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A step ahead to reclaim and relive the glory of beacons that India once had as seats of academic Excellence. |
Background:
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has taken up a special action plan to give impetus to the NITs in their becoming educational service provider at International level; quality being as per with the IITs or even better; however may not be by emulating IITs, but by learning from their experiences. In this endeavour, five Groups were formed in the meeting of the Directors of NITs held on 1st March 2006 for shaping the NITs in the coming years, for,
I. Faculty norms, ratios, acdrestructure, eaching loads, rationalisation etc.
II. Technical Support (Non-Teaching) and other essential administrative staff etc.
III. Infrastructure – maintenance of Building under Non-Plan, Internal receipt, uniform fee structure etc.
IV. NIT Structure and Ordinances
V. Vision for NITS
The Vision for NITs Group was formed to prepare a vision document for short term and long term planning. The group is constituted of the following members:
1. Director, NIT Srinagar
2. Director, NIT, Jamshedpur
3. Director, NIT, Surathkal
4. Director, MNNIT, Allahabad - Convenor
*In the meeting at NIT, Srinagar, Director, NIT, Raipur was invited to participate.
The group was asked to frame its detailed terms of reference with intimation to the Ministry. Accordingly, draft Terms of References (ToR) were sent to all the members. A copy of the ToR was also sent to Mr. Ravi Mathur, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, New Delhi. The members agreed to the ToR.
Terms of References:
1. The Committee should project a general vision of the shape of technology visualized to come by 2025.
2. The Committee will suggest the areas of technology India should put thrust.
3. The Committee would then suggest the role of the NITs in this development.
4. The Committee would also give a detail plan of the programmes and other activities that could be
taken up by the NITs in the perspective.
5. The Committee will also suggest a generalized structure of the NIT Council.
Introduction
"Our vision 2020 is predicated on the belief that human resources are the most important determinant of overall development…...." Hon'ble President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
The above quote clearly spells out the importance of human resource in building a nation vis-a-vis the human society. Education and knowledge management has a vital role to play in the development of human resource. The science and technical education brings direct impact on development of nation through the empowerment of human resources with the capacity to explore the available resources and exploit / utilise to improve quality of living and intellect. NITs have been given the mandate, and have positively come forward to contribute in the growth and development of the society more and more meaningfully.
Vision 2025 for NITs is based on the following premises.........
√ Human and knowledge resources are catalytic agents for social and economic development of our nation and the human society in harmony.
√ There is going to be global shortage of quality manpower in critical and emerging areas of science & technology.
√ Interdependence between national and global economic and social developments is likely to increase.
√ Quality comes at premium and needs multifaceted efforts.
√ Some developments in the emerging technologies are poised to shake at the base of the human society.
√ India has the potential and responsibility to rise to the above needs.
The World is progressing at even faster pace after a brief pause of recession after Y2K. India already had in ancient times the seats of learning such as Taxila & Nalanda where scholars from all over the world used to come for learning. There is a large amount of manpower requirement although there is some possessing degree in technology are not getting jobs or not getting standard jobs, but because of their poor quality, India has a great potential to offer quality technical education at International level. In addition to UG, PG education, out-sourced research projects can also be taken up by India. However, for that we have to think Globally, especially with the Washington Accord into being. In addition to education delivering systems, other infrastructure needs to be developed to satisfy international standard.
Technology Envisaged By 2025
With due considerations to past developments and present trends and thoughtful foresight of the future, it is envisaged that by the year 2025 would be in the following technology premises:
Agriculture and Food processing
i. Agriculture Bio Technology
√ High yielding crops & terminator gene
√ High nutritional & medicinal value crops
√ Food/commodities high shelf life and taste (Plant pathology)
√ Highly tolerant & pest resistant crop
√ New variety of agriculture produce (GM)
ii. Bio Fertilizers & Pesticide
iii. Large scale mechanised farming and irrigation systems
iv. Food processing, packaging & storage technology
√ Packaging & transportation without damage
√ Processing & healthy preservation without losing nutrient
Health Care
i. Medical Engineering
√ Non-invasive health monitoring systems
√ Diagnostics
√ New medicines and drugs (pharmaceutical) including drug design using gene sequencing.
