Make Innovation A Way Of Life, President Tells Directors Of NITs

A Two Day Conference Of Directors Of National Institutes Of Technology Convened By Shri Pranab Mukherjee, The President Of India In His Capacity As Visitor Concluded Today (November 8, 2013) At Rashtrapati Bhavan.

In His Concluding Remarks, The President Called Upon Nits To Make Innovation A Way Of Life And To Develop At Least One Department As A Model Of Excellence. He Said Innovation Clubs Should Be Set Up In All Nits On A Priority Basis And During His Visits In Future To Nits, He Would Like To Meet And Interact With Inspired Teachers And Grassroot Innovators.

The President Drew Attention To The Fact That There Are Over 44% Vacancies In Faculty Positions In The Old Nits, And Over 63% In The Case Of New Nits. He Asked The Nits To Take Steps To Fill Up The Vacant Posts In A Time Bound Manner. He Also Called Upon The Ministry Of Human Resource Development To Take Measures For Providing Flexibility To Nits In Hiring Outstanding Candidates From Industry, Foreign Universities And National Laboratories As Visiting And Adjunct Faculty. The President Further Emphasized That Improving International Ratings Should Be An Important Area Of Attention And Asked Nits To Nominate One Senior Professor As Coordinator For Interface With Evaluating Agencies.

The President Called Upon Nits To Complete Construction Of Basic Infrastructure Including E-classrooms Within A Specified Time Frame. He Said Each Nit Should Within The Next Six Months Establish An Industry Cell In Collaboration With Local Industry And Industry Associations. This Cell Must Establish Contact With At Least Ten Industrial Units/smes To Develop Collaborative Research Projects, Internships, Faculty Exchange And Workshops Etc.

The President Said Such Conferences Of Directors Of Nits Would Be An Annual Feature And That He Intends To Maintain Contacts With The Faculty And Students Of Nits Through Video Conferencing.

Detailed Recommendations Were Made By The Directors Of Nits At The End Of The Conference Which Will Be Examined By The Ministry Of Human Resource Development. The Concluding Session Was Also Addressed By The Minister For Human Resource And Development Dr. M M Pallam Raju.

This Release Issued At 1800 Hrs