Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Established in 1959, Indian Institute of Technology Madras is a
non-profit public higher education institution located in the the urban
setting of the metropolis of Chennai (population range of over 5,000,000
inhabitants), Tamil Nadu. Officially accredited/recognized by the
Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Human Resources
Development, India, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) is a
coeducational higher education institution. Indian Institute of
Technology Madras (IITM) offers courses and programs leading to
officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees,
master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. This 58
years old H.E. institution has a selective admission policy based on
entrance examinations. International applicants are eligible to apply
for enrollment. IITM also provides several academic and non-academic
facilities and services to students including a library, sport
facilities and/or activities, study abroad and exchange programs, as
well as administrative services.
Indian
Institute of Technology Madras is one among the foremost institutes of
national importance in higher technological education, basic and applied
research. In 1956, the German Government offered technical assistance
for establishing an institute of higher education in engineering in
India. The first Indo-German agreement in Bonn, West Germany for the
establishment of the Indian Institute of Technology at Madras was signed
in 1959.
The Institute was formally inaugurated in 1959 by Prof. Humayun Kabir, Union Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs. The IIT system has sixteen Institutes of Technology. The first of these to be instituted are at Kharagpur (estb. 1951), Mumbai (estb. 1958), Chennai (estb. 1959), Kanpur (estb. 1959), Delhi (estb. 1961), Guwahati (estb. 1994) and Roorkee (estb. 1847, joined IITs in 2001).IIT Madras is a residential institute with nearly 550 faculty, 8000 students and 1250 administrative & supporting staff and is a self-contained campus located in a beautiful wooded land of about 250 hectares. It has established itself as a premier centre for teaching, research and industrial consultancy in the country.
The Institute has sixteen academic departments and a few advanced research centres in various disciplines of engineering and pure sciences, with nearly 100 laboratories organised in a unique pattern of functioning. A faculty of international repute, a brilliant student community, excellent technical & supporting staff and an effective administration have all contributed to the pre-eminent status of IIT Madras. The campus is located in the city of Chennai, previously known as Madras. Chennai is the state capital of Tamilnadu, a southern state in India.
The Institute was formally inaugurated in 1959 by Prof. Humayun Kabir, Union Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs. The IIT system has sixteen Institutes of Technology. The first of these to be instituted are at Kharagpur (estb. 1951), Mumbai (estb. 1958), Chennai (estb. 1959), Kanpur (estb. 1959), Delhi (estb. 1961), Guwahati (estb. 1994) and Roorkee (estb. 1847, joined IITs in 2001).IIT Madras is a residential institute with nearly 550 faculty, 8000 students and 1250 administrative & supporting staff and is a self-contained campus located in a beautiful wooded land of about 250 hectares. It has established itself as a premier centre for teaching, research and industrial consultancy in the country.
The Institute has sixteen academic departments and a few advanced research centres in various disciplines of engineering and pure sciences, with nearly 100 laboratories organised in a unique pattern of functioning. A faculty of international repute, a brilliant student community, excellent technical & supporting staff and an effective administration have all contributed to the pre-eminent status of IIT Madras. The campus is located in the city of Chennai, previously known as Madras. Chennai is the state capital of Tamilnadu, a southern state in India.
A
Technological Enterprise at the Service of the Nation The Indian
Institute of Technology, Madras belongs to the genre of new generation
institutes of national importance in higher technical education. Located
in South Chennai, in a beautiful campus spanning 630 acres, the
institute is nearly self-contained and houses around 3000 students as
well as the families of members of faculty and staff. The Institute has
grown from strength to strength ever since it obtained its charter from
the Parliament of India in 1961 and has established itself as a premier
centre of research, consultancy and technological development.
It all began in 1956, when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, was on an official visit to West Germany and was offered assistance by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, to set up a higher technological institute in India. This resulted in the signing of the first Indo-German Agreement in Bonn in 1959, for the establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology at Madras. The first Indo-German Agreement provided for the services of German professors and 5 foremen, training facilities for 20 Indian faculty members and the supply of scientific and technical equipment for the establishment of the Central Workshop and 20 laboratories at IIT Madras. In 1959, the Institute was formally inaugurated by Prof.Humayun Kabir, Union Minister for Scientific and Cultural Affairs. Dr.A.Lakshmanaswamy assumed office as the first Chairman of the Board of Governors and Dr.B.Sengupto as the first Director of the Institute. The Institute was declared as an 'Institute of National Importance' by the Parliament of India in 1961.