√ Tele medicine & efficient medicine delivery systems
√ Stem Cell research & GM animals
√ Bio-informatics and Bio-technology
√ GM Human
√ Eradication of certain diseases and cure for Cancer, AIDS etc.
Infrastructure (Social & Industrial)
i. Housing & Land development
√ Low cost rural housing
√ Smart and energy efficient urban housing
√ High rise buildings
√ Mechanised Construction & modular construction
√ Earth quake resistant construction
√ Secured demolition technology
√ Non-invasive and quick geo-technical explorations
√ GIS, GPS and Remote sensing
√ Utilisation of under ground space
√ Health monitoring of the structures
ii. Transportation
√ High-speed (Rapid) surface & sub-surface transport
√ Air transport and Airports
√ Hydro-transportation
iii. Communication
√ Wireless technology and network sensors
√ Satellite & space (inter-planet) communication technology
√ Global high speed data transfer
√ Signal Processing
iv. Urban & rural planning and management
√ Solid waste management and utilisation
√ Electronic & toxic waste management
√ Water treatment
√ GM bacteria for waste management.
v. Technology for local and regional development
√ Avalanches & Landslides studies
√ Freez-Thaw Process of pavements
√ Foundations on slopes
√ Coastal region technologies
√ Technologies for desert
Resource Management
i. Energy Engineering
√ Sources: Hydro, solar, wind, ocean, thermal, nuclear, fuel cell
√ Alternative sources and resources of energy
√ Renewable organic (bio) fuel
√ Energy storage devices
√ Electric Power: Generation, Transmission and distribution
√ Energy audit and loss minimisation
√ Development of Energy efficient technologies
√ Sensor based use of energy appliances.
ii. Water Resource Management
√ River linkage
√ Irrigation canals
√ Rain water harvesting and ground water recharge
√ Utilisation of sea water
iii. Exploration Technology
√ GIS and exploration of mineral and crude oil etc.
√ Remote sensing and resource planning
√ Under sea exploration
√ Exploration in other planets
√ Ocean, Antarctica and Space exploration
√ Exploration of mineral resources without mining out
iv. Environment, Ecology & Sustainability
√ Environmental impact assessment and audit
√ Macro engineering the environment and weather
√ Weather forecasting
√ Global warming
√ Development of Eco-friendly (Green) technology
Disaster Mitigation & Management
i. Earthquake, Volcano & Tsunami
ii. Flood & draught
iii. Widespread fire in forest or in man made infrastructure
iv. Predictions and post disaster rehabilitation
Technology Management
i. Education technology and distance learning
ii. Administration of academic institutions & universities
iii. Knowledge Management
iv. Technology development, transfer, dissemination and absorption
v. Development of indigenous technology (substitute of imported technology)
vi. Entrepreneurship
vii. Information Security and IPR protection
viii. Engineering laws and litigation
ix. Sustainability in resource generation and technology development
x. User-friendly and Safe Technology
xi. Development of interdisciplinary and holistic technology
xii. Research & Development Management
Entertainment & Lifestyle
i. Improvement in sports performances (sports goods & Bio-Mechanics)
ii. Life Style and smart living
iii. Entertainment and Multimedia Technology
iv. Technology for physically challenged and weaker sections to improve individuals’ quality of life
v. Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG)
Strategic Technologies
i. Defence (Reduced human or human less defence ware, Electronic defence ware)
ii. Space Technology
iii. Nuclear Technology
iv. Super computing, grid computing
v. Biotechnology
Computing
i. Computing at the speed of light, Optical computing
ii. Quantum computing
iii. Computer & Network Security
iv. Artificial Intelligence
v. Nano computers
vi. Computer vision
vii. Security engineering including Biometrics
Engineering Industries & manufacturing
i. Electronics & Instrumentation
ii. Chemical Process Industry
iii. Robotics and automation of industries (CAD/CAM)
iv. New manufacturing technologies
v. Micro and Nano manufacturing
vi. Custom manufacturing
vii. Biomimetics
Materials and Processing
i. High performance, multi-functional & smart materials
