IIT Council Pledges for 'Atmanirbharta': Transforming into Global Technological Leaders

The 56th meeting of the Council of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) took place on Monday at IIT Delhi, presided over by Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan. The council collectively vowed to further Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbharta se Samriddha Bharat', by committing to evolve IITs into bastions of inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship, and global technological leadership.

In his address, Pradhan urged the IITs to spearhead India's shift from mere incremental progress to a comprehensive quantum transformation. He stressed the need for fostering job creators rather than job seekers, emphasizing IITs' impact on national development through real-world problem solving and translational research in emerging technologies. He strongly supported the introduction of regional Indian languages alongside English as educational mediums to ensure education is inclusive and accessible, aligning with the Prime Minister's aim for an equitable and self-reliant India.

The Minister highlighted IITs' growing influence in entrepreneurship and research, noting the presence of over 6,000 start-ups, 56 unicorns, and nearly 5,000 patents within the IIT ecosystem. He attributed this success to strategic initiatives like the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship and Centres of Excellence in AI. These developments, he noted, recognize IITs as engines of economic growth and symbols of India's Amrit Kaal aspirations. Additionally, Minister of State for Education and DoNER, Sukanta Majumdar, reiterated these points, describing IITs as pivotal to India's goal of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He identified them as institutions that foster Innovation, Inclusion, and Transformation, producing world-class technologists and entrepreneurs.

The meeting also showcased a film depicting the Prime Minister's Independence Day address, setting a stage for in-depth discussions on IITs' future direction and role in national development. Further discussions reviewed the integration of regional and Indian languages in engineering education, exploring tools and platforms to support language-diverse learners.

Concluding the meeting, council members discussed a long-term vision document, IITs@2047, to guide the system's evolution for two decades to align with national aspirations. They also considered elevating the IIT R&D Fair to a globally recognized innovation platform and addressed international student and faculty challenges.