agencies such as Times Higher Eduction and QS World University Ranking would be informed accordingly, he said.

Central universities and other institutes could follow on how the IITs position themselves in the ranking list, he said.

Thakur's comments came after a "retreat" of the IIT directors in New Delhi on Thursday attended by HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju and some other PSU heads.

Thus far, none of the Indian institutes feature among the top 100 in the world ranking. Panjab University is the highest ranked Indian institution clubbed in the group of universities ranked between 226 and 250 by Times in its latest report.

The absence of the IITs in the global ranking list has been a matter of intense debate in various forums despite their academic reputations. President Pranab Mukherjee too has expressed concerns over these institutes not featuring in the top league.

Thakur had earlier said that nodal professors will be engaged by IITs to coordinate with international ranking agencies to help place the country's institutes among the best.

The standing committee of IITs has also constituted a committee to guide the IITs and other institutes as well on improving their rankings.

Raju later tweeted that the directors retreat discussed at length for focused efforts by the IITs on strengthening industry and research linkages and multi-disciplinary research.

There were deliberations on how to assist the energy sector develop indigenous technology for resource exploration in the country and bring down the cost of production.

In the field of medicine too, the meet discussed how the IITs could help the sector and develop and design medical equipment which are largely imported at present.

The minister in his tweet also disclosed plans to set up of a centre of design while the secretary said the meet also discussed ways on better use of ICT for the education sector.

Workshops would be conducted with various ministries and departments with which IITs would be engaging, he said.