ii. Material for space applications
iii. Energy efficient lighting
iv. Sensors and actuators
v. Fracture Mechanics
vi. Composite Materials
Development of Newer and Advanced Technologies
i. Computational Fluid Dynamics
ii. Embedded technology and Real time Systems
iii. VLSI
iv. MEMS and NEMS
v. Nano Technology & Bio-Nanotechnology
vi. Advanced sensors & Network sensors
vii. Future technology will emerge by the convergence of different disciplines
viii. Application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) & Fuzzy Logic
IT & Services
i. Internet and digital network services
ii. E-governance
iii. Technology empowerment of mass
iv. Net security
v. Software development for CAD etc
Technology derived from chance inventions
Technology and strategy to combat terrorism and conflict resolution
With technology development getting more and more interdisciplinary, the costing could be done in various ways and may change dynamically with further development. Any way the important technologies coming to the fore front in the coming decades may arranged into four major groups, such as,
- Information Technology
- Biotechnology
- Nano-technology
- Materials technology
Technologies India should put thrust on
Technology is the key for creating wealth for the country and for the upliftment of the economic and social status of the people of the country. The integrated technological strength consists of talented manpower, technology base and infrastructure for industrial growth. A good combination of these factors leads to a self supporting and prospering society. Therefore, a nation can derive strength through the development of technologies for which educational institutes, especially those dedicated to Science & Technology, have to play a leading role. Combined with our talented human capital, natural resources and huge market, we in India have the unique advantage of developing technologies in general and also more suitable to our environment. Moreover, India will have to play an important role for development of global manpower.
Research and development of indigenous technology to compete with the rest of the world in all sectors is required. Though India will have to keep pace with the global trend in development of technology, we have our own specific socio-economic needs as well our own strengths and weaknesses and hence must keep certain technologies in priority. Thus, the technologies related to major areas in infrastructure, advanced technologies, technologies with socio-economic implications, strategic technologies and technologies making India self-reliant should be taken up in the following perspectives:
√ Education
√ Healthcare
√ Agriculture
√ Materials & Manufacturing
√ Infrastructure
√ Energy and water
√ Advance technology
√ Defence, Aerospace and atomic energy
√ Community services
√ Environment & ecology
Role of the NITs in development of technology in India by 2025
NITs will work to fulfil the aspirations of individual and that of nation as a whole. NITs promise to work to provide engineers and technologists who would be the leaders in their field of work, participate in creativity, research, design, development and technology management in the country to meet global challenges to our society and industry. This unique endeavour will focus our efforts towards the common goal and help in shaping the future of our country. NITs can play a vital role in this endeavour by creating excellent resources and facilities for research and development as well as a large pool of highly trained engineers. NITs will contribute its share in converting India’s large population from a liability to a trained human capital.
Based on Technology Vision in general and vision for technologies relevant to India put forward, each NIT has identified its own thrust areas depending upon their current strengths, capabilities, facilities, interests and future projections. Each NIT has also proposed his own action plan to realise the vision incorporating diverse needs and local conditions of each NIT.
A SWOT analysis was observed for the NITs in general while finalising a joint NITs Vision, mission, goals, policy guideline, strategies, action-plans and expected outcomes.
