IIT MADRAS (THE STRATEGIC PLAN VISION 2010)

THE STRATEGIC PLAN
VISION 2010
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
CHENNAI
CHAIRMAN’S FOREWORD
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras has passed through various stages of development and
growth in the forty odd years of its existence. During the first decade, the Institute concentrated on faculty /
staff recruitment, developing curricula, examination systems, placement of students, and setting up
infrastructural facilities. A strong emphasis was given to academic excellence and for laying a good
foundation for research. During the next two decades, postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well as
research, technology development and consultancy projects were actively promoted. The Ministry of HRD
constituted two Review Committees in 1971 and 1986 that made several recommendations for improvement
and new initiatives many of which have been implemented. During the fourth decade the Institute
experienced substantial growth on all fronts.
Several major changes have taken place, both globally and nationally, in the recent past. These
changes include those due to external agencies such as the Government, Industry and higher Technical
Educational Institutions in India and abroad; changes in Markets and Technology; Globalization and
Liberalization; and consequent socio-economic and cultural changes. These changes present challenges as
well as opportunities for IITM. The Board of IITM launched the Strategic Management Project in 1996 to
help IITM to respond to these changes in its complex social and economic environment. The Institute
initiated a number of activities to build up internal capabilities for change. The change processes were to be
developmental, participative and learning in nature. The project included extensive studies by five internal
task forces and two external consultants as well as many workshops that benefited from the participation of
a wide cross-section of faculty, staff and students of IITM. This comprehensive report is a concise
documentation of IITM’s Vision 2010.
I am confident that the implementation of the recommendations of this document will enhance
IITM’s world-class status and make this an institution that is intellectually exciting, financially and
administratively autonomous, with sustainable competitive advantages in all its activities in the decades to
come. I wish to congratulate the successive Directors, Prof. R. Natarajan (1995-2001) and Prof. M.S.
Ananth (2001- ), the former Deputy Director, Prof. C.R. Muthukrishnan and Prof. R.S. Ganapathy of ACME
for their leadership and commitment that brought this project to such a successful completion. I am sure
that Vision 2010 will serve as a benchmark document for many higher technological Institutions in the
coming decade. I wish IITM a glorious future in the service of our nation.
8-6-2003 K. KASTURIRANGAN
Chairman, Board of Governors
DIRECTORS’ PREFACE
Inaugurated on July 30, 1959 by Prof. Humayun Kabir, the then Union Minister for Scientific
Research and Cultural Affairs, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) at Chennai was founded
with financial and technical assistance received from the Federal Republic of Germany with matching
support from the Government of India. In 1961 it was declared an Institution of National Importance by
Parliament. It has established a reputation, both nationally and internationally, for excellence in Technical
Education, Research and Industrial and Educational Consultancy. Its strengths include highly motivated and
talented students, highly qualified and dedicated faculty, comprehensive experimental and computing
facilities, and well-trained technical and administrative supporting staff.
Several major changes that have taken place, both globally and nationally, in the recent past have
made it imperative for IITM to identify strategic directions for its future in order to maintain and enhance its
excellence. Following the recommendations of the Synergy Committee set up by the then Union Minister for
Human Resources Development, Shri Madhav Rao Scindia, the Board of Governors of IITM constituted a
Strategic Planning Committee. As a consequence, the Institute has initiated a number of activities to build
up internal capabilities for change.
The Strategic Management Project (SMP) at IITM has several unique features and involves a
systematic and comprehensive effort of strategic change with the participation of a large number of
stakeholders. The SMP has been designed as a series of coordinated interventions to bring about changes
in the directions, structure, processes, interfaces and performance of the Institute. The use of external
consultants, the reliance on multiple sources of knowledge, the design of coordinated interventions and
development of a set of shared goals are significant features of this Project. Approximately three-fourths of
the inputs for the Project have come from IITM, and one-fourth from outside. The Strategic Plan consists of
an integrated and interdependent set of action plans that must be viewed and acted upon in a holistic
manner. The process should be one of guided and directed organic change, which would lead to the
achievement of short and long term goals. The effects of the change strategies ought to be sustainable, as
they have been internally generated.
This report of the SMP is a documentation of a remarkable community effort that has examined
several facets of IITM, articulated Strategic Initiatives for change, and spelt out Action Plans for each of
them. It includes, apart from an Introduction, eight chapters on Environmental Context; Vision, Mission and
Goals; Educational Processes; Human Resources; Physical Resources; Governance; Building
Relationships; and Financial Resources.
An Executive Summary has been included in the Report. The articulation of the Vision and Mission
of IITM was itself a revealing exercise in introspection for an Institute that has come to take its excellence for
granted. While the report is being formally brought out in 2003 after several internal revisions, many of the
strategic changes that are recommended have already been internally implemented.
The implementation of the Strategic Plan is intended to make IITM a world-class institution – a
place that provides intellectual leadership in chosen fields and is administratively and academically
autonomous, with sustainable competitive advantage. Most of the proposed changes can be implemented
internally. In fact, the Institute has already initiated, over the last few years, several measures such as
curricular reform, HRD programmes, ISO 9001:2000 certification for several of its sections, IT infrastructure
development and industry-oriented academic programmes. A few strategies may require enabling
provisions in IITs’ Statutes or government policy. A clear commitment to the strategic goals through visible
top management support, solid teamwork, and continuous monitoring and feedback are critical for its
implementation.
The SMP has been a significant experience for the Institute and for us, in particular, in building
a learning organisation that can manage continuity and change effectively. Many members of the
IITM community participated in the project in various ways: e.g. Workshop participation, Working group
membership, Interviews, Written submissions. A number of other external resources for this task were also
mobilised over time. We hope that this experience will be helpful in shaping the future of this remarkable
Institute and possibly serve as a model for others.
Many things remain. Indeed Strategic Management is itself a continuing process not a one-time
exercise. In particular IITM needs to undertake a major effort in bench marking its activities (education,
research, and services). This will be an exercise situating IITM in relation to the best practices around the
world that are hallmarks of excellence. Such an exercise will carefully analyse the processes and
outcomes and present a set of meaningful goals for continuous improvement of IITM in the next decade. It
will also address issues of competitiveness, accreditation, organisational climate, etc. The study will call for
assistance from national and international agencies as well as other excellent institutions like
Carnegie-Mellon, MIT, Imperial College, Tokyo University of Technology, etc. This benchmarking effort will
be a part of the ongoing change process. Already we have begun the process of visits by Visiting
Committees of Peers of international standing for several of our Departments and Centres.
We have no doubt that IITM will continue to enjoy its pre-eminent position as a world-class
Institution, attracting the best of faculty, students and staff.
Prof. R. NATARAJAN Prof. M. S. ANANTH
Former Director (1995-2001) Director (2001 - )
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank numerous individuals, both within IITM and from outside, who have participated in
the Project and have enriched its outcomes. Their names appear in Annexure I. Some individuals deserve
special mention in this regard. The contributions of Prof. S. S. Gokhale and Prof. L. S. Ganesh have been
valuable. Mr. R. Sundaram of the Centre for IC & SR mobilized the internal resources and organized the
logistic support for the Workshops.
Prof. R. S. Ganapathy of the Academy for Management Excellence, Chennai, and
Prof. C. R. Muthukrishnan, Deputy Director of IITM (1996-2001), jointly coordinated this challenging
effort. Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, Prof. U. R. Rao and Prof. K. Kasturirangan, the successive Chairmen,
Board of Governors of our Institute, took a very lively interest in this project and gave us many valuable
suggestions. The Strategic Planning Committee provided constant encouragement and advice.
For their part as expert consultants, we wish to acknowledge the contributions of Dr. F. C.
Kohli, Mr. S. Mahalingam and Prof. P. N. Murthy of Tata Consultancy Services, Mr. T. Shankar of A. F.
Ferguson & Co., Dr. Ramaswamy P. Aiyar and Dr. D. K. Lahari of Academy for Management Excellence,
Prof. L. Prasad and Prof. R. Ravikumar of IIM, Bangalore and Prof. B. N. Srivastava of IIM Calcutta. Mr. V.
Balaraman, then CEO of Ponds India, Mr. G. S. Krishnamurthy and Mr. Lalit K. Vohra of DSQ Software,
made valuable contributions to the discussions.
Prof. R. NATARAJAN Prof. M. S. ANANTH
Former Director (1995-2001) Director (2001 - )
Motivated by Excellence
Sustained by Relevance
IIT MAD
CHAPTER CONTENTS PAGE NO.
NO.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
I INTRODUCTION 1
II THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT 7
III VISION, MISSION AND GOALS 14
IV EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES 18
V HUMAN RESOURCES 25
VI PHYSICAL RESOURCES 32
VII GOVERNANCE 39
VIII BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS 47
IX FINANCIAL RESOURCES 57
ANNEXURE I - Strategic Management Project at IIT Madras 61
ANNEXURE II - Bibliography 65
ANNEXURE III - The New Curriculum - July 1998 66
ANNEXURE IV - Interdisciplinary Research Areas 68
I INTRODUCTION
The primary objective of the Indian Institutes of Technology is to provide
scientists and technologists of the highest calibre who would engage in
research, design and development to help building the nation towards
self-reliance in her technological needs ... Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
1.0 THE INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MADRAS
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) was established in 1959 by the Government of
India, as an Institute of National Importance. The primary objective of the IITs, in the words of Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru was, “to provide scientists and technologists of the highest calibre who would engage in
research, design and development to help building the nation towards self-reliance in her technological
needs”. During the early years, the Federal Republic of Germany assisted the Institute both technically and
financially.
The activities of the Institute in various fields of Technology and Science are carried out in thirteen
Departments and ten advanced Research Academic Centres. There are over a hundred well-equipped
laboratories in the Institute for teaching and research.
1.1 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
The Institute offers undergraduate and post - graduate programmes leading to the B.Tech.,
M.Sc., M.B.A., M.Tech., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees in a variety of specialisations. Over the years,
the Institute has responded to environmental changes and user needs, by reshaping curricula ; offering
new undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes, and organising continuing education
programmes. The trends in student enrolment and faculty and staff strength are given in Tables 1.3 and
1.4.
Table 1.1: General Information about IITM
The Entrance to an
Idyllic Campus
1.2 SPONSORED RESEARCH, INDUSTRIAL CONSULTANCY AND CONTINUING EDUCATION
ACTIVITIES
The Institute has extensive facilities for both basic and applied research. A number of R & D
projects at IITM are sponsored by Government agencies. The Institute conducts a number of continuing
education programmes for professionals from industry and other Government organisations, and teachers
from other technical institutions. Consultancy for a variety of clients is an important activity of the Institute
faculty. The growth in gross revenue from these activities is given in Table 1.5.
1.3 INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
In addition to close collaboration with German universities, IITM has active linkages with academic /
research organisations in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, The Netherlands,
Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand and the USA.
1.4 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROJECT AT IIT MADRAS
The Institute has passed through various stages of development and growth in the forty years of its
DEPARTMENTS
Aerospace Engineering
Applied Mechanics
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Computer Science & Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Humanities and Social Sciences
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Ocean Engineering
�� Physics
ACADEMIC CENTRES
Bio-Technology Research Centre
Centre for Computational Fluid Dynamics
Centre for Continuing Education
Centre for Finite Element and Design
Centre for Sustainable Development
Centre for Systems and Devices
Composites Technology Centre
Educational Technology Centre
Materials Science Research Centre
Regional Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre
ADMINISTRATIVE SECTIONS
Administration Section
Academic Section
Finance and Accounts Section
Engineering Unit
Stores and Purchase Section
CENTRAL FACILITIES
Computer Centre
Central Electronic Centre
Central Gas Supply Unit
Central Glass Blowing Section
Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research
Central Library
Central Photographic Section
Central Workshop
The Air-Conditioning Unit
existence. During the first decade, the Institute concentrated on faculty/staff recruitment, developing
curricula, examination systems, placement of students, and setting up infra-structural facilities such as
laboratories, hostels, housing and facilities for extra-curricular activities. A strong emphasis was given to
academic excellence and for laying a good foundation for research. During the next two decades,
postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well as research, technology development and consultancy
projects were actively promoted. During this period, the Ministry of HRD constituted two Review Committees
in 1971 and 1986. The Review Committees studied the IIT system and its working, and submitted a Report
with recommendations for improvement and new initiatives, many of which have been implemented [1, 2].
During the fourth decade the Institute has experienced substantial growth in all these
sectors. Several major changes have taken place, both globally and nationally, in the recent
past and it is necessary for the Institute to identify strategic directions for its future. IITM has
therefore embarked on a programme of strategic change. The Board of IITM set up a Strategic
Planning Committee and the Institute initiated a number of activities to build up internal
capabilities for change. The change processes were to be developmental, participative and
learning in nature.
1.4.1 Project Design
The Strategic Management Project design was based on the following principles:
For a meaningful and sustained effect strategic change needs to be internally generated.
External consultants can play an important role as resource persons and catalysts in this process.
Recommendations for strategic change needs to come from multiple (internal and external) sources.
The project activities should consist of a series of coordinated interventions, to accomplish the change
objectives.
Student Enrolment
120
1924
2519
2305
3490
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
59-60 68-69 80-81 90-91 2000-2001
Student Endonment
Faculty and Staff Profile
138
1244
2009
2120
1593
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
59-60 68-69 80-81 90-91 2000-2001
Gross Revenue (Rs. Millons)
15.7
38.5
96.5
3
9.5
74.4
0.1 0.8 4.3
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
80-81 90-91 2000-2001
As a prelude to this Project, two workshops on “Organisational Change Processes” were conducted
in order to build up internal change capability. A number of faculty and staff of IITM participated in the
workshops which covered various aspects of Team Building, Interpersonal Relationships,
Group Decision Making, Change Strategies and Project Planning. Another workshop on “Strategic Issues in
IITM-Industry Interface” was organized to explore the changing nature of the IITM-Industry interfaces in
education, research and services, and to develop strategic options to manage them more effectively in the
future.
One of the Hostels
on the Campus
Seven areas of intensive study for the Project were identified in these workshops. Five internal
Working Groups and two External Consultants carried out the studies. The scope of work in each area was
identified and discussed with the working groups and external consultants, at the beginning of the Project.
The study teams covered the following components:
q Analysis of the emerging trends in technology, industry, policy environment and best practices.
q Identification of IITM’s needs and priorities over the next ten years.
q Assessment of the effectiveness of the present system and practices.
q Development and evaluation of alternatives to meet the techno-economic, administrative and financial
needs.
q Development of a Strategy.
q Development of an Implementation Plan (Resources, Administrative Structure, Organisational
Responsibility, Time Frame, Policy Changes).
The Reports of these Working Groups and the external consultants [3 - 9] were presented to
different groups and fora in the Institute and necessary modifications were incorporated in the reports in an
iterative fashion. The key emphasis at this stage was on the processes of wide consultation, debate and
consensus building. The task of integrating the reports of the working groups and the preparation of an
integrated Strategic Action Plan required concurrent analysis of inputs in the form of the Task force Reports,
IIT Review Committee Report (1986), Ninth Plan Proposal of IITM [10], and secondary literature [11 – 18].
The drafts of the Integrated Strategic Action Plan for IITM were discussed in various
groups for feedback and change, before submission to the Strategic Planning Committee /
Board of Governors for approval. These included two workshops for faculty and staff, and one
workshop for students to discuss the Institute’s Vision and Mission statements, one workshop for
external professionals and industrial managers. A committee set up specifically for the purpose
compiled all the information, inputs and feed-back to arrive at the final version.