The visit of Dr.Heinrich Lubke, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 1962 marked the beginning of the Indo-German Technical Assistance Program. In 1973, Shri C.Subramaniam, Minister for Industrial Development and Science and Technology, inaugurated the Industrial Consultancy Centre. The same year, the first IBM System 370 Model 155 digital computer was dedicated to the Institute. 1974 witnessed the commencement of the fourth Indo-German Agreement with the objectives of setting up inter-university partnerships in R&D projects, strengthening of the industrial consultancy service and establishment of a post-graduate programme in Television Engineering. The Employees Welfare Scheme was introduced in 1975 and evening D.I.I.T courses were started for the benefit of engineers in and around the city. In 1976, an agreement was signed with the Government of France for collaboration and assistance to the Aeronautics Department. Five years later, the fifth Indo-German agreement was signed with the principal objectives of continuation of inter-university projects, strengthening of the Micro Processor Laboratory, Low Temperature Laboratory and High Polymer Laboratory and continuation of exchange visits. The credit system of evaluation for B.Tech. programmes was introduced in 1979.
Since 1973, the Institute has conferred honorary degrees of Doctor of Science and Doctor of Technology (honoris causa) to eminent personalities like Nobel Laureate (Physics) Dr. John Bardeen (1973), former Minister for Foreign Affairs (FRG) Mr.Hans Dietrich Genscher (1973) and former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, Dr.Raja Ramanna (1983) among others. Prominent in the academic calendar of the Institute is the Institute Convocation Day, the convocation address being delivered usually by the President, Vice-President or Prime Minister of India. President Shri Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan addressed the first convocation of the Institute. The 35th convocation address (in 1998) was delivered by the Honourable Vice-President of India, Shri Krishna Kant.
Our recommendations are all related to the achievement of these goals. we would like to emphasize at this stage,that all the effort that has gone into shaping these views supported by a number of people, within the IIT system, within the country as well as a number of experts and alumni abroad, will not bear fruit, unless these recommendations are examined,and decisions announced.Equally important is to act on such decisions quickly and effectively. During our visits to IITs,many have doubted whether there is an effective machinery available for implementing such decisions.We are very clear that the changes which we are suggesting are in tune within the policies and needs of our time and these can be implemented if there is clearly enunciated policy backed by the Government.it is also necessary to translate their backing by providing qualified and competent manpower for implementation.Wherever the Government is committed, implementation becomes easier.If recommendations are acted upon changes will be clear and visible in five years time.
We gather that currently the management of IIT desk in the ministry is clubbed with other duties,and there is hardly, any time to nurture and extend the support necessary from Government to these institutions e.g. in the council of IITs to deal with issues arising in parliament. It is essential that the Ministry of Human Resource Development should deal with IITs as the sole concern of a whole time officer without any other major load added to him.To be effective, he must be at a sufficiently at a senior level .He should be backed with qualified staff who could initiate in the next few years a mechanism for implementation. We would emphasize that this aspect be taken into account while examining your recommendations.
The second important aspect of for successful implementation of the suggestions made by us, is specific policy support of the Government of India, e.g.
It all began in 1956, when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, was on an official visit to West Germany and was offered assistance by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, to set up a higher technological institute in India. This resulted in the signing of the first Indo-German Agreement in Bonn in 1959, for the establishment of an Indian Institute of Technology at Madras. The first Indo-German Agreement provided for the services of German professors and 5 foremen, training facilities for 20 Indian faculty members and the supply of scientific and technical equipment for the establishment of the Central Workshop and 20 laboratories at IIT Madras. In 1959, the Institute was formally inaugurated by Prof.Humayun Kabir, Union Minister for Scientific and Cultural Affairs. Dr.A.Lakshmanaswamy assumed office as the first Chairman of the Board of Governors and Dr.B.Sengupto as the first Director of the Institute. The Institute was declared as an 'Institute of National Importance' by the Parliament of India in 1961.
