FOREIGN STAFF INDUCTION PLAN

Battle over IIT wages finally comes to an end

Akshaya Mukul & Hemali Chhapia | TNN

New Delhi/Mumbai: HRD minister Kapil Sibal’s meeting with IIT directors on Wednesday resolved the salary imbroglio that had seen IIT faculty, including those in IITBombay, go on strike. A detailed presentation by the ministry—showing that IIT faculty after revision got more than UGC scale and even DRDO scientists—seems to have done the trick. The few unresolved issues, Sibal promised, would be immediately looked into.

IIT-Guwahati director Gautam Barua said the discussion with the minister regarding payscales was “very positive’’. “The ministry gave its word on looking into the apprehensions that faculty members had regarding pay scales,’’ he said.

Though a final decision has not been taken, there is a possibility that common counselling for AIEEE and JEE could be held for successful candidates of both entrance tests from 2010. However, a decision on merging IIT-JEE and AIEEE to become a common entrance test for entry to the country’s tech schools will be taken later.

The meeting, a sequel to Sibal’s earlier meeting with IIT directors on June 30, discussed progress of new IITs. It also saw the minister assuring the directors that a special cell would be set up in the ministry to facilitate entry of foreign faculty in IITs. The meeting also discussed the need to create, subject to ministry’s approval, an international pool of faculty for IITs. The matter will be discussed in a separate meet of IIT directors.

Sibal presented an example about his own success story when he, as a science and technology minister, set up a website and invited top scientists who were interested in collaborating with their peers in India for research. “We too will similarly shortlist a pool of faculty who are interested in coming and teaching at the IITs for short durations,” said a director who was a part of the meeting.

To deal with faculty shortage, IIT directors have been told to double PhD intake and prepare a list of students who were awarded PhD degrees this year. The list may be exchanged with directors of other IITs who can consider them for appointment as faculty.

Told about the Bologna Accord, Sibal said India should also evolve its own model. The accord, specific to European Union, aims to create European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards comparable and compatible throughout Europe. Most of the EU countries are its members.

IIT directors were told about the white paper promised by them on research and development in IITs including details of publications in high impact journals, patents, and other educational details.

The ministry told IIT directors about the SC order that asked IITs and other educational institutions to help SC/ST students at each stage.