Table 1.6 The Seven Areas of Study
1 Scenario building Internal working group
2 Restructuring and
governance Tata Consultancy Services
3 Quality of support
services Internal working group
4 Human resources Internal working group
5 Infrastructure
development Internal working group
6 Resource assessment,
funds mobilisation and
accountability systems A.F.Ferguson & Co
7 Marketing of IITM’s
products Internal working group
Sylvan Surroundings
The Project outcomes are expected to enhance IITM’s world-class status in the early years of this
decade to a place that is intellectually exciting and financially and administratively autonomous,
with sustainable competitive advantages in all its activities. The Project is not an implementation
of a Master Plan but rather a process of directed and guided organic change. Most of the
proposed strategic change measures need to be implemented internally. A few strategies may
also require enabling provisions in the Institute’s Statutes. The implementation of the strategic
change will be monitored by an independent Committee.
This Report comprises, apart from this Introduction, eight chapters on Environmental
Context, Vision, Mission and Goals, Educational Processes, Human Resources, Physical
Resources, Governance, Building Relationships and Financial Resources.

II THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
There is a symbiotic relationship between
environmental changes and organisational strategy.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
The Strategic Management Project has been launched to help IITM to respond to external changes
in its complex social and economic environment. These changes include those due to external agencies
such as the Government, Industry and higher Technical Educational Institutions in India and abroad;
changes in Markets and Technology; Globalization and Liberalization; and consequent Socio-Economic and
Cultural changes. These changes present challenges as well as opportunities for IITM.
Survival, stability and strength are the basic requirements of a healthy, competitive
and excellent organization. Massive and complex environmental change can adversely
affect any organization, and there are many examples of organizations (industrial,
commercial, educational, and service) becoming sick or extinct, because they failed to respond to
their changing environments. Thus, understanding the environmental context of IITM is
imperative for the development of a meaningful and innovative strategy. A ten-year perspective
has been taken as the time frame for developing IITM’s strategy.
There is a symbiotic relationship between environmental changes and organisational
strategy. While environmental changes provide the stimuli to which organizations respond with
their strategies, it is also true that sometimes organizations develop pro-active strategies that
influence (or cause) environmental changes. The latter relationship is generally associated
with highly innovative and learning organizations. IITs are expected to be such organisations and
pioneers or leaders in their domain of activities. This chapter reviews the major environmental
determinants in the context of IITM.
The Gajendra
Circle
Environmental Changes and Organisations - A symbiotic relationship
Earlier Orientation Emerging Orientation
Social Overhead
Public Service
Infrastructure
Government Support
Self Reliance
Self Governance
Bureaucracy
Stability
Allocation of Resources
Market Accountability
Competition
Revenue Potential
Stakeholder Funding
Globalisation
Multiple Stakeholders
Flexibility
Uncertainity
Competition for Resources
Change in Orientation
In this context, IITM should take cognisance of the emerging orientation in higher education all over
the world as summarised in Table 2.1.
2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES
Over the past four decades there have been significant external and internal changes relevant to
IITM. This section provides a summary of the major qualitative and quantitative changes that have
affected the IIT system in general and IITM in particular. The sources of these changes, each of which is
described briefly in this chapter, include:
�� The Knowledge Revolution.
�� The Need for Sustainable Development.
�� Government Policy Initiatives, including new paradigms of funding.
�� Growing competition in higher technological education.
�� Rapid and complex changes in markets and technology.
�� Unprecedented growth in the service sector.
�� Multiple dimensions of institutional accountability.
�� New forms of Knowledge Delivery.
2.1.1 The Knowledge Revolution
The information technology revolution that is radically altering the whole world at an everaccelerating
pace touches every aspect of IIT life. It has a significant impact on the core of IIT’s
mission viz., the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge.
The bio-technology revolution has had significant impact on the engineering of life itself (including
people), technologies that self-replicate and technologies that evolve. The bio-technology revolution, made
possible in part by the information technology revolution, has indeed affected areas central to humanity -
food, medicine and reproduction. The engineer of the twenty-first century must have a good grasp of the
fundamentals of the life sciences as much as knowledge of Newton’s laws and Maxwell’s laws. Curricular
changes are warranted in every field of engineering to enable students to cope with these knowledge
revolutions. The future holds much in store for the engineer:
�� Broad access to massive data sets, such as those associated with the Human Genome Project.
�� Genetic Engineering, Tele-medicine, Food Production and Preservation.
�� Bioinformatics and Proteomics.
�� Nanotechnology and Smart Materials.
�� Global Information Systems.
�� Convergence of the Internet, Broadcasting and Telecommunications.
�� Extensive Wireless, Mobile, Embedded and Wearable Computing.
�� Smart houses, Smart buildings, Smart transportation and so on.
As the potential for communication increases, concerns about security and privacy also increase. At the
same time, information has become an increasingly valuable commodity, and new opportunities have arisen
for the IITs to participate in the “knowledge economy.”
In addition to simply assessing information and communication technology needs, IITs should take a
broader, deeper look, survey existing strengths and weaknesses not only in the infrastructure, but also in the
uses of the technology and its impact on our profession and lives. The explosive growth in new
technologies poses challenges and opportunities. Substantial investment in human capital and physical
infrastructure, strong leadership, and co-ordinated campus-wide involvement is required. This would help
preserve IITM’s position of strength in virtually all areas of research, scholarship, and teaching.
Student Activity Centre
2.1.2 The Need for Sustainable Development
Another very important development is the beginning of an acute awareness of the need for
proactive steps to make life sustainable on our planet [19]. Engineering education for a sustainable future is
central to this awareness.
The unprecedented growth in the world’s population and our modern lifestyles are altering the face
of the earth and the composition of the atmosphere. A healthy environment is essential to human existence,
health and well-being. We need a paradigm shift in our thinking about the relationship of humans to the
environment. Society must adopt new strategies that allow the needs of an expanding population to be met
in an environmentally sustainable and equitable manner.
Future scientists, engineers, and managers must design technology and economic processes that
sustain rather than degrade the natural environment, enhance human health and well-being, and live within
the limits of natural systems. Such a shift in thinking calls for a long term societal effort to make
environmental and sustainability concerns a central theme in all education, particularly for engineers,
economists and managers. Institutions like the IIT’s must play a strong role in education, research,
policy development, information exchange and community outreach and support. They should influence
future leaders through their students and current leaders through their alumni. IITs should play a pioneering
role in this context.
2.1.3 Government Policy Initiatives
A very significant change concerns the recent initiatives in Government funding policy towards the
IITs. These include encouragement for resource mobilisation, and promotion of standards and quality.
The system of Government funding for the IITs since 1992-93 has encouraged them to generate
resources through a variety of means. This measure has strongly influenced the mix of activities which IITM
is involved in, placing emphasis on sponsored research, industrial consultancy and continuing education
activities.
The Government of India established the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), as
a statutory body in 1987 for overseeing technical education. In 1994, the AICTE set up the National
Board of Accreditation (NBA) in order to develop standards and build quality in higher technical education.
The IITs have been chosen to serve as the benchmarks within India. This places a great responsibility on
the IIT system, which will have to benchmark itself with the best international practices.
A Fermentor in the Biochemical
Engineering Laboratory
2.1.4 Growing Competition in Higher Technological Education
Compared to the past, the Institute is in a fiercely competitive environment in all its activities:
Education, Research and Services. There is competition to attract students; to recruit and retain faculty; to
secure educational and research funding; to secure consultancy assignments and to provide technology as
well as knowledge-based services. IITM’s major competitors in these areas are other educational/R&D
institutions; consulting firms; industry; and foreign organisations. In the rapidly changing ecology of this
competitive market place, IITM’s strategy will have to continue to create value for its stakeholders, as
well as be flexible and responsive. The recent World Competitiveness Report indicates that India, in spite
of its high quality (second and third ranks) of engineering education and technical manpower, ranked quite
low (forty-fifth and forty-ninth ranks) in technological productivity
and innovation. This clearly shows, ‘inter alia’ India’s lack of competitive advantage in providing ‘relevant’
technical education and research. There is a clear need for IITM to actively pursue strategic alliances with
domestic and international organisations to improve its competitive advantage.
2.1.5 Rapid and Complex Changes in Markets and Technology
Global markets for various products and services as well as technological developments in key
sectors are changing very rapidly. For example, changes in the markets for entertainment, consumer goods,
educational services, living space / environment and recreation have changed beyond recognition in the last
twenty years. Simultaneously, advances of a fundamental nature are taking place in materials
technology, information technology, bio-technology, etc. These changes have profound implications for IITM.
To be relevant and effective in the future, the Institute must initiate corresponding changes in its academic
programmes, portfolio of research projects, and consultancy services. In the years to come, the growing
global demand for knowledge-intensive products and services will significantly affect the
Institute’scompetitive position. These issues are addressed in the chapters on Educational Processes,
Resources and Relationships.
Reverse Osmosis Water
Purification Plant for Hostel
Sector
2.1.6 Unprecedented Growth in the Service Sector
The tertiary (service) sector of the economy now contributes close to half of the Gross National
Product, assuming primacy over agriculture and industry. In the emerging society, the demand for the
services of IITM will undergo a major change. The diversity of students (in terms of maturity, enrolment
status, gender, etc.,); the diversity of choice of courses, institutions, modes of delivery and location; the
increasing role of alliances in providing educational programmes and the growing concern for value for
money among educational clients – all point to the fundamental changes that are taking place in the
educational markets. The time has come for the Institute to extend its focus beyond fresh graduates from
high schools and engineering colleges as its entry level candidates.
2.1.7 Multiple Dimensions of Institutional Accountability
The stakeholders of the Institute are becoming a more diverse group. Earlier, parents and
students; faculty and staff; and the Government were the main stakeholders. Presently, new groups like
funding agencies, clients for services, industry, contracting organisations, local communities, and other
international / national educational organisations, hold a stake on the Institute in a variety of ways. The
interests of these stakeholders and the demands they make on the Institute are very significant factors in
understanding the Institute’s environment. The intellectual property rights issue is another factor that may
compel the Institute to make use of its knowledge resources in specific ways. Thus, accountability to peers,
Government, markets/customers and stakeholders is likely to become dominant in the coming years.
Solar Energy Park
2.1.8 New forms of Knowledge Delivery
The open, democratic and un-moderated nature of access to the World Wide Web has
revolutionized earlier concepts of using computers and networks to create, store and disseminate
information as well as to manage intellectual property rights, and to create viable economic models for
Digital Library services. There is an urgent need to exploit the rapid advances in Information and
Communication Technologies to meet the demand for :
�� Extensive access to and enhancement in the quality of technical education in the nation.
�� Periodic training of engineering teachers and working professionals at their work-place to maintain and
upgrade their IT and related skills.
�� Access to the Institute’s library resources through the setting up of a digital library.
2.2 ENVIRONMENT AND STRATEGY
It was argued earlier that the environmental context significantly influences organisational strategy.
Three critical environmental factors, in the IITM context, are highlighted below:
�� The investment in IITM over the last forty years, on a current cost basis, is approximately Rs.4000
millions. In the face of limited resources, the need for higher performance and more effective utilisation
of IITM’s assets assume crucial importance. Hence, in determining investment priorities, more
productive utilisation of existing assets should take precedence over creation of new assets.
�� The need for value addition or value creation for stakeholders in the Institute’s activities is related to
the above issue. This critical test will significantly alter the product mix of IITM. Based on this criterion,
some current activities need to be phased out and new initiatives launched simultaneously.
�� The environmental opportunities in specific technologies will serve to identify priority areas of
research at the Institute.
2.3 CULTURAL CONTEXT
In an overview of the Environmental Context, alongside the environmental changes, the cultural
context of the Institute also needs to be examined.
The cultural context of the Institute must take into consideration the increasing convergence of
styles of Industry and Academe. For example, collaboration, networking, outsourcing, autonomy, flat
organisational structure and participative/collegial processes are becoming important characteristics of a
corporate enterprise. Conversely, corporate style of governance, leaner organisations, functional
emphasis (marketing, finance, etc.,), co-ordinated planning and emphasis on resource mobilisation are
becoming important in academic institutions.
The current perceptions of the Institute can be characterised as follows:
�� Change is seen primarily as externally driven.
�� There is resistance to any significant change from the existing patterns of information flow,
hierarchy and governance.
�� There is poor orientation to market/customer needs as the emphasis is more supply - driven.
�� Attitudes towards risk and uncertainty are conservative.
�� There is a preference for a stable, bureaucratic culture and centralised decision-making.
Thus, it is clear that interventions for change are required. In response to these issues, specific
recommendations have been made in the following chapters.
III VISION, MISSION AND GOALS
There is a need to articulate the purpose of the Institute in the
current idiom, namely its Vision and Mission Statements.
3.0 INTRODUCTION
A Vision refers to the long-term desire or the planned state of performance and recognition that an
organization wishes to fulfil, either at an explicitly specified or unspecified point of time in the future. A
Mission statement reflects the purpose of existence or raison d’etre of an organization expressed in terms of
the activities it seeks to perform and the attendant standards or manner of performance. An organization’s
Vision is both, time- and leader-dependent. It changes as a function of time. It is dynamic, and if the leader
changes, the Vision may also change. In contrast, an organization normally does not change its Mission,
which is a more enduring statement of its designed efforts. The Quality Policy talks about the manner of
execution of the Mission.
3.1 DEVELOPMENT OF VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS
IITM was established about four decades ago by an Act of Parliament as an “Institute of
National Importance”, for higher technological education and innovation. Several Statutes have been
framed under this Act, which lay down the powers and duties of officials as well as the rules and procedures.
The Act does not explicitly specify a Mission Statement for the IITs. Given the vast changes that
have taken place in the environment over the past four decades since IITM was set up, there is a need to
articulate the purpose of the Institute in the current idiom, namely Vision and Mission Statements. The
Institute’s main activities are: Education, Research and Services. While there are issues of priority, metrics,
time frame and evaluation concerning goal-setting as a part of strategic planning, it is necessary to articulate
Vision and Mission Statements developed through the participation of the various stakeholders. The
considerations that have gone into this articulation are summarised in the next few paragraphs.
The Motto of IIT Madras
The defining quality of an educational institution lies in its intellectual character and its
academic environment should be one in which mistakes are the true stepping-stones to learning.
Experimenting with new paradigms and retaining a willingness to do so are therefore important
characteristics of a research university. Research is the relentless pursuit of truth and demands an
uncompromising integrity and an ambience that nurtures creativity and academic freedom. In all its
interactions with the environment, IITM must remain true to its fundamental mission and values and avoid
inappropriate conflicts of interest and commitment.
Vision
Mission
Goals
Strategic Initiatives in
Education, Research and Services
Action Plans in
�� Educational Processes
�� Human Resources
�� Physical Resources
�� Financial Resources
�� Governance
�� Building Relationships
• Industry
• Government
• Research Laboratories
• Alumni
• Professional Societies
• Society
Teaching should remain IITM’s unifying activity. Engineering education should retain a rigorous
science base and advance with the times, dealing with changing applications using the most advanced
tools. But above all, it should help the students learn to learn. IITM cannot afford to take its excellence for
granted and rest on its laurels. It should rely more on inner conviction than on external criteria like
comparisons with less fortunate institutions in India, praise for its students from abroad, and strive
continuously for excellence in all its endeavours. IITM should constantly uphold and assert the core values
on which the institute was founded.
