IITs need more autonomy to drive innovation, says expert

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) must be given greater autonomy to shed bureaucratic constraints inherited from the British Raj, according to an opinion piece in Hindustan Times by a Silicon Valley executive who has worked closely with IIT Madras, IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur. The article argues that the IIT system, one of independent India's greatest institutional achievements, is now constrained by layers of approvals and outdated rules that hinder its potential.

The piece notes a significant shift in the IITs' approach: they now actively seek industry collaboration, encourage translational research, and aim to move technologies from labs to the real world, contrasting with their earlier insularity. It cites the example of the author's own company moving R&D to the IITs, praising the technical depth and motivation of faculty and students.

The author calls on the government to grant IIT directors more autonomy, strip away unnecessary reporting and outdated rules, facilitate industry collaboration, and give leaders the authority to replace entrenched bureaucrats. The piece concludes that India should stop asking the West to define a great research university and instead focus science and engineering on solving the country's and humanity's most urgent problems.