SWOT Analysis
o STRENGTHS
√ Full academic autonomy and deemed university status
√ Professional Board of Governors with administrative autonomy
√ Financial autonomy
√ Reasonably good funding
√ Good quality faculty
√ Creamy layer of students
√ Brand image due to 40 years of standing
√ Conducive ambience and well endowed computational and academic infrastructure facilities
√ Alumni are in Senior/influential positions
√ Good placement record
√ Developing countries students come to NITs for higher studies
√ Adherence to academic calendar with regular academic sessions
√ Periodic updating of curriculum
√ Large number of P.G. programmes offered
√ Conferences and continuing education programmes organised on regular basis
- WEAKNESSES
√ Low teacher-taught ratio
√ Inadequate and insufficiently trained supporting staff
√ Lack of promotional avenues (Pyramidal structure)
√ Low research and consultancy output
√ Non availability of good quality research scholar
√ Non availability of faculty of international repute and having outstanding performance
√ Inadequate publication of technical Journals
√ Work culture is still driven by old REC legacy
√ In-adequate corpus fund to meet the future needs
√ In-adequate sophisticated equipment and labs in the areas of emerging technologies & cutting edge disciplines for post graduate teaching and research
√ Teaching is curriculum centric than learning centric (Inadequate emphasis on problem solving, laboratory experimental design and simulation)
√ Less than needed emphasis on overall personality development of student
√ Inadequate emphasis on entrepreneur skill development in students
√ Inadequate educational technology facilities according to global norms
√ Non availability of continuous and stabilised power supply
√ Library facilities not at par with leading institutions
√ Lack of high profile recreational and extra curricular facilities
√ Inadequate linkages with industry and community
o OPPORTUNITIES
√ Scope to provide world class education in cost effective manner
√ Boom in industrial development puts demand for quality technical manpower
√ Increased intake of UG, PG & PhD students as mandated by MHRD
√ Introduction of innovative programmes like dual degree, MS by research etc.
√ To increase research activities: PhD and sponsored research
√ Establishment of centres of excellence and advanced studies
√ To innovate new products/processes/designs and acquire patents
√ Possibility of international and national collaborations and joint ventures
√ Training of technical supporting staff
√ Tapping of Alumni experience; building corpus fund, developing labs, chair professorships, collaborative programs with universities/ industries etc.
√ MHRDs strong support for funds and autonomy
o THREATS
√ More attractive opportunities outside the NITs pose greatest threat to attract and retain good faculty and technical staff
√ Competition with the Indian campuses of foreign universities
√ Boom in self financing institutions
√ Possibility of oblivion in the number of private and foreign entities
√ Misleading advertisement by private and foreign universities
√ Some of the new NITs may require some time to grow to the expectations.
√ Lack of good faculty may permit mediocrity to overtake excellence
√ Pyramidal staff structure resulting in stagnation
√ Lack of incentives at par with IITs and the industries
NITs VISION
Establishing unique identity by development of high quality human and knowledge resources in the diverse areas of technologies to meet economic and social need of our nation and human society at large in self-sustained manner.
Mission
Our mission is to train and transform young men and women into thinking engineers, technologists and scientists who are motivated by a passion for professional excellence, driven by human values and proactively engaged in the betterment of the society
Goals
• To offer effective teaching-learning to students.
• To Provide the knowledge, skills and attitudes to UG and PG students for their being able to be distinguished globally and be socially responsible.
• To train the students to learn to meet changing needs due to rapid technological advancement, to offer the society the necessary technology and to actively participate in all round socio-economic development programmes.
• to provide facilities, infrastructure, inspiration and resources to conduct the meaningful research along with development of understanding of social relevance including that of indigenous materials, capacities and technologies.
• To act as centres of excellence in technical education catalysing absorption, innovation, diffusion and transfer of high technologies for improved productivity & quality of life at national and global level.
• To have regional consideration as regards to local needs, relevance, strength and limitations and the community services.
Objectives
• To Create an environment for effective teaching-learning by encouraging the students and faculty to nurture their intellectual curiosity, and scientific and research temper.
• Induction of highly qualified, talented, competent & motivated faculty, and trained & dedicated supporting technical and administrative staff
• Establishment of excellent academic support facilities (laboratory, library, Internet etc) required for good education on continuous basis
• Provide opportunities for continuous updating the knowledge of faculty through faculty exchange from premier institutions and industry
• Establishment of procedures and methodologies for regular monitoring and control of quality of all academic programmes.