It is critical that the administration be transparent to student, faculty and staff with a predisposition
to assist in making things happen. The faculty should act responsibly, ethically and morally, and ensure that
academic freedom is accompanied by responsibility and accountability. Students in turn have equally great
responsibilities. They are among the fortunate 0.1 % of our eligible population who receive a highly
subsidized world-class education. It would be grossly unfair if they are allowed to waste this opportunity.
Their obligation is to do their best to acquire knowledge, know-how and most importantly desirable
character traits, and strive to be in dynamic equilibrium with our social, ecological and economic
environment. They will then be the kind of human resources that IITs were envisioned to produce in the
service of our nation.
3.2 VISION
To be an academic institution in dynamic equilibrium with its social, ecological and economic
environment striving continuously for excellence in education, research and technological service to the
nation.
3.3 MISSION
�� Create and sustain a community of learning in which students acquire knowledge and learn to apply
it professionally with due consideration for ethical, ecological, and economic issues.
�� Pursue research and disseminate research findings.
�� Provide knowledge-based technological services to satisfy the needs of society and the industry.
�� Help in building national capabilities in technology, education and research.
3.4 QUALITY POLICY
To pursue global standards of excellence in all our endeavours namely teaching, research,
consultancy and continuing education and to remain accountable in our core and support functions, through
processes of self-evaluation and continuous improvement.
3.5 CORE VALUES
�� Development of human resources in the service of the nation.
�� Recognising teaching as a unifying activity.
�� Nurturing integrity, creativity and academic freedom.
�� Retaining a willingness to experiment with new paradigms.
Foundation Stone of
IIT Madras
3.6 LONG-RANGE GOALS
In order to fulfil IITM’s Vision and Mission for the future, the following long-range goals have
been identified :
�� Identify a strategic activity mix for the Institute for the next ten years to achieve higher levels of
utilisation of physical and human resources, and increase the value addition per employee significantly.
�� Continue to impart high quality UG education to prepare the graduates for a variety of challenging
careers.
�� Impart high quality PG education that is interdisciplinary, research based and focused in the application
of advanced concepts and skills.
�� Pursue interdisciplinary research in thrust areas identified on the basis of IITM’s current strengths as
well as national relevance.
�� Continuously strive to improve the knowledge and skills of faculty and staff through a variety of internal
and external human resource development efforts in order to achieve higher levels of performance.
�� Develop state-of-the-art infrastructure, keeping in view the emerging technological options and funding
sources, so as to enable IIT Madras to be a world class institution in education, research and services.
�� Exploit the rapid advances in Information and Communication Technologies and provide
unprecedented access and enhancement to learning in a nationally coordinated manner.
�� Develop new synergistic alliances with leading institutions (academic, research or
consulting) in India and the world for mutual benefit.
�� Raise the financial resources required to achieve the Goals through intelligent exploitation of
intellectual Capital.
�� Design widely understood, fair and transparent Appraisal Systems as well as transparent Governance
mechanisms to better support the core activities of the Institute.
IV EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES
The design of an effective academic system is crucial to
support the strategic activity mix of the Institute.
4.0 INTRODUCTION
Academic programmes are at the core of the Institute’s functions. They comprise the three basic
activities – education, research and services – articulated in the Institute’s Mission Statement. The Institute’s
academic activities are currently divided between Departments and Centres. The emphasis in the
Departments is on education and research, while that in the Centres is on interdisciplinary research and
services. The Departments are responsible for awarding all the Institute degrees, while the Centres are
primarily engaged in research and services.
The main Goals of the academic programmes of the Institute can be stated as follows:
�� To impart high quality undergraduate (UG) education that includes mastery of the fundamentals of
Science, Engineering, Technology and Management to prepare students for a variety of challenging
careers.
�� To impart high quality postgraduate (PG) education that is interdisciplinary, research-based, and
focused on applying advanced concepts and skills.
�� To pursue research characterized by interdisciplinary inquiry for generating knowledge, technology
development and applications in chosen areas.
�� To impart state-of-the-art knowledge and skills to diverse stakeholders, through continuing education,
enabling them to make improved professional contributions.
The design of an effective academic system is crucial to support the strategic activity mix of the Institute.
This chapter outlines the changes in academic organization and programmes which have been proposed in
response to environmental challenges. Some of these changes have already been implemented e.g., the
new B.Tech curriculum, introduction of new courses such as Engineering Design, and Computer Aided
Drafting, introduction of new programmes such as the dual-degree M.Tech programme, User-Oriented
M.Tech programmes in Automotive Engine Technology, Computational Engineering, Construction
Technology, Digital Signal Processing, Information Technology, Ocean Engineering and Software
Engineering,
Students in the Library
UG and dual degree programmes in Biotechnology and Engineering Physics.
The anticipated paradigm shifts in learning are indicated in Table 4.1 [adapted from reference 17].
The strategic changes recommended in the next section will be consistent with these directions of change.
4.1 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND ACTION PLANS
The existing structure of academic programmes at the Institute has been critically analysed in the
context of the Institute’s emerging environment, the best practices in academic curricula around the world,
and IITM’s Mission. The recommendations made in this chapter recognize that resources (human, financial
and physical) are limited, and hence initiating new academic activities will entail restructuring or even
elimination of some existing activities.
4.1.1 Research
�� Through extensive discussions in the Institute and from the reports of the Task Forces
and Working Groups,t the following sixteen inter-disciplinary areas of research have
been identified as the main research priorities of the Institute. These areas will
encompass the research activities of the Centres and Departments and become the
basis for all research based PG education and research at the Institute. Annexure IV lists
the sub-areas corresponding to these areas.
1. Biotechnology
2. Chemical Physics and Molecular Biology
3. Communication Technology
4. Complex Systems
5. Computational Engineering
6. Development Studies
7. Energy Technology
8. Environmental Technology
9. Infrastructure Technology
10. Instrumentation and Control
11. Materials Technology
12. Measurement, Testing and Diagnostics
13. MEMS
14. Methodologies
15. Quality assured Design and Manufacturing
16. Transportation Engineering
These interdisciplinary programmes should be the thrust areas of research at the Institute, and
should be independently reviewed at least once in five years, and changed, if needed.
�� Research programmes should primarily be user-driven and performanceoriented,
and aimed at obtaining results in the medium-term. At least eighty percent of IITM’s
research should be in the above sixteen programmes. All research, except individual research,
should be programme-based and in the form of different projects.
�� Research Coordinators need to be appointed for each of the above programmes
for a three-year term. The Institute should provide seed money to the Research Coordinators for
evolving a strategy for technology development. The Research Coordinators should submit
proposal(s) within a period of six months from the time of their appointment.
�� An increased level of autonomy and corresponding accountability are necessary
for academic areas which need to grow and evolve faster than the rest of the Institute, in response
to shifting environmental needs. The creation of new academic units, to be called “Schools”,
can fulfil this need. Keeping in mind the need for autonomy, the Senate needs to play a
supportive, supervisory role in developing guidelines for such Schools. It is proposed that IITM
consider establishing such Schools in the areas such as Management, Energy, Environment,
Manufacturing, over the next five years.
Workshop Facilities
4.1.2 Course-based Programmes
�� The UG programmes of the Institute should continue to focus on traditional
disciplines offered by the departments. Interdisciplinary UG programmes should be offered
on an Institute- wide basis. The UG programmes need to provide the fundamental capability
and broad base for employment, entrepreneurship or for advanced studies in more specialised
areas.
�� Curricular changes, in response to changing requirements are being made periodically.
Need-based changes in content, design, delivery, and evaluation are carried out every
semester. Recent, major restructuring of the UG programmes of the Institute (vide Annexure III)
is a significant initiative in the proposed direction. To facilitate optimal use of faculty time, crossdepartmental
listing of courses that are of common interest should be implemented. Examples of
such courses are: Numerical Methods, Finite Element Methods, and Operations Research.
�� The PG programmes of the Institute (M.Sc, M.Tech, M.B.A., M.S. and Ph.D.) will be in
specialised areas of knowledge, reflecting the research strengths and priorities of the Institute,
emerging frontier areas of Science and Technology, and manpower needs in the fast-changing
professional S&T market. Specialized elective courses for the UG programme may be related to
the Research programmes identified in 4.1.1.
�� M.Tech / M.Sc programmes should be inter-disciplinary in nature, wherever applicable.
These programmes are conceived as being specialised, user-driven and application-focused,
deriving their knowledge-base and methods from a variety of Engineering and Science disciplines.
This strategy will enrich the distinctive character of IITM as a “Research University”. The existing
departmental Master’s programmes can continue to be offered with Institute-wide
inputs, in line with PG priorities. Students with different UG backgrounds could be selected
for the inter-disciplinary Master’s programmes according to their aptitude and academic standing.
�� The Science departments in IITM have a distinct identity, clearly distinguished from similar units in
Universities. Besides UG and PG electives, these departments should consider offering
masters programmes with an applied focus, in collaboration with the Engineering departments. One
such recent example is the M.Tech programme on Industrial Mathematics and Scientific
Computing. Other suggestions include Fuzzy Logic and Control, Surface Phenomena, Catalysis,
Applied Optics, and Optimization. Such programmes will have strong, organic links with the
Institute’s research strategy. This implies significant restructuring of existing M.Sc. and M.Tech.
programmes.
�� A separate department of Biotechnology has to be established. Life science subjects should be
introduced both as core and elective subjects in the UG programmes of all departments.
�� A separate department of Management should be
�� established to offer UG courses and PG programmes. This school should be carved out of
the present Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. Visiting faculty from Industry should
be invited to participate in the teaching and research programmes of the School.
�� All engineers must learn a number of concepts such as: systems thinking,
evolution of the natural world, the interdependence of humans and the environment, mirroring
natural system in resource use and cycling, remediation of environmental problems, and
preservation of biological diversity.
Reinforced Concrete
Testing
�� The process of education must emphasize active, experiential learning and real-world problem
solving using the campus as a laboratory for environmental management and sustainability.
�� Students should be permitted to register for a certain number of courses in
other academic institutions under academic advice. Similarly, students from other institutions
national / international may be permitted to register for courses offered in IITM under certain
conditions.
�� The progress of students should be regularly monitored and their choice
of courses approved by
�� Individually assigned academic counsellors. Academic counselling is to be performed as
a continuing activity throughout each student’s stay in the Institute. It must be distinct
from personal counselling made available through an Office of Student Services.
�� In order to provide a “reality check” on Education and Research in IITs, it is
important to develop a meaningful interaction with Industry and the Government. It is desirable to
set up an Advisory Committee in each Department consisting of a few prominent industrialists, a
senior representative of the planning arm of the Government as well as a few academicians of
repute from outside the Institute, in order to advise the Heads of Departments as well as the
Research Coordinators in matters relating to curricula and research. The Committee should meet
at least once a year and the feed back from the Committee should be placed before the Senate in a
structured format. Such meetings will also provide the Departments / Research Groups an
opportunity to create an awareness about the relevance of research activities.
Water Jet Cutting
Machine
4.1.3 Technology Enhanced Learning
�� The World Wide Web has revolutionized earlier concepts of using computers and
networks to create, store and disseminate information as well as to manage intellectual
property rights, and to create viable Digital Library services. There is an urgent need to exploit
these rapid advances in Information and Communication Technologies and provide :
�� Large-scale access to and enhancement in the quality of technical education in the nation.
�� Periodic training to engineering teachers and working professionals at their work-place to maintain
and upgrade their IT and related skills.
�� Access to information through creation of a digital library.
�� IITM should pioneer the exploitation of developments in information technology to accumulate,
store and disseminate knowledge and education in three sectors: university, industry and
government. There should be a Committee to direct and implement Technology Enhanced
Learning activities. To begin with, this may involve three initiatives:
�� Setting up a Digital Library.
�� Development of Courseware.
�� Delivering Distance Education.
�� The overall objective should be the development of new learning environments that will provide
greater access and enhancement to acquisition of critical knowledge, skills, and abilities for
economic and social development.
�� All faculty will be placed in a matrix structure that will require them to be appointed in a Department,
and simultaneously be associated with one or more Research Programmes listed earlier. The
matrix structure will create academic synergy in the Institute.
�� The proposed Action Plans are consistent with the Institute’s emerging environment and its
proposed governance. They also reflect the Institute’s priority to strengthen the PG
programmes and attract high-quality faculty and students, necessary to maintain the character
and excellence of IITM as a leading Research University.
Central Library Counter
4.1.4 Continuing Education
�� Continuing Education Programmes at IITM need to:
�� Lay greater emphasis on meeting industry / user needs and explore the possibility of
collaboration with other leading institutions for this purpose.
�� include open-learning programmes, using advanced educational technology.
�� Include technology up-gradation and manpower development programmes for the middle
and higher level professionals of Industry.
4.1.5 Strategic Alliances
q The Institute should explore and enter into strategic alliances for its academic programmes (UG, PG,
Research and Continuing Education) with leading international institutions in order to exploit global
opportunities. The alliances should fulfil the general conditions outlined in chapter VII on Governance.
Some examples of possible alliances are:
�� Joint degree programmes.
�� Student and faculty exchange programmes.
�� Joint research programmes.
�� Overseas campus programmes.
Value addition, mutuality and synergy should be the guiding principles in forming and operating the
alliances. Research programme Coordinators must propose specific alliances for their programmes.
�� Recent successful models of strategic alliances at IITM are:
�� Aerospace Technology Development, with Indian Space Research
Organisation.
�� User-oriented Masters programmes in :
• Construction Technology and Management, with Larsen & Tubro –
ECC.
• Automotive Technology with Indian Society.
• Digital Signal Processing with Texas Instruments, Analog Devices
and Philips.
• Software Engineering and IT with Laser Soft Info Systems Ltd.,
Inautix Technologies (I) Pvt. Ltd., Hexaware Technologies and Scap
Velocity Net Solution Ltd.
• Computational Engineering with Tata Consultancy Services.
�� Ocean Technology Development with National Institute of
Ocean Technology.
�� Research Collaboration, with Indian Space Research
Organisation and the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic
Research.
�� Certificate Course in Computation Engineering with
BHEL.
�� PG programme in Industrial Mathematics and Computer
applications with University of Kaiserslautern.
X-ray Generator with
Vertical Diffraction Facility
V HUMAN RESOURCES
Higher educational institutions now, more than ever before, have
the responsibility of character building using secular tools.
5.0 INTRODUCTION
The most important among the resources of IITM are the four categories of human resources:
Students, Research Scholars, Faculty and Staff. The goal of Human Resources Management (HRM) in IITM
is to develop the human potential consistent with the stated policies and priorities of the Institute, in its
continuing effort to become and remain an institute of excellence in education, research and services.
Human Resources Management is a critical institutional function and consists of the following activities:
�� Manpower Planning involves the identification of the need for different categories of faculty and staff
members at various levels over a period of time.
�� Recruitment seeks to translate manpower needs into positions at appropriate levels with suitable
compensation packages to attract and retain personnel.
�� Training & Development seeks to improve the knowledge and skills of faculty and staff through a
variety of internal and external human resource development efforts, such as orientation
programmes, workshops, and professional development activities, in order to achieve higher levels of
performance.
�� Personnel administration includes activities like establishment, welfare programmes, and personnel
records, etc.
�� Evaluation of performance is an important dimension. Career advancement takes place through the
processes of evaluation. Evaluation systems should be designed to motivate people to perform better.
Incentives should be based on evaluation. Performance evaluation should normally be widely
understood, fair and transparent.
