Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “The  Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) are overcommitted, in crisis” which was published in the Hindu. Recently, a branch campus of IIT Madras has just opened in Zanzibar, Tanzania and IIT Delhi will be launching programmes from its Abu Dhabi campus in 2024.

Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) – Key Points

• Identity: Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are globally renowned as India’s premier higher education institutions.
• Establishment: The first Indian Institutes of Technology was founded in 1950 in Kharagpur, West Bengal, followed by four more within a decade.
• Expertise: They recruited Indian scholars educated in top foreign universities, eager to contribute to national development.
• Expansion: From 2015 onwards, the government extended the IIT system, adding seven more institutions, often in non-metropolitan areas.

Foreign Adventures of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

• Admission Standards: Unlike at home, the admission process is based on the IIT Madras Zanzibar Selection Test (IITMZST) 2023 screening test followed by an interview. 
• High Inclusion: Some of the screening test centers offered to potential applicants were located not only in Tanzania but also in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates (which has a strong presence of the Indian diaspora).
• Arising Questions:
  • Faculty: How many of the faculty in Zanzibar are from the Chennai campus — and will they stay in Zanzibar? 
  • Infrastructure: The campus is under renovation. Are there appropriate laboratories, access to IT, and related amenities? 
  • Less Enrollment: The Zanzibar campus is open to students from across the globe, while only 70 students have enrolled. 

What is the significance of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)?

• Renowned: They are the only Indian higher education institutions known internationally at all. 
• Result Oriented: They have produced leaders in high tech and related fields in India and abroad. 
• High Enrollment: The enrolment in all the 23 IITs has expanded to more than 1,20,000, with 25,237 students graduating in 2022-23, marking a clear indication of more access and opportunity.

What are the challenges associated with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)?

• Lacking Quality Standards: The new IITs have struggled to meet the high standards of the traditional institutes. 
  • Some were created by upgrading existing institutions such as the Indian School of Mines Dhanbad, while others were “greenfield” start-ups. 
• Unwillingness to Join: Top professors are often unwilling to work in isolated places, and the best students are also hesitant to enroll. 
• Uncompetitive Salaries as per International Standards: Attracting the best, the brightest professors and foreign-trained Indians are difficult due to dramatically below international standards salaries. 
• Inferior Environment: Foreign-trained Indians are also reluctant with inferior work environments and more academic bureaucracy. 
• Severe Shortage of Academics: In the IIT system, in 2021, out of the 10,881 of the sanctioned posts 4,370 were vacant.

The Way Forward

• To maintain the prestige of the IIT system, there is a need to focus and work upon:
  • Building quality in the new IITs
  • Maintaining faculty quality
  • Attract young professors committed to the IIT idea and to India’s development 

Also Read: Dr. Somnath Explains Why IITians Shy Away from Joining ISRO

Conclusion:

Expanding the system domestically and building overseas branch campuses as part of India’s soft power efforts can be fruitful only if the above mentioned challenges can be tackled.