• Reforms in regulations and curriculum-greater flexibility to students
• IT enabled management of all activities of institute.
• Have strong linkage with industries
• Technology up-gradation, development and transfer
• Active participation of alumni in resource generation and planning and development
• Organising and participation of staff and students in in-house and outside training programs, seminars, conferences and workshops on continuous basis.
• Increase research and consultancy activity, with options for incentives and encouragement to motivate staff and students to actively involve in research activities in collaboration with industry and R&D Centres
• Increase the number of continuing education programmes
• Exchange faculty and working personnel from industry
• Providing the society with necessary consultancy and training to solve local problems on a con by organising community development programs
• Increase demand and pay packages of the student
• Increase Institute-Industry interaction
• Entrepreneurship development
• Increased interaction with educational and other research institutes
Methodologies
* Identify the particular areas of technology needed
* Identify the problems of particular region
* SWOT analysis (Examining of the existing facilities)
* Submit concrete proposals to funding agencies for necessary grant.
* Establish/strengthen R&D facilities in the institute in collaboration with industries
* Develop more research-oriented labs and centres
* Involve students in innovative technology projects
* Research & development oriented education
* Create national/international collaborative programmes
* Introduce need based more number of UG, PG & research programmes
* Networking among NITs for resource and expertise sharing
* Improve in service conditions of faculty members and technical staff commensurate to that of the industry to attract best faculty and staff
* Introduction of award of merit, recognition and sabbatical leave to performing faculty and staff
Output indicators
* Increase in research publication, patents and technology transfer to industry
* Increase in sponsored research projects and consultancy
* Increase at Ph.D. and post-doc research.
* Increase in state of art laboratories in cutting edge technologies
* Increase in national and international conferences
* Increase in qualified (minimum PhD) & talented faculty
* Class rooms and laboratories equipped with latest tools being used meaningfully.
* Adjunct/Visiting faculty from the industry
* Faculty visit/training/collaborative ventures with industry, research organisations and other academic institutions of repute in India & abroad
* Increase in student strength at M.Tech. and PhD level (restructuring the existing programmes & introducing new programmes)
* Introducing new innovative programs like Dual degree program, MS by research program
* Increase in degree programmes
* Increase in foreign students intake
* Increase in the departments and centre of excellence
* Increase in resource generation through alumni, consultancy, fee etc
* Increase in community services to payback to the society
* Increase in qualified technical staff
* Increase in non-formal training to industry and other educational institute (Executive/staff development Programme)
* Lectures by distinguished professionals from industry and academic institute
* National and Global accreditation certification and licensing for global competitiveness as per (GATS- Mode 2 and Mode – 4)
* Development of state-of-the-art infrastructure in terms of building (offices, Lecture theatres, new laboratories, new departments and centres, hostels, faculty and staff residences), equipment, library, video conferencing & media centre, medical, road, electricity, water supply, sanitation, telecom and Internet facilities, security, recreational facilities, environment and ambience.
* Increased utilisation of infrastructure facilities in terms of man-hours by sharing the facilities with the other academic institutions.
* Establishment of industry sponsored chairs
* Nurturing entrepreneurs
* Administrative reforms (MIS, Transparency and self monitoring mechanisms, autonomy, well defined responsibilities & accountability, maintenance etc)
* Exchange programs at national & international level
Role of the Government and the NIT Council in this endeavour of NITs
Involvement by a broad spectrum of groups— such as government departments/ agencies, researcher institutions, industries, industry associations and organisations, standard-setting groups and other interested groups—will be crucial achieving the objectives of this endeavour.
We invite all who see roles for themselves in the advancement of these recommendations to do so. Their initiative to join hands with NITs and extend help in implementing the action plans is welcome.
It is most appropriate that the Technology Vision and action plans for NITs have been evolved at the time of formulation of Eleventh Five Year Plan. This will give us an opportunity to translate the Vision into various missions and time bound goals for accomplishment.
To realise the expectation of the Government from NITs and beyond, the following policies/government inputs need to be considered:
� Autonomous NIT council having reasonable representation from the industry.