Wave-basin
5.1 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
5.1.1 Optimal Size of Human Resources
Several leading organizations the world over have felt the need to become lean and efficient to
ensure their ability to compete effectively in the market. This has been achieved using the idea that is
related to the ‘core competence’ principle adopted by those organizations.
Consequently, the organisations have shed several functions and lines of activity in their attempts to be
among the market leaders in prioritized areas. The human resources planning exercise must optimise the
age, levels, socio-cultural and positions-mix among the faculty and staff in order to develop a diverse
academic community committed in technology innovation and excellence in learning. The age-mix of human
resources in the Institute represents the balance between dynamism and stability, so essential for the
orderly pursuit of academic excellence. The levels-mix represents the balance between the core and
support activities of the Institute and is a key determinant of its organizational climate. The socio-cultural
mix is vital for the generation of diversity in academic/administrative thought and practice, and for a
cosmopolitan and lively campus community. The positions-mix defines the balance among
academic/administrative policies, decisions, operations and control mechanisms.
Saarang
5.1.2 Faculty and Staff Recruitment
In recruiting high-quality faculty, the Institute, is in serious competition from various sources,
including foreign academic/research institutions, other leading academic/research institutions within India,
and industry.
In the current socio-economic milieu, a career in industry, government, or entrepreneurship, is preferred
to an academic career. However, IITM has an advantage in some specialized areas, in comparison with
other institutions in India. HRM practices need to be dynamically reviewed in order to enhance the
Institute’s ability to attract and retain high quality manpower in the next decade. Many of the early recruits
will retire in the next five years. The number of retirements may become a problem, unless faculty
recruitment becomes more dynamic and innovative.
The Institute’s HRM policies must be so formulated that they attract and retain high-quality
human resources at various levels for its complex tasks. In the professional employment market,
potential recruits at various levels should see in IITM an attractive career opportunity. Achieving a sound
HRM system over the next five years is an important challenge for the Institute.
5.1.3 Optimal Use of Existing Human Resources
The existing human resources should be utilized in an optimal and productive fashion through:
�� Better job design (e.g. multi-tasking, group-work).
�� Upgrading the quality through new skills.
�� Training for improving on-the-job performance.
�� Providing incentives for improved performance.
In addition, the human resources should be augmented in certain areas through outsourcing, which
is a more economical and effective option in the long run. The Institute should evolve suitable policies to
identify courses that require outsourcing of faculty (e.g. Engineering Drawing, first-level courses in
Humanities and Sciences). Similarly, there are academic tasks that could be performed by guest faculty
rather than by full-time faculty, especially in those areas in which the Institute needs only teaching faculty
and has no abiding research interest. The Institute must simultaneously engage in a vigorous search for
top-class faculty especially for the proposed new academic programmes.
5.1.4 Right-sizing
The strategic activity mix for the Institute for the next ten years has been discussed in
Chapters IV on Educational Processes and Chapter VII on Governance. The proposed mix of
activities will involve higher levels of utilisation of physical and human resources, and will
increase the value addition per employee significantly. However, a higher level of activities
does not necessarily imply a significant increase in manpower. Such growth is possible with marginal
addition to staff through careful deployment of IT and ET, HRD efforts for improvement in the
production of employees, and alliances with organisations having complementary capabilities. It is
anticipated that the additional manpower requirement for doubling the level of current activities will be
significantly less than twice the present strength. With the changes proposed in the structure and
processes, rightsizing the employee strength is of critical importance. This restructuring, it must be
emphasized, need not be uniform across the different organisational units.
Graduates taking the
Pledge
5.1.5 Recruitment
Nearly 30% of senior faculty and staff, who have worked for the Institute since its inception, will
retire in the next few years. This depletion in the human resources of the Institute necessitates careful
planning for recruiting new faculty and staff, in terms of numbers as well as the projected areas of expertise
required now and for the long-term future. This exercise should also consider the vastly changed
environment and the emerging needs of the Institute within the broad framework of its stated Vision and
Mission.
Recruitment procedures of the Institute need to become more flexible. In view of the acute
scarcity of highly qualified faculty and skilled staff, the recruitment processes should be proactive and
prompt. In general, all vacancies need not be filled with permanent appointees. Contractual positions,
adjunct / visiting / part-time appointees and out-sourcing may be resorted to, for meeting a portion of the
manpower needs.
The new positions indicated for the TechNovator (in Chapter VIII on Building Relationships)
especially at the level of Managing Director, General Managers and Managers, should be offered on
contract and with competitive terms of employment. These major changes in the composition of the
Institute’s human resources are aimed at fostering a progressive work culture, one in which excellence in
performance is the most cherished value, and accountability is the cornerstone of efficient administration.
5.1.6 Training and Development
The employees of an organisation pursuing global standards of excellence must have knowledge
and skills that can be described as “state-of-the-art”. This calls for continuous upgradation of employee
capabilities leading to better utilisation of existing human resources. Training
and Development is a major strategy to accomplish this objective. In view of the flexibility required to
respond effectively to the rapidly changing environment, HRD efforts must enable the employees to perform
multiple tasks in multiple roles. Specific proposals are made here for a variety of training programmes,
internally and externally, and an organisational structure for HRM to implement human resources policies, to
improve the performance of faculty and staff at all levels.
Fourrier Transform
Infra-red Spectrophotometer
5.1.7 Compensation Pattern
The Institute must offer an attractive compensation package in order to emerge as the “preferred
choice” of prospective employees. The compensation package should include attractive options for:
�� Monetary benefits through service activities such as consulting.
�� Other benefits in the form of :
�� Excellent work ambience with state-of-the-art facilities.
�� Opportunities for career growth and professional recognition.
�� Ample scope for professional development (conferences, workshops, training programmes, and
exchange programmes).
�� A lively and vibrant campus.
5.1.8 Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal and feedback should become a source of learning at IITM. There should be
an incentive structure associated with appraisal. Management responsibility for appraisal should not be
merely procedural, and must be geared to retain and motivate performing faculty and staff.
5.1.9 Student Development
�� Character Building : Character is easy to recognise while character-building processes are
difficult to define and implement. Character traits such as honesty, truthfulness, integrity,
initiative, competitiveness, self-esteem, leadership, work ethic and teamwork have lasting
value. Higher educational institutions now, more than ever before, have the responsibility of
character building in their students. Apart from curricular inputs, such as NCC /
NSO / NSS opportunities should be provided to the students for personality
development, soft skills, human values and ability to face conflicts and challenges.
Students in Systems
Laboratory
�� Co-curricular and Extra-Curricular Activities : Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities play a
significant role in building character. Co-curricular activities are academically-oriented programmes
complementary to the formal curriculum, augmenting the learning processes in a non-formal
environment. The active participation of students in the programmes of departmental associations
and student chapters of professional bodies, participation in competitions organised by IITs and other
institutions, attending lectures by experts, industrial visits etc., should be encouraged, as these widen
the knowledge base, encourage team spirit, promote healthy competition, foster ethical values and lead
to a sense of achievement. The curriculum introduced in 1998 includes a compulsory course on
professional ethics and a student-formulated honour code for all students.
�� NCC and NSS are part of the curricular requirement. Students should be encouraged to take part in
extra-curricular activities like sports and games and cultural activities.
�� Practical Projects : IITM should harness the creativity and innovativeness of the student community
as a valuable resource for undertaking product-oriented practical projects. These projects encourage
teamwork and innovation. Computerisation of student elections of the Institute is a typical success
story of group effort by UG students outside the curricular requirements.
�� Projects should be given to students who are capable of meeting challenges. An intangible outcome of
using the students for practical projects is the improvement of faculty-staff-student interaction outside
the classroom in an informal atmosphere.
5.2 ACTION PLANS
�� Rightsizing can be achieved by increasing the productivity of the employees:
�� Carry out an institute-wide “Training Needs Assessment” exercise, periodically and provide training
opportunities for skill and efficiency improvement.
�� Arrange for conduct of in-house and external orientation programmes, workshops and
advanced training programmes for faculty and staff members. About 20% of the total staff
must be put through training schedules each year.
�� Educate staff on the need to acquire skills that would enable them to perform multiple tasks.
�� Develop compensation packages for faculty and staff comparable to the best practices in similar
institutions.
Teleconferencing during
Shaastra
�� Balance faculty attrition and maintain excellence in academic programmes by:
�� Strengthening prioritized academic areas by recruiting faculty, preferably, through short-term and
medium-term contractual appointments.
�� Outsourcing or employing part-time faculty for teaching courses/subjects in which the Institute does
not foresee any significant research in IITM.
�� Establishing endowed Chairs in prioritized academic areas. The target should be to establish about
25 endowed Chairs, over the next five years, at least one in each of the interdisciplinary areas of
thrust.
�� Develop a cosmopolitan faculty community.
�� Evolve schemes for providing faculty with modern accommodation, and personal / official transport,
communication and computing facilities.
�� The Institute should :
�� Develop benchmarks for all components of basic activities, viz. education, research and services
(external and internal), for setting performance targets.
�� Articulate annual performance targets for individuals, groups/teams and Departments.
�� Set-up a system of rewards based on recommendations of Committees using feedback from
multiple sources including peers, customers, superiors and subordinates.
�� Create flexible designations/job titles for staff to enable them to perform multiple tasks. The new
designations should reflect the professional work culture in the Institute.
�� Ensure transparency in career advancement norms by explicitly indicating minimum expected
performance.
�� IITM will encourage use of educational technology effectively by:
�� Having some courses taught through programmed self-learning materials/software and tutorial
assistance, with flexible student evaluation by faculty.
�� Production of appropriate educational modules for use in large, dispersed classes and weblearning
programmes.
�� Setting up a multimedia learning facility.
�� IITM should create and strengthen :
�� Professional associations in all the departments.
�� Student chapters of professional bodies.
�� Sports facilities; educate students on the need for safety at work and play.
�� A well-equipped hobby workshop with facilities to help students carry out practical projects.
encourage faculty involvement in these activities.
�� Avenues for student participation in technical competitions both in-house and in other Institutions.

VI PHYSICAL RESOURCES
Physical resources are a crucial determinant of the productivity of a higher technological
institution.
6.0 INTRODUCTION
The physical resources of the Institute include class rooms, laboratories, workshops, library,
computing and communication facilities and educational technology facilities. Campus amenities for living,
healthcare, security and recreation are also important physical resources.
Physical resources are a crucial determinant of the productivity of a higher technological institution
and the quality of the physical resources has a significant impact on its work culture and organizational
climate. Most of IITM’s physical resources are three to four decades old, and major investments are
necessary to upgrade and modernize them. In recent years, the demands for technology up-gradation of
infrastructure have increased significantly. Further, proposals for expansion of educational programmes are
being implemented. Hence, significant new investments are called for in the medium term and in the long
term, to improve the quality of physical resources. Table 6.1 summarises the additional expenditure for
infrastructure, as envisaged in this report.
Infrastructure Budget (1998 - 2007)
The Central library
The strategic plan pertaining to physical resources envisages:
�� Efficient utilization, maintenance, and upgrading of existing infrastructure.
�� Creation of new infrastructure, keeping in view the emerging technological options for a world class
institution in education, research and services.
This initiative is linked to the other initiatives in three notable ways:
�� High-quality infrastructure can play an important role in attracting the best talent to serve
in the Institute.
�� The provision of adequate infrastructure in educational technology will enhance the
effectiveness of the teaching-learning processes.
�� The electronic infrastructure is a crucial component of a modern educational institution
and a pre-requisite for efficient governance.
The key issues in infrastructure development include:
�� Mobilizing and ensuring a steady flow of adequate funds.
�� Prioritizing development options.
�� Developing project management.
�� Emphasising aesthetics and functionality.
It is also important to evolve management control to ensure proper utilization and maintenance of
all the infrastructural facilities, which, in turn, require appropriate administrative and technical training.
The Computer Centre
6.1 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
6.1.1 Classrooms, Laboratories and Workshops
Modernizing of the Institute’s educational facilities is an integral part of the entire strategic initiative
proposed here. Audio-visual and multimedia equipment, capable of on-line networking with other selected
national and international instruction sites, should be used to enhance the efficiency of the teachinglearning
processes at IITM. The Institute also needs to exploit the wide availability of educational software.
6.1.2 Library
Traditionally the library has been a central but nevertheless passive participant in the
educational process. The traditional libraries however have many shortcomings. In the
knowledge society of today, information doubles every two years. So traditional libraries need to
cater to increasing demands in the face of spiralling costs. Further information retrieval is likely to become
an increasingly difficult and slow process.
The Digital Library, freely accessible to all through the intranet, will therefore improve the
educational process in ways beyond measurement. It will make retrieval of relevant information from inside
books, manuscripts and journals much easier and far more reliable. Students will succeed far more in finding
exactly what they seek and increased success will encourage more of them to get more readily involved in
research. More than one individual will be able to use the same book at the same time. Thus, material will
not be physically checked out and thus become unavailable to others. The role of the Central library has to
move beyond the traditional role to one of being an active participant in the dissemination, multiplication and
validation of knowledge. It will be expected to :
The Swimming Pool
�� Play the role of a navigator of knowledge, a facilitator of retrieval and dissemination.
�� Subscribe to world-wide networks and facilitate teachers and students to participate in innovative
learning experiences that allow interactions across distance and time.
�� Facilitate access for teachers and students to researchers, industry experts, and
technologists worldwide.
�� Become a key partner in the education and learning experiences of the society as a
whole.
Technological solutions for improving the library’s operations will enable it to extend much wider
access and encourage more effective utilization of its facilities and academic resources.
6.1.3. The Integrated Computing Environment
�� The Concept: An integrated high-speed network (of the order of 100s of Mbps or a
few Gbps) exists on campus with Intranet architecture. This network is capable of 622 Mbps speed.
The proposed Integrated Computing Environment (ICE) encompasses Cooperating Distributed
Autonomous Systems, Client – Server Systems, Computing Grids, and Stand-alone systems. ICE
is to be realized in an incremental fashion and adapted to include the growing availability of
hardware and software. ICE is designed to be technology independent and will act as a Universal
Homogenizing Agent. ICE is to Computing Facility what IP is to Internet. The ICE architecture
from a protocol perspective and from a system perspective are shown in the adjoining figures.
Usage of ICE will be dictated by availability of appropriate software with license. The licenses should
be procured in adequate numbers, but distributed, installed, and maintained from a central point for
easy logistics.
ICE Architecture – Protocol View
VB
APPs
WEB
APPs
Document
Sharing
Email
FTP
Browsing
TCP
IP
The llTM campus network needs major re-engineering on several formats : IP address allocation,
security, expansion and reach, quality of service and reliability all at affordable cost. IP address
allocation concerns the issue of manageability of the network. Security addresses concerns about
intentional/unintentional break-in to different llTM servers and is of special importance in the context of IT
Act 2000. Expansion and reach reduces digital divide on campus and the per-capita investment in common
facilities through rapid expansion of the user base. Quality of Service addresses the issue of “how much a
person/node gets” out of a common resource such as Internet bandwidth, or “how long” does it take to
reach any point of service such as a web, mail or proxy server. Reliability in this context refers to the
consistency in the availability of any service as seen by the ultimate user.
Representative set of software that will be part of ICE
Browsing MikTek
Citrix MS Office
Email MS SQL Server
Mathematica Oracle
Matlab Scientific Word
�� The Implementation:
�� llTM campus network should follow Class A IP address allocation as expanded in this
document (subnet per department).
�� Firewalls should be installed at the subnet level which can double as routers.
