How can Indian technology institutes and universities make India self-reliant?

All over the world, institutions and universities are in a bid to exhibit their stance regarding the challenges faced by the society and the economic development of their country. Gone are the days when students opted to study in a technology institute only because of its faculty. Today, they search for more in terms of practical expertise and experience in market analysis and research.

There is no doubt that India has taken quantum leaps in the field of science and technology and imparting education to its students, but it does not feature itself in the Reuters’ Innovative Universities of 2019 which ranks the educational institutions and universities globally according to their advancement in science, inventing new technologies and powering new markets.

This is clearly indicative of the fact that we have a long road ahead to direct ourselves in the fields of innovation and ideation. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ might prod the technical institutes and universities to refashion themselves in the areas where we lack competitiveness. This can take place only when the technical institutes and universities acknowledge to propel themselves to the tasks that matter to them the post. Hitting the ‘reset’ button on our attitude is a prerequisite to establishing ourselves as an institutional model.

Aiming at research

We have always focused mainly on traditional and basic research. But it is time we change that. The focal point now must shift towards applied and developmental research. This will uphold the value and shall be effective in the long run only when it becomes a mandate presented by the authority so that the funding, the efforts and initiatives, and the policies can be directed towards it.

A mindset that steers commercialisation

The most important takeaway for the Indian technology institutes and universities should be about considering to bring a change in incentives so that it is inclusive of commercialisation activities such as patents and transferring of technologies, and effectively adapt to new changes regarding the knowledge that is developed and shared in the knowledge spheres for better avenues of career advancement. This can very well include and run parallel to teaching, publishing, and the faculty’s administrative works and services. The younger faculty must be instilled with a mindset that steers commercialisation and translational research.

Integrated support systems

When we think of innovation, it is something that cannot stand on its own. It has to be backed by integrated and efficient support systems. The Indian technology institutes and universities should aim to build mechanisms that aid invention and incubation; that introduce both the faculty and the students to the urgent societal and industry requirements and that train about fund-raising from government and private sectors.

Infrastructure in tandem with innovation

Infrastructure and innovation are closely linked, so much so that, a lack of space and a deficit of funds will mean a poor infrastructure - one where ideation and innovation cannot exist. For students to engage in applied and developmental research, laboratories have to be made accessible via creative means.

The Indian technology institutes and universities can borrow the concept of 'Shared Lab' which is inclusive of a flexible lab design for both the faculty and the students. They can also think of taking support from the R&D centers of various institutes or build ties with private laboratories.

Industry-academia partnerships

Academia loses its significance without the industry. All the applied and development research is successful only when the industry helps academia to understand the real problems, when it sponsors the research and when it shares the much-needed technical know-how with it.

When the Indian technology institutes and universities endeavour to forge lasting relationships between academia and industry, it would be the right way to build and understand the objectives of one another.

The nutshell of making India or the Indian technology institutes and universities self-reliant is to acknowledge that the time has come to radicalise education, to bring purpose to the system, and steer innovation to commercialisation activities.

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