The visit of Dr.Heinrich Lubke, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, in 1962 marked the beginning of the Indo-German Technical Assistance Program. In 1973, Shri C.Subramaniam, Minister for Industrial Development and Science and Technology, inaugurated the Industrial Consultancy Centre. The same year, the first IBM System 370 Model 155 digital computer was dedicated to the Institute. 1974 witnessed the commencement of the fourth Indo-German Agreement with the objectives of setting up inter-university partnerships in R&D projects, strengthening of the industrial consultancy service and establishment of a post-graduate programme in Television Engineering. The Employees Welfare Scheme was introduced in 1975 and evening D.I.I.T courses were started for the benefit of engineers in and around the city. In 1976, an agreement was signed with the Government of France for collaboration and assistance to the Aeronautics Department. Five years later, the fifth Indo-German agreement was signed with the principal objectives of continuation of inter-university projects, strengthening of the Micro Processor Laboratory, Low Temperature Laboratory and High Polymer Laboratory and continuation of exchange visits. The credit system of evaluation for B.Tech. programmes was introduced in 1979.
Since 1973, the Institute has conferred honorary degrees of Doctor of Science and Doctor of Technology (honoris causa) to eminent personalities like Nobel Laureate (Physics) Dr. John Bardeen (1973), former Minister for Foreign Affairs (FRG) Mr.Hans Dietrich Genscher (1973) and former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, Dr.Raja Ramanna (1983) among others. Prominent in the academic calendar of the Institute is the Institute Convocation Day, the convocation address being delivered usually by the President, Vice-President or Prime Minister of India. President Shri Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan addressed the first convocation of the Institute. The 35th convocation address (in 1998) was delivered by the Honourable Vice-President of India, Shri Krishna Kant.
Our recommendations are all related to the achievement of these goals. we would like to emphasize at this stage,that all the effort that has gone into shaping these views supported by a number of people, within the IIT system, within the country as well as a number of experts and alumni abroad, will not bear fruit, unless these recommendations are examined,and decisions announced.Equally important is to act on such decisions quickly and effectively. During our visits to IITs,many have doubted whether there is an effective machinery available for implementing such decisions.We are very clear that the changes which we are suggesting are in tune within the policies and needs of our time and these can be implemented if there is clearly enunciated policy backed by the Government.it is also necessary to translate their backing by providing qualified and competent manpower for implementation.Wherever the Government is committed, implementation becomes easier.If recommendations are acted upon changes will be clear and visible in five years time.
We gather that currently the management of IIT desk in the ministry is clubbed with other duties,and there is hardly, any time to nurture and extend the support necessary from Government to these institutions e.g. in the council of IITs to deal with issues arising in parliament. It is essential that the Ministry of Human Resource Development should deal with IITs as the sole concern of a whole time officer without any other major load added to him.To be effective, he must be at a sufficiently at a senior level .He should be backed with qualified staff who could initiate in the next few years a mechanism for implementation. We would emphasize that this aspect be taken into account while examining your recommendations.
The second important aspect of for successful implementation of the suggestions made by us, is specific policy support of the Government of India, e.g.
- association of IITs with policy planning agencies of the Government like Department of Electronics for import of electronic equipment, DGTD with regard to technology import and development etc.energy conservation, and other areas of S&T work.
- encouraging industry by way of tax concessions for their contribution to establish meaningful linkages with the IITs
- freeing them from bureaucratic interferences, ensuring autonomy and demanding accountability
- encouraging measures necessary to create situations where IIT alumni remain engaged within the country in challenging tasks.
- engaging IITs in selective thrust areas of development
- considering them as focal points think tanks in in the matter of framing technical education policies at graduate levels and beyond
- National pension scheme for faculty for easy mobility into industry and R&D organizations
- support for entrepreneurship effort of faculty and for those successful in efforts for indigenous technology development
- external support to the IIT management for enforcing higher standards of achievement and reward merit both in faculty and employees
- supporting IITs to establish and enforce separation policy for faculty, based on objective assessment and giving policy backing as necessary in this regard
- helping IITs to remain high in their standards even if it means modifying some government policies in the sphere of reservations or industrial relations
- central plan provisions for removal of obsolescence
- faculty housing and provision of modern computers for the IITs
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