�� The Institute will be seen as consisting of modules of 250, 350, 500 and 750 nodes. Of
these, 250, 350, and 500 represent different hostels, 350, 500, and 750 represent
departments of various sizes. Irrespective of the size, the design should be such that a
node reaches (i) a server in a maximum of three multiplexing steps and (ii) a service in a
maximum of two firewall/router delays.
�� Approximately 8000 nodes are required across the campus; 5000 in hostel sector and
3000 in the institute academic zone and residences.
�� The ability to share a common resource allocation is best measured in the form of Internet
bandwidth (10, 20, 50, 100 kbps etc.) experienced by the user at his/her node during
browsing. It is a direct derivative of the Internet bandwidth subscribed to by IITM.
�� As far as reliability is concerned, at least two points of interaction with ISPs are required;
llTM has VSNL and ERNET as ISPs already.
�� There are three choices - 1000/1000/1000 or 1000/1000/100 or 1000/100/10 - for a
network with three levels of multiplexing. Of this first is ruled
�� out for the next few years as the interface to a node (PC or laptop) is either not
available or too expensive. The last option is ruled out as the network interface cards for
PCs or laptops as well as the ports in switches or hubs are 10 or 100 and are
automatically selected. As 100 is freely available, 1000/1000/100 becomes a natural
choice.
�� The points of aggregation of bandwidth comes in units of 8/16/24. For cost effectiveness
24 ports per switch is recommended. In a typical hostel, each floor will require four such
switches and for all three floors, the uplink will be made to the fibre entry point at
1000 Mbps. As all these fibres have to be aggregated in the backbone, it is necessary to
have a capacity of 1Gbps or 2.5 Gbps or 10 Gbps is recommended as the differential cost
of these conversions are marginal.
�� A node on campus will experience 1:24 multiplexing into a 1000 Mbps and 1:16
multiplexing at a second level and 1:8 multiplexing at the third level. So the 1000 Mbps
available at the backbone level will be seen as 1.2 Mbps at all three levels and it will be
more pronounced at the first level, viz., the 1:24 multiplexing level. Cables should be laid
for future use at 1000 Mbps. Simple Network Management Protocol
�� switches will be required for each unit of 250 nodes cabling at enhanced CAT 5 or
CAT 6 will be also required. The initial cost of each is likely to be about Rs.5000/-.
�� The Backbone should be upgraded (naturally) to support the enhancement and reach. A
ball-park estimate to replace the three switches will add a per-capita investment of about
Rs. 2500 per node.
�� The expansion and reach can be supported and a better Quality of Service can be
experienced only when the external bandwidth is enhanced in proper proportion. IITM
should make efforts to do so.
The Educational
Technology Studio
6.1.4 Educational Technology
Investments should be made to improve the Educational Technology infrastructure in order to
improve the learning environment. Such improvements will support the Institute’s efforts to widen its reach,
and establish IITM as a global leader in higher technological education.
6.1.5 Campus Amenities
The residential character of the Institute demands that accommodation and facilities
in terms of communication, recreation and sports should be improved and maintained well. On-campus
commercial facilities should also be strengthened and modernised.
6.1.6 Preservation of the Ecosystem
The beautiful campus is a mini ecosystem. It should be preserved and maintained with the help of
students, staff and faculty as a Green Zone.
6.1.7 Health Services
The Institute Hospital was started as a First Aid centre in one of the bays in our Central Workshop
in 1962 with a part-time medical officer. The hospital moved to the present location in 1966. From such
humble beginnings the IIT hospital has grown to the present strength of 12 doctors and 36 supporting staff.
It provides 24 hour emergency service.
The hospital has 35 beds for in-patients. Separate beds are allotted for females, children and
infectious, obstetric and post-operative cases. Emergency service is available round the clock with a
duty doctor on call and supporting staff in the hospital. An efficient Ambulance service is also available on
call round the clock. The hospital has a clinical laboratory with two laboratory technicians. The hospital has a
well equipped operation theatre with sophisticated operating microscopes, bronchioscope, instruments for
IOL surgery, cardiac monitor, etc., along with regular equipment.
A multi-user, multi-modular software has been developed in-house for various routine activities
such as inventory control, registration of members, etc.
The Institute Hospital
6.2 ACTION PLANS
�� State-of-the-art educational technologies should be used to provide instruction in classrooms. The
corresponding hardware and software to enable effective instruction must also be provided.
�� The number and size of classrooms must be rationalized and existing classrooms need to
be remodelled to be consistent with the proposed changes in the academic programmes.
Investments must be made to improve the physical quality of classrooms, laboratories and other
instructional sites. This would entail installing new furniture and office facilities, making civil
repairs and the use of modern IT- based equipment for the production and delivery of
educational materials. More efficient utilisation of existing facilities should be an important strategy.
�� A state-of-the-art digital library that provides information for education and research in engineering,
technology, sciences and management, with state-of-the-art information service
capabilities/facilities should be developed.
�� The Information Technology facilities at IITM should be comparable to those in the best institutes
world-wide. A campus-wide, world-class computing network, connecting all the
stakeholders and providing access to information within the campus and connectivity to the
internet, will serve this purpose.
�� An efficient and open working environment, with minimal paper flow, must be introduced to improve
productivity.
�� The network’s performance and quality must be monitored by periodic feedback from users.
�� The Institute must install a two-way satellite uplink facility for distance education and continuing
education.
�� The concept of individual messes in every hostel seems to have outlived its utility. A central large
dining facility appears to be a desirable alternative.
�� A cyber café should be set up in the hostel sector. The telephone facilities in the hostel require to
be improved, employing also the wireless options.
�� The Student Facilities Centre should be developed into a good shopping complex with modern
amenities.
�� The SAC should be made more functional. The stadium needs a master plan for development.
�� Investments must be made in water harvesting and renewable energy applications.
�� The guest house capacity should be increased or a new “green” guest house should be
constructed.
�� Periodic inspection and preventive maintenance must be largely outsourced. The Institute should
develop effective processes for maintenance activities.
�� All faculty and officers should be provided, with a multi-functional PC connected to the campus
network. This will be consistent with the increasing trends of tele-working and dispersed / remote
work.
�� The Institute should investigate the feasibility of installing a captive power plant to provide goodquality
power to meet its requirements.
�� To maintain the environment, additional space requirement may be met by vertical expansion.
�� Environmental groups should be formed to study the biodiversity of the campus and to take up
projects to preserve and protect the campus ecosystem.
�� As land use has a high opportunity cost in environmental and economic terms, off-campus
alternatives must be identified and located to meet a part of faculty and staff housing needs. A
Satellite campus should be developed to serve the increasing needs of the institute.
�� Individual inpatient rooms with attached toilets need to be constructed.
�� A biochemistry laboratory with semi-auto analyser needs to be installed and a qualified biochemist
should be appointed.
�� An X - ray unit (300 MA machine) needs to be installed and a radiographer needs to be appointed.
�� The present emergency room requires to be expanded by about 200 square feet. It also requires
adding a few more equipments such as cardiac monitor, centralised oxygen supply etc.
VII GOVERNANCE
Governance is concerned with the design of an
appropriate organizational structure, systems and
procedures in the pursuit of the institute’s mission.
7.0 INTRODUCTION
Governance is concerned with the design of an appropriate organizational structure, systems and
procedures, in the pursuit of the institute’s mission. This chapter identifies
�� New tasks / roles for IITM.
�� Structural / organizational / process changes.
�� Policies for strategic alliances that will ensure congruence between structure and strategy.
Governance influences the agenda for the other strategic initiatives identified here. In general, the
most significant changes in an organization’s strategy are rooted in changes in its structure. Structural
changes directly lead to changes in the organization’s work culture, decision-making, operations, and
performance.
The faculty members of the Institute perform four types of activities: education, research, services, and
administration. The character of the Institute is reflected by the mix of these activities which should be
designed asa planned, strategic response to the significant changes in the environmental context.
The average distribution of time spent on each activity - education, research, services and
administration - by the IITM faculty (or average workload mix) is presently estimated to be 40-25-25-10
percent of total time (ref: Working Group Report on Scenario Building). This mix has evolved through the
significant quantitative and qualitative changes in the activities of the Institute since its inception and
represents an optimal balance of faculty and IITM interests. It is a dynamic and evolving core-activity-mix
and the Strategic Plan must be sensitive to it.
The Administration Block
Without significantly altering the overall work-load, the following alternatives are available in order
to sustain and strengthen IIT’s leadership position in higher technical education and research:
�� Education and research to receive the highest priority and services taking the next place.
�� Greater priority given to research over education, with services coming third.
�� Assigning equal importance to the three basic activities.
Based on the feedback from various Task Force and Working Group reports, the strategic plan
recommends that IITM’s activities for the next decade should become a judicious mix of education,
research and services. Each of the activities, in the new strategic mix, should be chosen to maximize
effective utilization of physical and human resources, value addition and resource generation.
To facilitate such an activity mix, the detailed costing of the faculty time needs to be carried out.
Additionally, the proportion of time spent on each activity by a faculty member could be monitored and
evaluated over a five-year period. This policy ought to provide the necessary flexibility and responsiveness
demanded by the environment and satisfy the goals of the faculty as well as those of the Institute. This will
also significantly increase the capabilities of the Institute to generate resources.
7.1 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
7.1.1 Structural Reorganization
While the proposed strategic activity mix of the Institute is a planned response to environmental
changes, redesigning the organizational structure becomes imperative for improving the efficiency of the
operations within the framework of the proposed mix.
Extracts from the IIT Review Committee pertaining to the activity mix issue vis-à-vis leadership
position are given in Table 7.1. In the current context, IITM has to change from performing a predominantly
academic role, to performing both an academic and a knowledge-industry role, nationally and internationally.
Any structural reorganization effort in the Institute must reckon with this major change.
7.1.2 Process Changes
The ‘structural’ changes in the organization have to be matched with process changes pertaining to all
transactions within the Institute, such as decentralization of power, transparency in decision-making and
accountability for performance. Additionally, IITM should strive to form strategic alliances with academic and
industrial organizations.
Table 7.1 Extract from Review Committee
“IITs have at present neither the commercial nor the University type of management structure.
Neither style of management is indeed appropriate. The IITs need their own special management
style.”
“The current ethos in administration is not in consonance with the academic climate needed for
reaching excellence.”
“The IITs must be bold enough to experiment and create their own culture, management style and
structure to fulfil their own needs.”
“Technological manpower production is admittedly the basic function of the IITs.”
“To preserve IIT’s character as institutes of national importance and to maintain their leadership and
pace-setting function in technological education, research and extension and to be able to produce
the kind of technological manpower set out above, their goals must be:
�� To excel in teaching, research and in all aspects of academic activity and produce a high quality
science-based engineering student
�� To survive on specialization, work increasingly in front line areas that transcend disciplines ……
�� To accept extension and public service as a third dimension to their role in addition to education
and research
�� To maintain and foster interactive linkages with leading technological institutions and centres of
research in India and abroad.”
— IIT Review Committee, 1986.
The creation of alliances should be based on mutually beneficial objectives, and their operation
judged by mutually accepted, explicitly stated performance measures. Activities under these alliances,
should emphasise long term benefits and sustainability. All such alliances need to be continuously and
carefully nurtured so as to result in a sustainable stream of activities.
7.1.3 Leveraging Industry – Institute Synergy
The Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC & SR) was created in 1973 in
order to leverage the Industry-Institute synergy. Through IC&SR, IITM has been interacting with industries,
research organisations and governmental agencies for taking up consultancy and sponsored research
projects. Such projects strengthen the academic programmes of the Institute. These projects and
assignments require a great amount of scientific and technical input from the faculty and staff of the Institute.
IC & SR has evolved into an efficient and well-organised division of the Institute for facilitating this valuable
synergy. It has recently been awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification. IITM should strengthen this activity
in the coming decade.
7.1.4 Exploiting Intellectual Capital
With increasing emphasis on exploitation of intellectual capital, revenue generation and reduced
dependence on government funding, the activities of IITM should reflect an economic orientation as well. As
the organizational features for meeting the new goals include higher flexibility, more customer
responsiveness, less bureaucracy and more professionalism, a new affiliate organization, TechNovator, the
business face of IITM is proposed to be formed.
This organization company should be managed by professionals and should develop a professional
business face for the Institute. This marketing organization should be lean and flexible, facilitating the
Institute’s faculty in undertaking the tasks of research, consulting, continuing education and services for
various clients. This concept has successful parallels in the form of the University Companies in UK,
Australia and China. Similar examples in India include the Foundation for Innovation and Technology
Transfer of IIT Delhi, the Technology Foundation of IIT Kharagpur, and the Society for Innovation and
Development of IISc., Bangalore.
The proposed organizational structure requires the formation of a company under Section 25 of the
Indian Companies Act, to be limited by guarantee for serving as an interface between IITM and its clients in
the marketing of its knowledge, products and services.
The IIT-Chemplast Cricket
Stadium
7.2 ACTION PLANS
�� Externally funded research and consulting should continue to assume importance while Continuing
Education programmes need to get a higher emphasis than at present.
�� Faculty members desirous of exploiting their intellectual capital for technology incubation and
entrepreneurship should be encouraged through suitable policies.
�� Individual faculty members may be permitted to trade off time among education, research and
consultancy activities according to a mutually agreed, flexible, annual work plan.
�� The present and proposed organization charts depicting various departments, programmes, units,
offices, etc., are presented in Table 7.2 and 7.3. In managing the increasingly complex affairs of the
Institute, the Director should be supported by as many as two Deputy Directors.
�� Appointments to the positions of Deputy Directors, and Deans should be based purely on prespecified,
mutually agreed, transparent, performance agreements and leadership potential and not on
seniority. These officers should set policies and monitor key indicators of performance and should
delegate powers significantly to lower levels.
�� Hierarchically there will continue to be three well-identified tiers in the governance of the institute.
�� Policy and the legislative issues, within the framework of MHRD, IIT-Council and the Act and
Statutes, handled by the Director, the Deputy Directors and the Registrar.
�� Academic and administrative policy guidelines dealt with by Deans / Associate Deans and Heads.
�� The actual implementation and execution of works, procedures and processes will be the
responsibility of senior and middle level administrators.
�� A Professor-in-charge (Quality Management) will assist the Director, and be in charge of
independent evaluation of processes and activities; internal audit; and quality assurance of
support services and academic programmes.
�� The Act and Statutes of Institutes of Technology need enabling provisions in the changed scenario.
�� A Task force should be set up to review and simplify existing operating rules and procedures. It should
aim at simplification, codification, elimination, and documentation.
�� The Office of Quality Management will focus on all the quality aspects pertaining to the support
services of the Institute.
Twelve major service units of the Institute have secured ISO 9001:2000 certification from RWTÜV of
Germany for establishing and applying a Quality System for Design of Academic and User Oriented
Programmes; Support Services, namely, Library, Computer Centre, Workshop, Industrial Consultancy
and Sponsored Research, Administration, Engineering Unit, Finance and Accounts, Security, Stores
and Purchase and Central Electronics Centre. It is important to continue to maintain the
quality of practices in conformity with the certification.
�� Appointments to the positions of Heads of Departments and Research Coordinators should be based
purely on a pre-specified, transparent, performance agreements and leadership potential and not on
seniority. The tenure of these positions should normally be three years.
�� A limited company called The TechNovator should be formed to help IITM exploit the economic value
of its intellectual capital.
�� The TechNovator will be headed by a Dean IC&SR who will report to the Director of the Institute.
