Every Indian Student and more excitedly their parents want their children to get into Indian Institute of Technology(s), promoting these institutions to the best of nation, also since these are central government funded it is like an icing on the cake. And in the wish of joining these institutions students work hard immensely and not to forget the hefty fees they pay to coaching classes; while it is dream of many only a handful gets an opportunity to join the same. It is said that these institution has the place for only brightest minds across the nation, and the world praises and pays voluminously for such bright minds. And not to forget the best deserves the best, that means these institution gets the best of nation resources. But are these institutions really the best?
Let’s look at some data from sources, the QS world university rankings 2018 says that the best Institute in India for technical education is IIT Delhi standing at 172nd rank in the world. Just assume in the world of 208 countries formally, India’s best institute is at 172nd rand followed by the dream destination of students IIT Bombay at no less than 179th position. The position of other institutions in list is as IISc Banglore -190, IIT Madras – 264, IIT Kanpur – 293 and IIT Kharagpur at 308. The facts become more serious when you see that except for IIT Roorkee and IIT Guwahati other IITs don’t even fall in the list of top
1000 universities of world. Other prestigious ranking agency Times Higher Education World University Ranking and Thomson Reuters which every year comes up with top 100 universities also do not hold name of any IIT. Just to brief you with various criteria of ranking these include – academic reputation, research paper citations of faculty, employer reputation, faculty and student responses and number and international associations.
Moreover, if we see the budget allocation this year itself IITs have been allocated a budget of INR 3000 crore, which was INR 2337 crore in 2016 and INR 2500 in 2015. Besides, this year many IITs have seen fees hike to upto almost 50% for all the students. A 3rd year undergraduate student from one of the IITs said “They have increased the fees tremendously this year, we have even protested for it, but, no action has been taken. After two years of completion this has suddenly brought a financial mismanagement in the family as I belong to a middle class family and we have to manage our budgets.” He further quoted “After so many years of hard work I cannot even leave the course now”. Further, the institutes receive amounts from various national research agencies for their projects which have not been accounted here.
Secondly, these rankings do not comprise of entities like hostel facilities, sports facilities and other co-curricular activities. Also, institute demands separate fees for these amenities and rise in them have also been recorded. Though the author do not have evidence but the talk from students gives some more negative responses, one of the post graduate girl from IIT has stated that “Though they provide us with court to play badminton, but they do not give us rackets and corks, also the one available with the hostel office are not in good condition to play. They even ask as to wear special sports shoes to get into court and do not permit us with even good quality of walking/jogging shoes.” She adds, “Not all of us play for competition, most of us play to relax and freshen up ourselves from daily schedule”.
Moreover, one more major concern is that still most of the IITs, specially the new ones are faculty deficit, with some upto 30% in particular departments. This also consequents into rank fall of IITs. This has also resulted in poor research records of IITs as compared to other International Institutes.
To conclude, I would just like to say that when the IITs have potential and resource both in hand, these should be used properly, to make them globally best tech-schools. IITs should also encourage their research students and faculty members to devote more quality time on substantial research which can be accounted for publishing technical papers or can be patented or can be of social boon, so that it also accredits more points to IITs.