IIT council approves ‘honourable’ exit plan for ‘weak’ students

NEW DELHI: The IIT Council on Friday approved plans to give an honourable exit to ‘weak students’ after the second semester, allow greater autonomy for IITs in consultation with the NITI Aayog, encourage their ‘internationalisation’ through renewable contracts for foreign faculty and test OCI (Overseas Citizens of India) students directly for JEE Advanced.

At its 53rd meeting held in New Delhi, the council said that those who are unable to keep pace with the required academic standards can be allowed an ‘honourable’ exit after the second semester, instead of being dropped from the IIT system.

Each IIT senate will be asked to look at reasonable exit options for such students, with the understanding that they should be equipped with degree-level education and given extra time to cover up, if necessary, those who attended the meeting said.

The council also decided that a model for according greater financial autonomy for IITs be arrived at in consultation with the NITI Aayog. The HRD ministry indicated that it was open to all templates on greater financial and administrative autonomy for IITs as long as the institutes remain affordable for students from all sections of society.

Formulae like direct fee reimbursement to students through DBT instead of subsidising them are under discussion. The council agreed there was a need for each IIT to review the ‘Merit-cum-Means’ scheme to ensure that there was no overlap and duplication of beneficiaries.

The council also called upon IITs to focus on research. It has recommended that each IIT identifies 4-5 thrust areas and set up national level laboratories for the same. Each IIT has been asked to mentor 10 engineering colleges in its vicinity.

In keeping with the goal of ‘internationalisation’ of IITs, the council felt it was necessary to recruit foreign faculty on renewable contracts rather than the current five-year tenure. The visa regime for the same will have to be sorted out with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs.