SYNERGY WITH FUTURE IITS: A
  CONSORTIUM APPROACH
 

6.1 One of the significant initiatives taken by government in recent years is the setting up of a new IIT at Guwahati. A detailed Project Report was prepared setting out the successive steps required to be taken to ensure that the new institution meets the standards of excellence of other IITs. It is quite possible that in the future, this initiative will be replicated. The Group recommends that past experiences be drawn upon to evolve modalities for synergy between existing and new IITs.

6.2 The first set of IITs had the advantage of close association with overseas Schools of Technology of eminent status as each IIT was attached to a group of universities. The collaborative effort was provided by the universities acting as a consortium. Extending over a period of several years, this included riot only the design of the institution, its laboratories and other facilities but also provided active academic support, by making available the full time services of professors of eminence in different disciplines. The services of this eminent teaching faculty became available only because a financial package was put together by the host Government.

6.3 While individual IITs have offered assistance to IIT , Guwahati individually, the Group recommends that a closer linkage be forged by organising a "Consortium of IITs" who would interact and make available the necessary teaching support spread over a reasonable period to ensure that the new institution attains the standards of excellence expected of it. This would only be possible through an appropriate set of incentives. The consortium should work out the modalities of faculty placement on the basis of a "consultancy assignment" which will enable them to cut through the normal institutional frame-work for such assignments. This would, inter alia, include retention of residence, appropriate compensation and additional travel facilities to and from Guwahati for the "consulting faculty".

6.4 Since the IIT Guwahati is presently engaged in enrolling students for the first semester it is necessary that the necessary academic and infrastructural support becomes available without delay and senior teaching staff are made available preferably within the current scholastic year. Decisions by the Governing Body of the IIT Guwahati need to be expedited to enable it to receive the "consultancy services" from the proposed consortium within the specified time frame.

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