 FUTURISTIC DEVELOPMENTS - FOCUS & INPUTS

5.1 To maximise the benefits of the large fund of research and knowledge that is being generated in IITs, it is necessary to focus on areas where worldwide technological advancements are most rapid. An on-going review of 'fast track' areas would not only help IITs but would also alert industry to such developments and assist them in identifying areas which should receive their immediate attention. There are several ways in which this could be done:

Patent Search

5.2 One method would be to institute a mechanism for patent searches in specific areas. This could be done in association with Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) which has the necessary capability. Awareness of sectors being researched upon globally would serve as a guide for future research within IITs.

Seminar Participation

5.3 Another source of compiling information on futuristic developments could be through active participation by both faculty and students in professional Seminars. Such events not only provide a forum for interaction with technology leaders globally, and would assist IITs in establishing personal relationships with scientists working at the very forefront of technology. As Seminars are often held in association with exhibitions, participation would serve the dual purpose of exposing IIT faculty and students not only to new processes but also to new products which are indicative of the thrust directions of emerging technologies.

IITs should participate not only in seminars held within the country but selectively in seminars outside the country. This would help in greater understanding of happenings and thinking in the more industrialised world. Evaluation of the status within the country and outside would help in charting the future course of research activity in particular spheres.

Accessing Data Bases

5.4 The 'Information Highway' with its access to worldwide data bases provides an invaluable means of keeping abreast with literature, documentation and data on a variety of subjects. As IITs have on-line connectivity to 'Internet', the Group recommends that this facility be used on a quantitatively wider scale than is presently the case. In fact, accessing information is only one aspect of 'Internet'. An important spin off would be relationships which would develop with other players on the Worldwide Web. As more students and faculty members begin to use this facility, their presence would be increasingly recognised by researchers in other parts of the world who would give them leads on the latest developments. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) already has a great deal of information on computer software and its applications. A beginning could be made by forging an alliance with NIC. This could then be expanded into a broader association with Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) for access to data bases in other areas. The Group considers this to be an important tool for IITs to stay at the forefront of technology and strongly recommends that this be used as one of the means by which IITs and RECs on the one hand and IITs & Industry on the other could interact effectively.

Documentation of Published Data

5.5 Technology intensive sectors have been addressed by the Department of Science & Technology (DST) under two schemes; viz. Technology Information Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC) and Technology Absorption & Adoption Scheme (TAAS). Under the former, DST publishes reports on where technology is heading and in the latter, it addresses issues of productivity. IITs could well act as the receptors for such information at a national level. Documentation of these reports and publishing abstracts from them should become an on- going activity. Compilations should be printed, made available to industry and other research institutions on a subscription basis. While umbrella institutions, such as, INSDOC provide documentation service, IITs could provide invaluable assistance, if they were to publish 'technology capsules' These could become a source of substantial income as such information packages despite their expense remain in great demand by Industry for technology evaluation and subsequent investment decisions.

IIT Bulletin Boards

5.6 IITs have a vast reserve of research experience. A highly competent group of intellectuals have made major contributions in several important areas. In addition, IITs have excellent facilities and equipment for pursuing research in a variety of disciplines and specialities. However, this vast fund of experience and the availability of unique facilities is not widely known. Notwithstanding sporadic areas of collaboration, the existence of these valuable assets remain within the confines of academia. The Group recommends that a serious effort be made to disseminate this information to industry, possibly through CII Workshops, direct mailing and Internet's electronic bulletin board, highlighting the important role which IITs can play in both identifying areas for applied research and in pursuing such assignments not only effectively but also within an agreed time frame.

Cooperation With Other Research Agencies

5.7 It is the recommendation of the Group that for a start, public sector units and R&D organisations under their control should involve IITs in research programmes in their respective areas. Simultaneously, there is need for greater interaction between major research establishments such as Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Railway Design & Standardisation Organisation (RDSO), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and others. Were this to happen constructively, the IITs could provide industry with a more comprehensive range of services to industry by involving other organisations as and when needed. The Group recommends that the Board of Education Research (BERP) which has been set up at IIT Delhi should be emulated by the other IITs so that the capabilities of IITs are more widely known and understood,

Shift to Applied Research

5.8 The Group is of the view that there is an urgent need to shift the focus of research activity in the IITs from generation of new knowledge to applied research. Indeed, in fulfillment of the perception of IITs being centres of excellence, they should provide support to industry not only in advancement of learning and dissemination of knowledge but also fulfill their more important requirement of research into the areas of immediate application, i.e., production processes in the case of process industry and manufacturing engineering in the case of the engineering industry.

Perspective Technology Group

5.9 To evolve a direction of future R&D activity, the Group recommends that a high level body be constituted designated as the "Perspective Technology Group". This Group would comprise- (a) captains of industries; (b) academics from the IIT system, (c) heads of major R&D groups, and (d) other eminent persons drawn both from the private and public sectors.

The Perspective Technology Group which would be headed by an eminent industrialist would meet twice a year to review, evaluate and decide on thrust areas for future research, appraise progress and assign R&D effort to emerging technologies. The Group would be supported by a Secretariat. The Group suggests that in view of its central location, IIT, Delhi be designated as the Secretariat to service the Perspective Technology Group.

Faculty Orientation to Meet Emerging Needs

5.10 A substantial portion of the manpower in the IIT system, as well as in many other institutions, have come through the Technical Teachers' Training Scheme which was implemented in the early 60's. Currently, there is a serious shortage of Technical Teachers of high quality. Reasons are manifold: the brightest of the B.Tech. graduates do not opt for a Master's or a Doctoral programme because of the substantial salary differential between industry and institutions. The minimum requirement for a faculty position is generally a Ph.D. and the remuneration levels after a Ph.D., which generally takes about 7-8 years after graduation, are of the same order or less as compared to what are being offered to a fresh B.Tech. by industry. Logically, an improvement in salary scales would be indicated. However, as industry salaries would always be significantly higher *3 , it is the view of the Group that the requirement of Ph.D. be relaxed in certain disciplines, viz., computer software, architecture, etc.

For the future of Technical Education in the country, it is important that sufficient incentives are given to bright graduates to consider the option of an academic career. The scheme, in principle, could be to select about 200 B.Tech. graduates on an all-India basis each year and attach them to the five IITs and give them attractive remuneration. This attachment would be for about two- and-a-half years - of which atleast one year with industry after which period they would acquire a Masters degree. Engineering institutions could then recruit them as faculty.

Some of them could even opt for a Doctoral programme with appropriate incentives. They will also act as Teaching Assistants in the IIT system, contributing to the various activities and also getting trained in the process. Initially, it may be necessary for MHRD to fund this teacher's training programme. Progressively, the funding could be transferred to the IITs, as the students would be contributing to the working of the IIT system as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants within the framework of the IIT-Industry interaction.

3 This is the situation in all countries.