The Director will be the ex-officio Chairman of the company. The Dean will be assisted by appropriate
professionals to take care of continuing Education Programs, Intellectual Property and Technology
Transfer, Outsourcing and Planning.
�� A senior Professor should be identified as Professor-in-charge of Strategic Alliances.
�� The existing alliances / MOUs between the Institute and other national and international academic
institutions, industry and government organizations/ departments should be energized and activated,
where necessary. Other alliances need to be strengthened to improve their effectiveness.
�� The Institute should identify national and international strategic partners, evolve clear parameters and
guidelines for recognizing and selecting the Institutions, and develop evaluation mechanisms for
monitoring the effectiveness of the alliances.
�� The Institute should carefully develop new alliances for joint degree programmes, collaborative
research, continuing education and consultancy with leading institutions (academic, research or
consulting) in the world.

VIII BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
IITM must build relationships through selective
strategic alliances with government, industry,
institutions and other organizations.
8.0 INTRODUCTION
Competition in the field of higher technological education has become significant in recent times.
There is competition to attract the best students; find the best placement opportunities; recruit the best
faculty; seek project funding and consultancy work; get suitable participants for continuing education; enter
into the best strategic alliances; and to market the Institute’s products and services in a competitive
environment.
These unprecedented changes, both at the global and local levels, require IITM to build enduring
relationships with different entities in order to achieve its Vision and Mission. These can be broadly
classified into:
Government and other sponsoring agencies for a sense of national perspective and prioritisation.
Industry for technological consultancy and for realising the economic value of IITM’s intellectual capital
and services.
Alumni for leveraging their contributions to their Alma Mater.
Society and the media through information dissemination, especially on technology issues that affect
society and through outreach programmes.
Various service providers for optimising and rightsizing IITM’s human resources.
These relationships should be founded on the principles of mutuality, synergy and complementarity
although different approaches are required to build each of these relationships. This chapter describes in
detail the strategic initiatives and action plans for building such relationships.
The Lobby of IC & SR
Building
8.1 BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Three factors, namely personal relationships, seeking mutual benefits, and accepting differences, play
an important role in building productive relationships [20].
�� IITM should not underestimate the importance of personal relationships and commitments. The
fundamental structure of the network is social, not technological.
�� The fundamental issue in seeking benefits concerns the way quality is measured in building
relationships. IITM should measure quality not by spending, but by output or performance. Then it is not
the size of the input that matters, but the difference that it makes to the creativity of the faculty and
students.
�� It is important to recognise the differences between institutions before entering into partnerships. Private
institutions are entrepreneurial and ideas that attract resources are of paramount importance while
Public institutions emphasize process and consultation and value means more than the ends.
8.1.1 Strategic Alliances
Several leading organizations the world over have realized the need for strategic alliances with
other organizations in selected lines of activity. The main arguments in favour of strategic alliances include:
�� The presence of a comparative advantage (e.g. lower cost, higher quality).
�� The attractive returns from larger projects that can be implemented.
�� The need for leveraging resources for mutual benefit.
�� The benefits that will accrue from establishing long-term partnerships founded on the principles of
mutuality, synergy, and complementarity.
Some programmes for deriving synergy from the alliances include: joint degree, student and faculty
exchange, joint research, foreign or overseas campus, specialized continuing education and societal
outreach.
Table 8.1 Extract from TCS Report
“…strategic alliances are at the heart of all new activities. IIT needs to recognize the design and
management of such alliances as a major element of its strategy.”
— Study report of
Tata Consultancy Services, Madras, 1997.
8.1.2 The Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research
The Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC&SR) was set up as early as
1973 to build synergistic relationships with the government, industry and sponsoring agencies, and various
service providers. IITM has been interacting with industries, research organisations and governmental
agencies for taking up consultancy and sponsored research projects. These are either referred to the
Institute or are sanctioned based on specific project proposals submitted by the faculty members. Such
projects pose considerable scientific, technological and academic challenge to the faculty and students of
our Institute. Further, the academic programmes of the Institute are strengthened by such active interaction
with the industries. These projects and assignments require a significant scientific and technical input from
the faculty and staff of the Institute.
The Centre for IC & SR coordinates three types of projects or assignments: Sponsored research
projects; Consultancy and Routine Technical Services. The Centre for IC & SR has well designed
policies, with reviews, control of system and internal quality audits to ensure compliance and continued
effectiveness. The Centre has
Sponsored Research Earnings
675
943
448
965
1807 1798
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
�� Sponsored Research Projects: These are R & D projects sponsored by Government agencies,
industries or other institutions with a view to generating new knowledge, to developing a new
technological process or new products. These are long term assignments in emerging areas and in
highly specialised fields of Science and Technology. Typical government funding agencies within India
who sponsor research projects are : Aeronautics Research and Development Board, Council of
Scientific and Industrial Research, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Defence Research and
Development Organisation , Departments of Atomic Energy, Department of Electronics,
Department of Environment, Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Department of Ocean
Development, Department of Science and Technology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian
Council for Medical Research and Indian Space Research Organisation.
Industrial Consultancy Earnings
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
�� Consultancy: Projects that can be executed and problems that can be solved readily utilising the
professional knowledge and expertise of the faculty are classified as consultancy assignments. The
Institute facilities may be used for research work, theoretical analysis or experimentation required for
generating sufficient information and data for this problem solving operation. These assignments are
heavily dependent on the existing know-how and skill of the staff concerned and are mostly related to
the application of an already known technology.
�� Technical services of Routine Nature: Routine technical services refer to assignments like testing,
calibration of an instrument, or writing a routine computer program, where the specialised professional
knowledge or expertise of the faculty is hardly used. Such technical services are not encouraged and
are taken up only when the industry has no other alternative in this region than to depend on the
facilities available in IITM.
�� Information Dissemination: The Centre brings out publications periodically highlighting the research in
different laboratories of the institute. Every two months IC&SR organises several Technology
Appreciation Programmes for its Industrial Associates on selected topics with the help of the faculty.
This programme facilitates the faculty and industry to discuss the state-of-the-art issues in the identified
Technology. In the reverse direction IC&SR facilitates research groups in a variety of ways: valueaddition
to knowledge base, technology transfer, technical advice, troubleshooting, continuing
education, etc. Existing strategic alliances with IGCAR, ISRO and L&T can be models for forming
“industry / sector focussed” partnerships.
�� The IC&SR also manages a conference facility in the IC&SR building which is primarily used by the
faculty for organising technical meetings, conferences, seminars, workshops and short term courses at
the national and international level.
�� Technology Development: The IC&SR helps to identify industry-specific applied research problems,
the solutions to which might lead to indigenous technology development. Some recent examples of
such work at IITM include the development of new DSP (Digital Signal Processing)-based products for
Analog Devices (USA), metal matrix composites for automotive pistons for India Pistons, high-density
magnetostrictive materials for Asian Electronics and heat pump heat recovery systems for Thiru
Arooran Sugars. This synergy is of great importance in the current context of Intellectual Property
Rights for technological innovations and patents.
Exhibition Hall
8.1.3 Intellectual Products and Services
�� The Triple Helix Paradigm: Significant and profound changes have occurred in the way that industry,
governments and universities interact and utilise science and technology for wealth creation. These
changes have been driven by paradigm shifts related to innovation, competitiveness and
university/government / industry relationships.
�� Firstly the innovation process is no longer viewed as a linear “scientific push” or ‘market pull’ process
but as a process involving non-linear ‘system integration and networking’. The latter emphasises team
effort with increasingly global linkages. Secondly the real leverage for competitive success depends on
localised concentrations of skilled people and technology such as in technology parks, associated with
universities linking industry, government and academic R&D activities in a particular area of science
and technology, and not on national effort. Thirdly governments are changing their attitude from looking
at Universities as investment for the future to institutions capable of more direct contribution to wealth
creation. Simultaneously they are offering incentives to the industries in emerging areas for investing in
R&D for competitive growth. The resulting new paradigm, sometimes described as ‘The Triple Helix’,
envisages a spiral model of innovation to capture multiple reciprocal linkages at different stages of
wealth creation from knowledge.
�� Accordingly the Strategic Plan envisages several changes in IITM that are listed under the section on
strategic initiatives. These changes are likely to lead to a significant and rapid growth in IC&SR activities
in IITM.
�� The TechNovator: The role of the Centre for IC&SR will be supplemented by the setting up of The
TechNovator Limited. As described in Chapter VII, the TechNovator’s primary mandate will be to
realise the economic value of the Institute’s products and services. This company will have considerable
flexibility and autonomy to pursue and conclude commercial transactions. In the current competitive
environment IITM should leverage the economic value of its products and services. This involves
customers, and benchmarking and focusing on selected products and services based on customer
needs, and IITM’s comparative advantage.
�� Institutions that compete with IITM are both national and international. Foreign universities, consulting
firms, government laboratories, and even enterprises, compete with IITM in a number of areas. The
Institute’s reach will have to extend significantly beyond national borders. Meanwhile, the Institute’s
range of products and services has also expanded considerably. Marketing thus assumes great
significance in the context of the Institute’s plans to exploit effectively the intellectual capital represented
by the faculty and educational / research facilities.
�� The TechNovator will serve as the link between prospective customers and the Institute and will have
considerable flexibility and autonomy to pursue and conclude commercial transactions. Its
responsibilities are listed in the section on strategic initiatives.
�� Technology Park: R&D has become very expensive in today’s high-tech world. There is definitely a
need to encourage industry-relevant R&D. IITM should set up a Technology Park through The
TechNovator to serve as a cost-effective form of R&D. The Institute and Industry will mutually benefit
through such an arrangement that enables the formation of synergy between the knowledge and
innovative inputs of the former, with the professional and financial inputs of the latter.
�� Continuing Education Programmes: IITM can realise the economic value of Continuing Education
Programmes through The TechNovator, in India and abroad. The exponential increase in
knowledge presents never-before opportunities for continuing education, to provide value-added
knowledge and skills. It is quite difficult for professionals in industry to access and master state-of-theart
developments related to their work. Continuing education, including distance learning, is an
attractive option for them to improve their knowledge and enhance their competitiveness. Continuing
Education Programmes have other specific benefits (placement, consulting, joint research, etc.).
The Main Guest House
�� Software: The Institute should make the sophisticated software generated in the research
programmes of the Institute, user-friendly and also prepare the necessary documentation.
Commercialization of such software could be achieved through alliances with top-grade software
houses which may also be given the marketing rights, thus enabling the Institute to benefit through
royalties.
8.1.4 Alumni Relations
The alumni have an emotional attachment and deep empathy towards their alma mater and
place a high value on the education they received in IITM. The alumni who have distinguished themselves in
different walks of life - the academe, government and industry - constitute an important resource for the
institute to draw upon. The following sections describe strategic initiatives for nurturing its growth in the
coming decade:
�� The Alumni Association: The Alumni Association was started in 1964 with the first batch of
graduates at the first Convocation of the Institute. It is a semi-formal unit that fosters networking and
facilitates sustained connectedness within the Alumni, and between the Alumni and the Institute. The
Director is the ex-officio Patron of the Alumni Association and a Professor of the Institute nominated by
him is the President. The Association publishes and distributes a newsletter called the ‘Alma mater’.
Inauguration of the Cyber Cafe
�� Office of Alumni Affairs: In the year 2000, the Office of Alumni Affairs was set up by the
Board of Governors of the Institute with a Professor as Advisor of Alumni Affairs. The Office
of Alumni Affairs looks after the implementation of the alumni-supported projects and
provides reports of progress to the donors. The Office of Alumni Affairs also oversees the
contributions and the utilization of the support from the Alumni. The Alumni Association and
Office of Alumni Affairs complement each other and provide mutual support for interaction
between the alumni and the institute. IITM is now about forty years old. In the recent past,
the alma mater-alumni relationship has been growing steadily. Several factors have
played a role in this growth. These include the opening up of the Indian economy, the
Information Technology revolution and the service sector boom; both in India and the rest of
the world. Many alumni have started, promoted and headed globally competitive hi-tech
companies. Others occupy important positions in major companies and organizations in
India and abroad. IITs have come to be recognized as producers of the best talent pool in
the world.
�� Alumni, as stakeholders, are very keen to contribute to their alma mater and constantly seek
opportunities to participate and share in its development. IITM should leverage this sentiment to its
advantage and use the talent, the ideas and the monetary contributions of the alumni in taking IITM to
higher and higher levels of achievement. The alumni can contribute in various spheres - student
activities, academic activities, creation of academic facilities and Centres of Excellence and general
infrastructure. Finally the alumni can also serve on Advisory Boards of the Departments in order to
make their rich experience available to the Institute in planning various academic programmes and to
serve as a “reality check” for IIT’s research activities.
�� Interaction with Alumni: While interaction with other stakeholders has been evolving over a much
longer period, development of alumni interaction is a relatively recent phenomenon. For example, the
relationship between IITM and industries was initiated in the early seventies. Schemes such as the
Industrial Associateship Scheme have been in operation since the mid eighties. So is the case with
Sponsored Research and Consultancy, which was initiated in the late seventies and has taken strong
roots in the system.
�� Since early 1990, the Silver Reunion meetings annually bring together alumni who graduated
25 years ago as a regular annual event. These events help alumni to connect and re-connect among
themselves as well as with the Institute. Many of them return to the Institute after long periods, and the
reunion provides an opportunity for them to become aware of the progress and developments in the
Institute. The reunion meetings also generate many useful suggestions and ideas. Since the nineties,
many new Chapters have been established both in India and abroad, particularly in the U.S.
These Chapters provide increased opportunities for alumni to get together, and develop shared
interests in supporting and promoting activities of IITM.
�� Distinguished Alumnus Awards: To recognize and appreciate the achievements of the alumni,
Distinguished Alumnus Awards have been instituted since 1996. Every year, these awards are
presented to alumni in recognition of their achievements in academia, industry or government.
�� The Alumni Trust: IITM Alumni Charitable Trust was established in 1993 with a view to
providing a well- structured and organized interface to receive monetary contributions from the
alumni. The trust facilitates the receipt of foreign donations, and provides the necessary framework for
the eligible tax exemptions for contributions received from abroad.
�� Professional Involvement of Alumni: In the west, particularly, in the U.S. it is an established practice
and tradition to solicit contributions from alumni and build a financial corpus for institutional
development. The interaction of the alumni with their alma mater in the above cases extends far
beyond financial contributions, and includes in its scope, professional involvement of alumni
in academic activities. It is this aspect that would contribute significantly to IITM in achieving its
vision. The establishment of the proposed Technology Park is expected to give a fillip to this
interaction. A beginning has been made at IITM. Over the past six years, the R&D work of the TeNet
group from the Electrical Engineering and the Computer Science and Engineering Departments has
resulted in the establishment of several alumni start-up technology companies for commercialization of
the products.
Special Convocation
8.2 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND ACTION PLANS
�� q The activities of the IC&SR should be supported and strengthened while the nature of its role in
consultancy activities should be re-examined.
�� An annual Research Report on the ongoing R&D programmes and research interests of faculty should
be published.
�� Scale up Continuing education activities for professionals and teachers.
�� Building research capabilities in a focused technological area through financial support from
industry in return for first-hand access to research results and licenses on patents.
�� Keep the public well informed through technology status reports, public seminars and popular lectures.
Silver Reunion of Alumni
�� Establish constructive links with the press and media for widespread coverage and publicity of IIT’s
valuable contributions.
�� Continue to encourage and expand the specific outreach programmes (such as the Programme for
Gifted Youth, open house, guided campus visits) to promote the broader aims of science, engineering
and technology.
