The IIT Gandhinagar Story

ICTIEE-HubliJanuary 2014

Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar

• Five Original IITs:

− Kharagpur in 1950’s

− Madras, Mumbai, Kanpur and Delhi in 1960’s• Two Later IITs:

− Guwahati in mid 1990’s

− Roorkee in early 2000’s (conversion of Roorkee University)

• Eight New IITs:

− Bhubaneswar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Jodhpur, Patna, Ropar: 2008

− Mandi, Indore: 2009• As a part of the massive expansion in higher

education, e.g.,

− 7 new IIMs, 10 new NITs, 15 new Central Universities,…

The New IITs

• Advantages−Start-up culture, informal, vibrant,

energized

−Can experiment with new ideas

−You part of decision making, you grow faster

−You create culture and leave a legacy

−Plenty of resources

The New IIT / University

• Disadvantages−Rules and systems missing (you create

those) Can be confusing to some

−Lack of mentoring by seniors; no role models

−May take time to build new labs, create new curricula

−Additional effort to attract research students

−And, may be noticed if you are not active !

The New IIT / University

• Started operations in 2008• Currently ~750 students, ~80 faculty

• ~ 1/3 of current faculty are short-term• ~39 sponsored projects from DST, DBT, MoES, …

• Academic Programmes• B.Tech (from 2008)• Ph.D (from 2009)• M.Tech and D.IIT (from 2011)• M.Sc. (from 2013) …including in Cognitive Science• M.A. (from 2014)

• Recruitment of faculty in ALL AREAS

IITGN: Current Status

• 15-20 minutes from Ahmedabad airport• Permanent location: on Sabarmati bank in

Gandhinagar• Gujarat

• Vibrant economy, entrepreneurial spirit• Strong support from state govt and local elite

• Ahmedabad• Uninterrupted power supply; no inverters in homes/

offices!• Safe: women on scooters at midnight• Excellent roads: no traffic jams• Educational and research hub: numerous reputed

institutions• Medical facilities: best in the country

Location

• To create a world-class university• Best in the country in next 15-20 years• Similar to Top 100 in the world in next 15-20

years

Aspiration

• Location in Ahmedabad - Gandhinagar

• New institute• IIT Brand• Top students

Advantages

• Skepticism (all round)• Developing country mindset• IIT Brand

Disadvantages

• Value addition• Focus on de-stressing and life skills

• Curricula to be more broad based

• Undergraduate research & project-based learning

• International exposure

• Inculcate social responsibility

• The first two batches• Have done extremely well

• Higher studies, entrepreneurship, …

Agenda on Undergraduates

As a new institute, IIT Gandhinagar has a unique opportunity to aim for the ranks of a world-class university

Campus Development

Academic Buildings

Academic Buildings

 Temporary Campus

Temporary Campus

• 5-week Foundation Programme• Humanities and Social Sciences (8 – 17

courses !)• Compulsory courses on

• Design and Innovation• Biology

• Emphasis on sports• Projects outside the curriculum• International experience (~1/3 of

graduating class this year)

UG Curriculum

•First 5-weeks, 5-areas of focus:• Physical Activities and Sports• Fostering Creativity• Communication Skills and Teamwork• Values and Ethics• Social Awareness

Foundation Programme

Social Engagement

• Community Outreach Policy of the Institute• Engagement of Girl Students of Sakar School • Nyasa: Construction Workers Programme• Children’s Education Fund (for contract

workers)• Medical Fund (for contract workers)• Housing for Construction Workers

Community Outreach

• Disciplinary diversity and integration of Humanities/ Social Sciences with Science and Technology

• All electives are open• Students free to work on any project in

any domain• Minors and Honors allow students to

take additional courses in specific areas

USP of Engineering/Technology Programmes

• Coordination among disciplines• Discipline does not “own” their subject.• Respect for all disciplines as equally

valid fields of endeavour.• Need for all disciplines to converge in

holistic education.

USP of Engineering/Technology Programmes

• Not all learning happens in the traditional classroom setting:

• Peer-assisted learning• Self-study and Independent study

courses• Classes in Active-Learning Classrooms• Projects that are need-based, and

based on personal experience• Earn-While-You-Learn (EWYL)• Projects to be done not for credit

USP of Engineering/Technology Programmes

• Focus areas being developed include:• Safety• Design and Innovation• Public Health• Biomedical Engineering• Automobile Engineering• Archaeological Sciences,

Continuing Agenda

Continuing Agenda

• Experiments in undergraduate curriculum• Teaching of mathematics with engineering context• Teaching of HSS and engineering in a seamless

manner• Open-ended experiments in laboratory curriculum• Fusion of laboratory and lecture

• Summer Research Internship Programme (SRIP)

• Start-Early PhD Fellowship (SE PhD)

• PhD consideration for students without GATE

• International student admissions

Initiatives for Students Outside

• Initiatives in PhD admission:• Recruitment of scholars from different

(and relevant) backgrounds• Top-up fellowship for outstanding PhD

students (Rs 5k or Rs 10k per month)• Support in case no GATE/CSIR• International travel support of upto Rs 2

lakh

Scholar Recruitment

Short Word on Performance

• Excellent student placements of the 2 batches• 10% in top Universities

• Caltech, Stanford, Princeton, CMU, Austin, …• 4 have started a company • 1 has chosen to work on technology for social

sector• Top industry jobs

Questions and Suggestions are most welcome

academics@iitgn.ac.in

Thanks a lot