ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 

8. The task assigned to us was interesting and absorbing. It could have never been accomplished without the cooperation of many who gave us their time, who attended interviews arranged for them and who supplemented the data whenever requested. We wish to record our sincere thanks to all of them. It Is impossible to individually acknowledge their efforts but we would like to make a mention of some groups such as:

- the Boards of Governors of all the IITs;

- the Unions/Associations of specific employees' groups;

- individuals in the IITs who gave evidences and represented some aspect or the other of the working of the IITs;

- Research Scholars;

- the Faculty;

- Senate Members;

-Directors of the IITs;

- the Chairmen of IITs;

- the past members of the Board of Governors;

- representatives of the Industry, alumni, other Engineering Colleges, R&D Organizations etc.

Others who helped us were from Government Departments like:

- the Education Secretary;

-the Educational Adviser (Technical);

-representatives of the Scientific Departments of the Government of India etc.

Yet others were those who responded to our enquiries such as:

- Secretaries to the Government of India;

-Directors of National Laboratories and Principals of Regional Engineering Colleges;

-Vice-Chancellors of Central and some other selected Universities; -important Industries/business organisations, State Governments, Electricity Boards;

- All Science Academies, Directors of the Institutes of Management;

- Heads of Public Sector Undertakings;

- the University Grants Commission and a few other universities/institutions.

Another category of persons who helped us were Indians settled abroad, particularly IIT alumni and IIT Professors. Some of the Professors from the foreign countries were those who helped to set up the IITs initially through the Aid Programmes. In this group we particularly thank the large number of alumni who responded to the advertisement made through our Embassy in Washington. Their candid response appreciative as well as critical were most useful to us. In addition, we wish to thank our Embassy of India, Washington, U.S.A. also.

While we considered most of the suggestions from others relating to our terms of reference, some of those received after we concluded our deliberations could not be taken into account. However, much a Committee tries to be comprehensive there are always some interesting aspects which are left uncovered. In this case they are:

- a cost/benefit analysis of IITs;

- locational advantage, if any, of each IIT;

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- relative advantages gained by technical collaboration with different countries in the IITs;

- whether the JEE preferentially helps the urban elite;

- data on placement of IIT graduates in India and abroad;

- a fuller assessment of IITs' contribution to industrial, economic and social development and to the store of fundamental knowledge as well as its position as a leader;

- technical manpower planning relating to technology development;

- technology and the future.

We hope that the Council or other Committees of the Council will initiate some of these studies. We wish to end with the thought that if the IITs wish to become torch bearers of Technical Education of the Twenty-first century they ought to be more critical and demanding about themselves than we may appear to have been in our comments. If they do so on their own, we are sure that they will reach their ideals sooner and in a better way. They hold the future in their hands. It is a bright future. We wish the IITs well.

SUMMARY

The Committee could not cover some aspects of interest for lack of data and time. It is recommended that IITs take up or sponsor studies relating to some of these aspects viz.

- cost/benefit analysis of IITs;

- the locational advantages, if any, of each IIT;

- the advantages gained by the IITs through technical collaboration with different countries;

- whether JEE preferentially helps the urban elite;

- data on placement of IIT graduates in India and abroad;

- IITs' contribution to industrial, economic and social development and to the store of fundamental knowledge as well as its position as a leader;

- technical manpower planning relating to technology development;

- technology and the future. (Pars 8)

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