�� The Office of Alumni Affairs should work together with the Alumni Charitable Trust and the Alumni
Association to :
�� Nurture the alumni-institute interaction through continuous involvement and constant
communication between the institute and the alumni.
�� Draw up a calendar of events on campus for the faculty, students and alumni to meet from time to
time.
�� Identify champions for alumni projects and monitor them like regular sponsored projects.
�� Publish selected Ph.D., M.S. and M.Tech theses, after suitable editing by technical writers, to make
them industry – friendly where necessary.
�� The Institute must realise the economic value of its intellectual capital and activities by setting up a
section 25 company called the “TechNovator” as the business face of IITM. Its responsibilities will be
to:
�� Identify the marketable products and services of the Institute.
�� Adopt a marketing strategy best suited for each of them in terms of:
• Identifying potential customers and their needs.
• Developing effective customer relations and services.
• Refining and expanding the customer base.
�� Protect IITM’s intellectual property.
�� Invest in new technology-based faculty business ventures in exchange for profit sharing.
�� Manage direct investments in the stock market.
�� Build strategic alliances with professional marketing organizations and commercial consulting
firms.
�� Tie up with professional marketing organizations for selling Educational Technology products,
such as videos, multimedia instruction packages and programmed learning materials.
�� Help in the commercialization of such software through alliances with top-grade software houses,
which may also be given the marketing rights, thus enabling the Institute to benefit through
royalties.
�� Form strategic alliances with commercial consulting firms so that the Institute will be involved
from the early stages of contracts/turnkey assignments.
�� Take up patented products and processes for incubation and commercial development.
�� Help IITM keep in touch with market realities and be responsive to market changes.
�� Set up joint ventures with specific enterprises.
�� Set up and manage a Technology Park in or outside the campus in order to :
• Facilitate collaborative R&D.
• Incubate faculty or student initiated technologies towards their commercialisation.
• Invest in incubator projects at different stages: pre-competition, start-up, development and
expansion.
�� Provide logistic and marketing support to Continuing Education programmes.
�� Grant awards to technologies developed jointly by the Institute and Industry.
�� Conduct external market studies/research periodically to assess customer profiles, needs,
competition, etc.
IX FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Financial Resources constitute one of the key inputs in realising
the objectives and achieving the goals of IITM.
9.0 INTRODUCTION
The main source of funds for the Institute is the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)
of the Government of India. Other sources are receipts by way of student fees, Consultancy and Continuing
Education, Sponsored Research etc. The break-up of the resources for 1998-99 to 2002-2003 is given in
Table 9.1.
9.1 FINANCIAL RESOURCES
9.1.1 Plan and Non-Plan Funds
Every year a Budget Estimate (BE) for the coming financial year is submitted to the Finance
Committee and the Board of Governors for consideration and approval. The Board-approved BE proposal is
then submitted to the MHRD sometime in February. The Ministry holds a discussion with the Director and
the Registrar and determines the actual fund allocation based on their own fund-availability and the BE. The
allocation is released in three instalments (the first instalment in the first week of April) in the form of
grant-in-aid under two heads: Plan and Non-Plan. Plan grants are towards capital expenditure i.e. for the
creation of assets. Non-Plan grants are towards revenue expenditure for meeting the operating expenses of
the Institute. The earnings from Industrial Consultancy and Continuing Education augment the institute’s
resources. Other income by way of fees collected, interest earned etc. add to the Non-Plan Grant for
meeting revenue expenditure. In September, the Institute submits a Revised Estimate (RE) of the Budget
based on a review of its financial position vis-à-vis the BE and the allocation and the actual expenditure. The
release of the second and third instalments is dependent on the RE and the Institute’s ability to absorb the
grants already released to it as evidenced by the audited financial statements submitted periodically to the
MHRD.
The beginning of the IX Plan (1998) saw a steep increase of grants to the IITs and helped the IITM
to carry out some over-due maintenance of the campus as well as add new infrastructure in the form of
buildings and research facilities. Two smaller but significant increases in the grants followed in 1999 and
2001 both of which have helped IITM greatly in its endeavours to re-establish itself as a world-class
institution in terms of its infrastructure.
Financial Resources
9.1.2 Additional Schemes
During the VII Plan period from 1985 to 1990, and 1990 to 1993, MHRD introduced new Schemes,
designated as R&D, TAPTECH (Thrust Area Programmes in Technological Education) and MODROB
(Modernisation and Removal of Obsolescence), and grants under these were provided on the basis of
Project proposals submitted by IITs and other centrally-funded Institutions. Project funding under these
schemes was in addition to the Plan grants to the Institute. Under the TAPTECH Scheme, the thrust areas
of Information Technology, Educational Technology and Telematics were supported.
During the IX Plan (1998-2002), the Planning Commission initiated a novel scheme involving joint
projects with industry participation in designated areas. These schemes require a 25% commitment of funds
for the research on the part of the industry. In these “Technology Development Missions” (TDM), IIT Madras
was funded jointly with another IIT/ IISc in the areas of Energy Efficient Technologies and New Materials.
Based on the evaluation of the TDM projects it is now proposed to continue the TDM approach for another
identified set of Missions in the X Plan commencing from 2003.
During the IX Plan period MHRD in consultation with the IITs also came up with two specific
schemes for funding: modernisation of Information Technology Infrastructure and enhancement of student
intake in the IITs. The scheme for modernization of Information Technology infrastructure was approved and
each IIT was funded to the tune of about Rs.180 million for the period 1997-2002. The scheme for
increased student intake was merged with the Plan funding provided by the Ministry, and accordingly
augmented Plan funds of about 2 crores were provided. IITM has added nearly 100 seats in each year of
the five years of the Dual-Degree Programme (B.Tech.+ M.Tech) since the academic year 1998–99.
In the X Plan the MHRD revised the funding scheme again to one based on Performance. The highlights of
the scheme are as follows:
Plan Funding Formula
Infrastructure Grant
70% (based on campus size, programs offered, number of Departments / Faculties, expansion plan
for increasing student numbers and program diversification)
Performance Grant
20% (On the basis of volume of activity – Research and Consultancy, Continuing education and
support to technical education system at large and industry)
Special Grant
10% (Campus size, location, age factor etc.)
Non - Plan Funding Formula
Based on Student Numbers
90% (In terms of Full-Time Undergraduate Equivalents – FTE with multiple of 1.5 for Postgraduate
students, 2.5 for Doctoral students and 0.5 for part-time student)
Based on Generic Research Output
5% (Based on patents / publications other than outcome of sponsored research)
Based on Other Considerations
5% (Campus size, its location and infrastructure bottlenecks, large number of departments / faculties)
9.1.3 The Corpus
In the IX Plan the IITs were permitted to retain and accumulate the surplus in the Non-Plan grant
after meeting the revenue expenditure under an Institute Corpus Fund (ICF). This was designed to
encourage IITs to build up financial resources and achieve a certain degree of self-reliance for operational
expenses by utilizing the interest from the ICF. Under the X Plan IITs are required to limit their Corpus to
Rs. 25 crores and are explicitly forbidden from accumulating the surplus Non-Plan grant allocation in the
ICF.
9.1.4 Alumni Support
Another important development which augurs well for the IITs is the success of IIT Alumni in hightech
fields by way of entrepreneurship and new ventures. This correlates well with the current global
economic framework. During the decade of the 1990s, the Institute initiated several steps for involving the
alumni to help sustain the brand equity and image of the IIT. This has opened up avenues for possible
alumni support both in terms of funding as well as in terms of participation in activities such as student
mentoring, summer internship for students and Chair Professorships.
9.2 STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND
ACTION PLANS
In 1997, A. F. Ferguson (AFF), was hired as consultants to study and report on Resource
Assessment, Fund Mobilisation and Accountability Systems. The Report drew up a desirable and feasible
scenario, involving 25% increase in student strength, additional Plan inputs and a small increase in Non-
Plan expenditure. The scenario envisages a different activity-mix for faculty, with increased participation in
Consultancy, Sponsored Research and Continuing Education.
�� q All books of accounts should be consolidated to reflect the total activities of the Institute. The
accrual basis of accounting should be adopted uniformly across IITM.
�� Separate funds along the lines of PF may be set up for gratuity and pension, payments. Surplus
earning through investments should be retained in its own books. Any shortfall in the fund’s interest
liability could be met out of this.
�� Complete and accurate records of fixed assets should be maintained at IITM. IITM should adopt a
suitable policy for depreciating its fixed assets through a “Sinking Fund”.
�� A Central Treasury Management should be adopted so as to pool resources and manage cash
effectively as well as gainfully deploy temporary surplus cash resources.
�� A suitable system for cash budgeting and planning should be developed.
�� Increase student intake through GATE and JEE and eliminate subsidies especially in the hostel sector.
�� Increase faculty involvement in IC&SR, Research Based Industrial Consultancy (RBIC) and Continuing
Education Programme (CEP) activities with time planning and monitoring.
�� Institute monthly time sheet system. Every hour spent by the faculty for the institute to be booked.
Increase services fees to include faculty time costs.
�� Increase faculty accountability through a well-defined performance assessment system.
�� Implement a Voluntary Retirement Scheme and evolve a recruitment policy that would lead to a faculty
to non-faculty strength ratio of 1:1.5 by 2010.
�� Control all expenditure heads and implement transparent accounting and cost reduction measures.
�� Devise and implement fund-raising programmes, create teams and fix targets.
�� Prioritise, plan, design and execute all construction projects as per schedule.
�� Create and organise Research Groups and identify members and leaders. Set targets and budgets for
these groups.
�� Use increased plan funds allocation by MHRD to improve Infrastructure, accommodate more students
and establish an institute backbone network.
�� Use increased Non-Plan funds to improve the maintenance of hostels, faculty rooms etc.
�� Set up a separate Office of Alumni Affairs under Dean IC&SR to mobilise additional resources for
Infrastructure, R&D and Student / hostel projects as well as to find Faculty champions for such projects.
�� Reduce non-faculty strength by selective recruitment and intelligent outsourcing.
�� Set up an Integrated Computing Environment (ICE) to link all the activities of the Institute and help the
authorities by providing data at the desk-top for decision-making.
�� Set up teams / organisation to promote IITM products and services.
�� Evolve mechanisms for raising funds from corporate houses.
�� Set up teams for monitoring the implementation of Institute infrastructure and departmental plan
expenditure investments.
�� Increase Faculty strength to 600 and student strength to 6000 by 2010 to maintain a student/ faculty
ratio to 8:1 for PG and 15:1 for UG with a PG to UG ratio of 1.25:1 and thereby facilitate undertaking
additional sponsored and consultancy projects.
�� Appoint professionally qualified and experienced finance manpower to bring about the proposed
transformation. Move towards budgetary control of activities from the present system of expenditure
control.
�� Develop objective criteria to decide on cross-subsidies to programmes that are not self-sustainable.
Strategic Management Project at IIT Madras
Composition of Various Committees (1996)
The Boards Strategic Planning Committee
Dr. A. C. Muthiah, Vice-Chairman, & President Chairman
M/s. Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd., Chennai
Director Co-Chairman
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Ms. Mallika Srinivasan, Vice-President Member
M/s. Tractors & Farm Equipment Ltd., Chennai
Shri Vaghul Member
Chairman, ICICI
Dr. M. Anandakrishnan Member
Vice Chancellor, Anna University
Prof. R. Natarajan Member
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras
Prof. C.R. Muthukrishnan Member
Dept. of Computer Science & Engineering, IIT Madras
Prof. M. Ravindran Member
Ocean Engineering Centre & National Institute of Ocean Technology
Prof. V. Balakrishnan Member
Dept. of Physics, IIT Madras
Prof. R. Rajagopalan Member
Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras
Shri A. Ramakrishna Member
Vice President, Larsen & Toubro, Chennai
Shri Suresh Krishna Member
M/s. Sundaram Fasteners Ltd., Chennai
Dr. K. V. Raghavan Member
Director, Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai
Dr. R. Ramachandran Member
Director, Institute of Mathematical Science, Chennai
Dr. Bhaskar Ramamurthy Member
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras
Dr. S.S. Gokhale, Associate Professor Member
Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras
Dr. (Mrs.) Enakshi Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor Member
Dept. of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras
Prof. K. V. S. Rama Rao, Dean Member
Secretary
Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research, IIT Madras
Prof. G. Subramanian Member
Secretary
Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Madras
Coordination Committee
Prof. R. Natarajan Director, Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Prof. C. R. Muthukrishnan Deputy Director, Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Prof. R.S. Ganapathy Academy for Management Excellence, Chennai
1. Working Group (1) Scenario Building and Assessment of Mix of IIT
Activities (Education, Research and Service)
Members
1. Dr. M. S. Ananth Dean, Academic Courses, Convenor
2. Dr. K. A. Padmanabhan Dean, Academic Research
3. Dr. N. Rajagopalan Dean, Administration
4. Dr. P. Srinivasa Rao Dean, Students
5. Dr. K. V. S. Rama Rao Dean, IC&SR
Resource Persons
1. Dr. V. Balakrishnan Department of Physics
2. Dr. R. Krishnakumar Department of Mechanical Engineering
3. Dr. J. Raviprakash Department of Chemical Engineering
4. Dr. M. S. Sivakumar Department of Applied Mechanics
5. Dr. R. I. Sujith Department of Aerospace Engineering
6. Dr. M. Ramakrishna Department of Aerospace Engineering
2. Working Group (2) Infrastructure, IT and Educational Technology
(Technological choice, Upgradation, Maintenance)
Members
1. Dr. V. Kalyanaraman Department of Civil Engineering, Convenor
2. Dr. S. V. Raghavan Department of Computer Science and Engineering
3. Dr. S. Subramanian Regional Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre
4. Dr. M. S. Gopinathan Department of Chemistry
5. Dr. V. V. Sastry Computer Centre
Resource Persons
1. Dr. V. Jagadeesh Kumar Department of Electrical Engineering
2. Dr. S. Srinivasan Chairman, Educational Technology Centre
3. Dr. P. C. Deshmukh Department of Physics
4. Dr. Harish Chandra Central Library
5. Dr. Shankar Narasimhan Department of Chemical Engineering
3. Working Group (3) Human Resources Management
Members
1. Dr .G. Subramanian Department of Aerospace Engineering -Convenor
2. Dr. V. Ramamurthi Department of Applied Mechanics
3. Dr. L. S. Ganesh Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
4. Dr. S. Krishnan Department of Aerospace Engineering
5. Dr. T. J. Kamalanabhan Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Resource Persons
1. Dr. R. Kalyanakrishnan Department of Computer Science and Engineering
2. Dr. B. Yegnanarayana Department of Computer Science and Engineering
3. Dr. S. Mohan Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
4. Dr. M. S. Shunmugam Department of Mechanical Engineering
5. Dr. V. G. Idichandy Department of Ocean Engineering
4. Working Group (4) Quality of Support Services
Members
1. Dr. R. C. Janakarajan Registrar - Convenor
2. Dr. P. Sankaran Chairman, Estate and Works Committee
3. Mr. N. Malayalam Institute Engineer
4. Dr. B. Viswanathan Chairman, Council of Wardens
5. Dr. B. S. Prabhu Department of Applied Mechanics
Resource Persons
1. Dr. T. T. Narendran Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
2. Dr. S. S. Gokhale Department of Aerospace Engineering
3. Mr. A. K. Pattabiraman Deputy Registrar (Training and Placement)
4. Mr. K. Panchalan Deputy Registrar (Academic)
5. Dr. B. V. N. Rao Deputy Registrar (Finance and Account)
6. Dr. T. Suryakumar Deputy Registrar (Administration)
5. Working Group (5) Marketing of IIT’s products
Members
1. Dr. K. V. S. Rama Rao Dean, IC&SR - Convenor
2. Dr. V. Ganesan Department of Mechanical Engineering
3. Dr. S. Srinivasan Department of Electrical Engineering
4. Dr. D. Balakrishnan Chief Techno Economic Officer, IC & SR
5. Mr. A. K. Pattabiraman Deputy Registrar (Training and Placement)
Resource Persons
1. Dr. A. R. Balakrishnan Department of Chemical Engineering
2. Dr. Shankar Narasimhan Department of Chemical Engineering
3. Dr. J. Raviprakash Department of Chemical Engineering
6. External Study (1) Resource Assessment, Mobilisation and
Accountability Systems
M/s. A. F. Ferguson & Co.