� NITs should be allowed to function and excel out of control of any regulatory/statutory bodies except the NIT council, under the MHRD.
� Although under NIT council each NIT would be given the freedom to a pro-active to excel in national and international scenario.
� Govt. shall fund the NITs based on performance so that the competition for excellence exists.
� Although considerable amount of Government funding is essential at the beginning, NITs should be encouraged to generate its own funds.
� Considering the shortage of good faculty due to high pay in private sectors, the faculty members should be given the freedom to earn through consultancy etc.
� Admitting foreign students and arranging for accommodation and other facility for international student and research scholar.
� In the arena of WTO and Washington Accord, NIT will have to gear up accordingly.
Further, following issues may also be considered for the structure of Board of Governors of individual NITs.
* Alumni of an institute have some kind of nostalgia with their institution. This may be exploited by keeping some berth for alumni members.
* Institution members have more interest in running and development of their institution. Institute members may also be kept in council.
The selection procedure should be made in such a way that the council members and the board members contribute themselves toward fulfilment of the objectives in its true perspective.
Proposed Structure of NIT Council (Total members: 44)
* Minister, Human Resource Development
* Secretary, MHRD
* Directors of all the NITs
* Directors of IITs (Two by rotation for two years’ term)
* Vice Chancellor of Central University (one by rotation for two years’ term)
* Chairman of UGC or his Nominee not below the rank of the Secretary
* Chairman of AICTE or his nominee not below the rank of the Member secretary
* Joint Secretary MHRD (Technical)
* President, Institution of Engineers (India)
* Industry Representatives (Four covering all sectors & regions for two years’ term)
* NITs alumni representatives (Six by rotation among NITs including two from abroad for two years’ term)
* NGO representative (one for two years’ term)
* Faculty Representatives at the level of professors from NITs (four by rotation among NITs from four regions)
Some associated aspects
Chairpersons of BOGs of NITs should be eminent educationists, scientists of very high repute or very eminent industrialists from large conglomerates, appointed by the Visitor. It would be an honorary position without any executive functions for the Institute.
Members of the boards should be highly distinguished personalities in education, industry, government departments such as Director IITs, IIMs, Research Laboratories, Joint Secretaries, Additional Secretaries in the Central Government or Managing Directors of large companies and PSUs.
The Directors of NITs should be eminent academicians with acumen for education/research management having understanding and vision for technology as a whole and an interdisciplinary approach. Directors should look after larger issues, overall planning, fostering collaboration and strengthening relation with industries and the Government.
There may be a Deputy Director selected by the Institute and appointed by the BOG.
There should be a Registrar and a librarian in the scale of Professor. Each NIT should have the liberty to engage some special manpower and make special arrangements depending on local conditions subject to the approval of the MHRD.
For close interaction among the NITs a VPN (may be called NITNET) may be established with 2mbps dedicated line for that purpose.
Summary & Conclusion
When the development in Science & technology is shaking at the base of philosophy, India wants to lead the world in technology development, manufacturing, and profitability, while optimising health and safety and ensuring environmental stewardship.
The NIT Vision document outlines a general vision of technology by 2025, suggest the areas of technology India should put thrust on.
The technical education has been a driving force in providing jobs, in supporting industrial development, a healthy economy and all round development of the society.
There will be growing challenges for the technical education industry over the next 20 years as global competition, technology advances, and new markets and products shape the future.
The NITs are readying itself to meet these challenges, and are committed to become a world leader like IT industry.
The vision out-lined in this report highlights where the NITs wants to be in the technical education scenario of the country in the year 2025 with the support of the government (NIT Council), industry and other agencies.
This report also propose a plan of action in this development and outlines a wide range of recommendations that will assist the NITs in advancing toward its vision.
We believe that this endeavour will focus our efforts towards the common goal and help in shaping the future of our country.
This document is the joint effort of NITs. We would like to thank all the members and participating institutions for their contributions in making this vision document and the action plan of implementation.