IIT-M, a lesson to learn

I BELONGED TO the second batch. All our holidays were cancelled and we graduated six months earlier. IIT-M holds several lessons for us. The first lesson is that if we have a political will, we can try to solve many of our pe­rennial problems – 24X7 water supply to all, making India the cleanest city, reducing traffic fatalities, providing un­interrupted quality power supply, promoting consumers as the King, etc.

Ours was the first batch to start occupying the campus. Our seniors were put up in a hostel at Saidapet, off the campus. We were told that our first director Dr. Sengupto had given strict orders to architects that buildings should be constructed around the existing trees and minimum number of trees to be felled. After 64 years, I can now see the impact of the far-reaching decision of the first director of IIT-M. Forest today is denser than what it was when we entered it first. Unlike today, environmental protection was not on the national agenda then! Look at the campus­es of our most educational institutions. Trees are felled first – often even without securing the needed permits from the forest department.

Wherever one goes in the campus from the entrance gate to the far end of the campus, we see deers. Speed limit of 20 kms/hr is strictly enforced with the violators having to pay Rs. 10,000.

Can authorities insist on enforcing traffic laws strictly? IIT campus may be small and one can argue that it is easier to implement the traffic rule for a small campus. It is not the size of the area but the political will which is of critical importance. When we first entered the campus in 1960, there were about 500 deers and their popula­tion was increasing. Today, there are about 150 deers. We encountered them only while going on the roads. They never came close to the hostel. Now, they are all over and everywhere. One of the reasons for the decline in deer population is the decreasing size of grazing because of building activities. When we entered the campus in 1960, we were energetic youths who could run and jump and take active part in all athletic events. At 80, some of us need wheelchairs. Often, we could not even recognize our classmates with whom we had spent five years in a forest.

When we were young, we never thought of old age. Recently, Dr. Devi Shetty had put up a video with the mes­sage for young and old. He stresses the need to practice yoga to keep our joints in good shape. Youths need not get discouraged since aging is a natural process. But they need to pay attention to get ready for old age by taking care of their health when they are young.

When we were admitted, the admission committee ensured that there were students from each state of India to promote national integration. As a result, we always looked at ourselves as Indians first and last. Caste, un­like today, was never an issue. Reservation was not even on the horizon. Even now, I was happy to learn that even in the absence of a policy to promote national inte­gration, there are students from all over India.

During the welcom­ing speech, the director of IIT-Madras, Dr. V. Kama­koti, gave some impressive facts to show how IIT-M has been ranked as num­ber one institution in engineering category ever since NIRF (National In­stitutional Ranking Framework) rating started in 2016. IITM has a goal of securing at least one patent a day and, thus, is highly ranked in research ranking also. In 2023-24, it filed 419 patents.

Students are encouraged to develop working models and even work on start-ups at IIT-M research park. IIT-M has a goal to reach 100 start- ups next year. So far, it has helped 365 start-ups which had a cumulative value of Rs. 45,000 crores. The New Education Policy has been implemented in true spirit. For students, more than 50% of courses are optional. Thus, a civil engineering student can take computer science and a physics major can take up philosophy or history or economics courses. How lucky are IIT-M students and how unfortunate students studying in most educational institutions where the governments have failed to implement NEP because of narrow political considerations.

Can our educational institutions, despite the limi­tations put by the government, help the students by implementing some aspects of NEP or at least demand the state to adopt some beneficial aspects of NEP to help the students? Students protest for all kinds of issues. Why not protest to implement a progressive policy like NEP?

Giving back to society was stressed throughout our stay on the campus. Again, IIT-M ranks in this aspect high. IITM alumni are generous in donating funds to their alma mater which was Rs. 367 crores in 2023-24. Anywhere one goes in the campus, it becomes obvious – alumni-funded shuttle EV buses, building blocks, food courts, hostel renovation, research labs, scholarships, etc.

Every educational institution, specially govern­ment-managed, should try to instill in their students from the first day of school/college why and how they can help their alma mater when they start earning. IITM has developed a pro­gramme called Vidya Shakti to help slow learners to catch up with their peers. Since its starting in 2023, it has helped over 60,000 students in Varanasi. IIT-M has been offering online BS courses in Data Sciences and Artificial Intel­ligence for students since 2020. Already, more than one lakh students have enrolled in the course. These students have flexibility to complete the course. They can leave the course any time and join. As a result of this course, many are able to earn huge salaries.

Can our engineering, management and universities offer online courses to help the poor but bright students? Alternatively, entrepreneurial students can enroll at IIT-M online and secure much-coveted degrees from IIT-M with­out having to go through the hurdles of JEE.

In conclusion, IIT-M has indeed been striving to reach its vision: “To be an aca­demic institution in dynamic equi­librium with the social, ecological and economic environment striving continu­ously for excellence in education, research and technological service to the nation.