HRD to propose new scholar scheme for PhD programmes in engineering courses

According to the sources, the IITs will be asked, if it is possible, to get exceptional students into PhD immediately after BTech. It would also be proposed that "BTech pass-outs from IITs who have job experience and are interested in research should be enrolled in PhD," they added

Arnima Dwivedi
Published on: 22 Aug 2016 4:58 AM GMT
HRD to propose new scholar scheme for PhD programmes in engineering courses
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New Delhi: In a twin purpose of giving boost to research and produce more faculties in premier technology institutes, the Human Resource Development ministry has proposed a new scholar scheme that seeks to provide admissions to as many as 1,000 BTech students, from top engineering colleges, directly into PhD programmes. The proposal will be presented to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) council in its meeting next week.

Ministry officials stated that the proposal was being made to increase the number of good professors in the IITs. “The idea is to solve the problem of faculty crunch in IITs,” said the official.

According to the sources, the IITs will be asked, if it is possible, to get exceptional students into PhD immediately after BTech. It would also be proposed that "BTech pass-outs from IITs who have job experience and are interested in research should be enrolled in PhD," they added.

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"Despite around two thousand PhD degree holders coming out of IITs every year, when it comes to hiring teachers, the same number of vacancies exists. IITs are very selective. The need is to improve the quality of PhD and attract bright IIT students to undertake research," a source from the ministry said.

Scholarships for PhD enrolments in IITs:

  • To attract students towards PhD after BTech the government has also proposed to provide scholarships to the students joining the programme.
  • A ministry official said, “The amount, however, would not be big enough to compensate the package that is offered to an IIT pass-out after B.Tech, but it will probably be the highest.”

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Status of IIT faculties:

  • A report by Anil Kakodar Committee had earlier recommended that each IIT presently has a staff of 500 faculties which should be increased to around 1,200
  • The committee had also suggested that the IIT system should be scaled to 16,000 faculty and 1, 60,000 total student strength by the year 2020.

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Arnima Dwivedi

Arnima Dwivedi

A journalist, presently working as a sub-editor with newstrack.com. I love exploring new genres of humans and humanity.

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