In long Facebook post, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, came out in support of the recent decision to increase fee of M.Tech courses in the premier engineering and technological institutes. Prof. Rao said IITs record a dropout rate of over 50 per cent as students treat the courses as a stopgap arrangement till they land a job or crack a competitive exam and the decision by the IIT council, top decision making body of the IITs, to hike the fee is a "surgical strike" on "uninterested" students.
He also said 'The freebies that we have been doling out with tax payers money, to students who are uninterested and into systems which have become unaccountable, needed to stop at some point".
He said the IITs are now taking loans from HEFA for their infrastructure. "IIT Delhi needs to repay something like Rs. 580 Crores to Canara Bank over the next 10 years. Same is the case with IIT Bombay and others. There is a great need to increase our internal revenues".
"Students who come to the M.Tech programmes in IITs are not coming to become academicians. Those who wish to become one, can directly register for a Ph.D. All IITs allow a direct admission into Ph.D (with a high stipend and almost zero tuition fee) without M.Tech as a requirement, including the PMRF," he wrote.
"If students are willing to pay 20 lakhs for an MBA degree in an IIM, they can surely pay 4 lakhs for a masters degree in IITs. Nobody drops out of IIMs since they see a value in IIM-MBA programmes. On the other hand, we see over 50% dropouts in IIT- M.Tech programmes," he added.
"After the Council decision, since IITs now need to attract high fee paying students, I am sure, institutions will also align themselves to market requirements and will have a serious relook at the masters streams they are offering. This will bring in accountability at all levels. In the long run, the masters programmes will become contemporary and will train students for the jobs which exist in the Industry," he said.
According to Prof. Rao, Masters programmes in IITs will train students for jobs and those who are interested in academics, will switch over to a Ph.D and the top GATE scorers will still be offered admissions into M.Tech programmes directly as Teaching Assistants and will be offered fee waivers and stipend. "However, the fee waivers and stipend will be linked to their role as Teaching Assistants. Others will get into these programmes paying a fee by taking loans, if needed. Since the programmes will get aligned with market requirements, they will be guaranteed a job and can repay loans".
The official Twitter handle of HRD ministry has shared Prof. Rao's comments which are support of the decision.
The IIT Council led by Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' had on Friday approved a proposal to hike the fee of the masters programme and bring it to the level of the B.Tech courses.
The decision was taken on recommendations of a three-member committee on reforms on M.Tech programme in IITs.
"The committee had recommended proactive increase in the MTech fee and bringing it at least to the level of BTech fee (Rs 2 lakh per year) over the next three years. Simultaneously the needy students will be supported directly by the government through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) or arranging educational loans," a senior HRD Ministry official had said.
Read the complete post by Pro. Rao here:
(With PTI Inputs)
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