1. Mr. T. Shankar Director
2. Mr. C. K. Mohan Consultant
3. Mr. M. Sumanth Consultant
7. External Study (2) Restructuring and Governance
M/s. Tata Consultancy Services
1. Mr. S. Mahalingam Vice President
2. Mr. T. S. Rangarajan Head-Management Consultancy
3. Mr. G. Srinivasan Management Consultant
8. Committee Constituted to finalise report of Strategic Management Project
1. Prof. C. R. Muthukrishnan Deputy Director
2. Prof. M. S. Ananth Dean of Academic Courses
3. Prof. S. Srinivasamurthy Dean, IC&SR.
4. Prof. B. Viswanathan Dean of Students
5. Prof. M.R. Pranesh Registrar
6. Prof. L.S. Ganesh Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
7. Prof. S.S. Gokhale Head of Aerospace Engineering
8. Prof. M. Govardhan Department of Mechanical Engineering
9. Prof. V.G. Idichandy Ocean Engineering Centre
10. Prof. R. Rajagopalan Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
11. Prof. T. Sundararajan Department of Mechanical Engineering
12. Dr. K. Mangala Sunder Department of Chemistry
13. Dr. K.N. Satyanarayana Department of Civil Engineering
14. Dr. G. Srinivasan Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
15. Dr. Koshy Varghese Department of Civil Engineering
16. Mr. R. Sundaram Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research
17. Mr. V. Suresh Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Report of the Review Committee of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras under the Chairmanship
of Prof. P.L. Bhatnagar, 1971.
2. Report of the Review Committee of the Indian Institutes of Technology at Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur,
Kharaghpur and Madras under the Chairmanship of Dr. Y. Nayudamma, 1986.
3. Report of the Internal Working Group on “Scenario Building”, 1997.
4. Report of the Internal Working Group on “Quality of Support Services”, 1997.
5. Report of the Internal Working Group on “Human Resources”, 1997.
6. Report of the Internal Working Group on “Infrastructure Development”, 1997.
7. Report of the Internal Working Group on “Marketing of IITM’s Products”, 1997.
8. Report of Tata Consultancy Services on “Restructuring and Governance”, 1997.
9. Report of A.F. Ferguson and Company on “Resource Assessment, Funds Mobilisation and
Accountability Systems”, 1997.
10. Ninth Plan Proposal of Indian Institute of Technology Madras, 1996.
11. “CSIR 2001 Vision and Strategy”, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India, 1996.
12. “Vision for R&D in Engineering Sciences”, Science and Engineering Research Council, Ministry of
Science and Technology, Government of India.
13. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay 2010, Private Communication.
14. “Vision for the Future”, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 1992.
15. “Changing the Culture: Engineering Education into the Future”, Review Report of the Institution of
Engineers, Australia, 1996.
16. “A Strategic Plan for NIOT”, National Institute of Ocean Technology, Madras, Department of Ocean
Development, Government of India, 1997.
17. President’s Information Revolution Commission’s Report, University of Michigan, 1998.
18. Strategic Plan Documents of some universities in the USA
(a) Georgia Institute of Technology, 1995
(b) The University of Missouri-Rolla , 1995-96
(c) The University of California, Santa Barbara, 1997
(d) Indiana University, 1996
(e) North Carolina State University, Raleigh, 1996
19. “Engineering Education for a Sustainable Future”, Anthony D. Cortese’, President, Second Nature
Paper presented at the joint Conference on “Engineering Education and Training for Sustainable
Development Towards Improved Performance” held at ENPC in Pais, France, Sept 24-26, 1997.
20. “Collaborative Advantages : The Art of Alliances”, Rosabeth M. Kanter, Harward Business Review,
1994.
THE NEW CURRICULUM - JULY 1998
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Judging by several external indicators, the B.Tech programme of IITM is a successful model that is
worthy of emulation. The seats are in great demand, the inputs are of good quality, the quality of instruction
is high, all the graduates are placed well-before they complete their programmes, and our alumni are doing
very well in many parts of the world. However, many concerns have been expressed, especially in-house,
regarding the category-wise distribution of the courses, the lack of informed decision-making in the choice of
electives, the relevance of workshop practice, the effectiveness of the laboratory courses, and the need for
more design orientation to the programme. Hence, an extensive revision was undertaken in 1996 and the
New Curriculum was introduced in 1998.
1.1 Objective
The Objective of the Programme is to educate and prepare students for a variety of challenging
careers in
�� industry: production, service, R & D and design sectors.
�� higher education in engineering and management.
�� software development for applications in engineering and technology
1.2 Components
The New Curriculum is structured to include:
�� a well-defined Knowledge component, consisting of coursework in a major professional area, a minor
interdisciplinary area, basic engineering sciences, physics, chemistry and mathematics, humanities,
social sciences and management and topics of current socio-economic relevance
�� a Know-how component, consisting of laboratory courses, project work, industrial training and
opportunities for individual initiatives
�� a Character-building component that includes co- curricular and professional society activities and a
case-studies-discussion course in professional ethics.
1.3 Novel features
The New Curriculum has many novel features
�� Engineering courses taught from the first semester itself.
�� Computer-aided drafting.
�� Compulsory 6-week 2-credit industrial training programme.
�� Mini-project option in lieu of a 3-credit course.
�� 2 Non-graded courses to encourage learning for its own sake.
�� One 3-credit course for self-study.
�� Laboratory courses revamped.
�� Engineering Design course for all freshmen to give them the flavour of design as a customer-focussed
synthesis activity.
�� A Minor Stream in an interdisciplinary area of current interest.
�� Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry taught as topic-based courses; engineering majors can choose
combinations of Physics and Chemistry courses subject to a minimum in each.
�� Humanities courses to include a non-graded 3-credit course covering a study of Professional Ethics.
�� Engineering skills category revamped: workshop and computer-aided drawing, revamped; glass
blowing and photographic skills for experimental research included.
�� 180 total credits; 161 minimum category-wise credits; 170 CGPA credits.
�� Co-curricular Activities encouraged.
�� Current Topics of social / industrial / national relevance to be covered as Extra-Curricular activity.
1.4 Category-wise Distribution of Credits
HSS and HSS 9 3a
Management
Basic sciences SPY&SCY 20
Mathematics SMA 14
Basic Engineering BES 15
Engineering Skills BES 8
MAJOR PROFESSIONAL AREA
Theory PMT 56 7b
Self-Study PSS 3
Project PMP 6
Laboratory PML 6
Industrial training PIT 5
Electives 6
MINOR STREAM MNS 12
TOTAL CREDITS FOR A B.TECH DEGREE 180
a One 3-credit course on Professional Ethics
b Two 3-credit courses, one 1-credit Industrial Lecture course
1.5 The Minor Stream
The interdisciplinary minor streams currently offered are:
�� Biomedical Engineering
�� Computational Solid Mechanics
�� Environmental Sciences and Technology
�� Trends in Business and Finance
�� Industrial Engineering
�� Operations Research
�� Financial Management
�� Communication
�� Engineering Project Management
�� Theoretical Computer Science
�� Materials Technology
�� Physics for Modern Technology
1.6 Co-curricular Activities
Co-curricular academically oriented activities are designed to augment the learning process in a
non-formal environment.
�� Shaastra – Annual Technical Fest introduced
�� Professional Associations in each Department
�� Hobby Workshop to be strengthened
1.7 Teacher-Student & Student-Student Relationships
Activities have been designed and taken up relating to the important aspect of improving human
relationships among teachers and students.
1.8 Teacher Evaluation/Performance
A Cafeteria system of Teacher Evaluation/ Feedback has been introduced for an effective feedback
on lecture-based courses to the teacher. A separate format has been introduced for feedback on laboratory
courses.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The primary objective of the Indian Institutes of Technology is to provide
scientists and technologists of the highest calibre who would engage in
research, design and development to help building the nation towards
self-reliance in her technological needs ... Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
I. INTRODUCTION
The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), were established by the Government of India, as
institutions of National importance. Their primary objective in the words of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was, “to
provide scientists and technologists of the highest calibre who would engage in research, design and
development to help building the nation towards self-reliance in her technological needs”. The activities of
the Institute in various fields of Technology and Science are now being carried out by thirteen Departments
and ten Academic Centres. The Institute has about a hundred well-equipped laboratories attached to the
different Departments. It is spread over an area of 256 hectares of forest land, and houses a campus
community of about 10,000 people. The Institute offers several course-based undergraduate (UG) and
postgraduate (PG) programmes, as well as research-based postgraduate and doctoral programmes. It has,
over the years, responded to environmental changes and user needs by redesigning curricula, offering new
UG and PG programmes, and organising Continuing Education Programmes. It also undertakes a large
number of Researches, Development and Consultancy projects sponsored by a variety of funding agencies,
including the Government and Industry. Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) has active linkages
with leading Academic and Research organizations around the world.
Since its inception, the Institute has concentrated on academic and infrastructure development, and
on recruitment of faculty and staff, towards achieving excellence in Education, Research and Services. In
the past decade the technological, economic and policy environment of IITM has changed rapidly and
hence, the Institute is presently at important crossroads. It needs to identify strategic directions for its future.
The Board of IITM set up a Strategic Planning Committee in 1996 and the Institute initiated the
Strategic Management Project in May 1996 to build up internal capability for change. The processes of this
institute-wide project were developmental, participative and learning in nature. The Project consisted of a
series of coordinated interventions to bring about changes in the Institute’s directions, structure, interfaces
and performance. Several Workshops and discussions were held with various stakeholders to develop a
knowledge base and a consensus around key issues, in a cumulative, learning approach. The following
seven areas of strategic importance to the Institute were identified for intensive study through internal
taskforces and external consultants:
Scenario Building
Restructuring and Governance
Quality of Support Services
Human Resources
Infrastructure Development
Resource Assessment, Funds Mobilisation and Accountability Systems
Marketing of IITM’s Products
The Reports on these areas were widely discussed and debated to build a consensus. The
Strategic Plan incorporates a variety of inputs and outlines the strategy recommendations and action plans
to implement the strategy. These are summarized below.
II. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
The Strategic Management Project of IITM has been launched to respond to the recent radical
changes in the Institute’s environment such as:
The Knowledge Revolutions: The Information Technology (IT) revolution that is radically altering the
whole world at an ever-accelerating pace touches every aspect of IIT life. It has a significant impact on
the core of IIT’s mission viz., the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge.
A second revolution is the Bio-Technology revolution with significant consequences to the
engineering of life itself (including people), technologies that self-replicate and technologies that evolve.
The bio-technology revolution, made possible in part by the information technology revolution, has
indeed affected areas central to humanity - food, medicine and reproduction. The engineer of the
twenty-first century can no longer afford to be ignorant of the fundamentals of the life sciences any
more than he can be ignorant of Newton’s laws and Maxwell’s laws. Curricular changes are warranted
in every field of engineering to enable students to cope with these knowledge revolutions.
The Need for Sustainable Development: Another important development is the beginning of an
acute awareness of the need for proactive steps to make life sustainable on our planet. Engineering
education for a sustainable future is central to this awareness. Future scientists, engineers, and
managers must design technology and economic activities that sustain the natural environment,
enhance human health and well-being, and live within the limits of natural systems. This calls for a
long-term societal effort to make environmental and sustainability concerns a central theme in all
education, particularly for engineers, economists and managers.
Shifts in Government policy: Recent Government policies reflect sharply changing budgetary
support, encouragement of private funding in higher education, and regulatory mechanisms for
upholding standards and quality in higher technical education.
Growing competition in higher technical education: Compared to the past, the Institute is in a
fiercely competitive environment in all its activities: Education, Research and Services. There is
competition to attract the best students; to recruit and retain faculty; to provide educational and
research funding; to secure consulting assignments; and to offer technology as well as knowledgebased
services.
Rapid and complex changes in Markets and Technology: Changes in the markets for living
space/environment, health-care, educational services, consumer goods, transport and recreation have
been rapid and complex in the last twenty years. Fundamental changes are also taking place in
materials, information, medical, aerospace, ocean, energy and environment technologies.
Unprecedented growth in the service sector: The tertiary sector of the economy (services)
contributes close to half of the Gross National Product, and has assumed ascendancy over the primary
(agriculture) and the secondary (industry) sectors. The growing diversity of students, choice of
courses, institutions, modes of delivery and location, the increasing role of alliances, and the increasing
concern towards value for money among educational clients, all contribute to the fundamental changes
that are taking place in the markets for educational services.
Multiple dimensions of institutional accountability: In the recent past, parents and students, faculty
and staff, and the Government were our main stakeholders. Presently, new groups like funding
agencies, clients for services, industry, contracting organizations, local communities, and other
international/national educational institutions also influence the nature of accountability of IITM.
New Forms of Knowledge Delivery: The open, democratic and un-edited nature of access to the
World Wide Web has revolutionized earlier concepts of using computers and networks to create, store
and disseminate information as well as to manage intellectual property rights, and to create viable
economic models for Digital Library services. There is an urgent need to exploit the rapid advances in
Information and Communication Technologies to meet the demand for unprecedented access
to and enhancement in the quality of technical education in the nation.
The cultural context of the Institute is also undergoing a rapid transformation. The convergence of
styles of operation between industry and the academe [e.g.: perception of change and its effects on
organisational performance, orientation to market/customer needs, attitudes towards risk and uncertainty,
and preferences for certain types of organizational structures and processes] is a significant feature of this
transformation. It is, therefore, important that the Institute’s strategic response to such major environmental
changes must consider:
The utilization, performance and productivity of its resources.
The need for value addition or value creation for clients through altering the product mix, restructuring
present activities and launching new initiatives.
The benefit from environmental opportunities in specific technologies by choosing areas of immediate
relevance for research and technology development.
The strategies that could be adopted by the Institute are derived from the Institute’s Mission
Statement (see next section). A summary of the influences of the change strategies on Institute Mission
outcomes follows this Executive Summary.
III. VISION, MISSION AND QUALITY POLICY
IITM’s Vision statement is
“Our Vision is to be an academic institution in dynamic equilibrium with its social, ecological and
economic environment striving continuously for excellence in education, research and technological service
to the nation”.
Our Mission is to :
Create and sustain a community of learning in which students acquire knowledge and learn to apply it
professionally with due consideration for ethical, ecological, and economic issues.
Pursue research and disseminate research findings.
Provide knowledge-based technological services to satisfy the needs of society and the industry.
Help in building national capabilities in technology, education and research.
The Quality Policy talks about the manner of execution of the Mission. Our Quality Policy is to
pursue global standards of excellence in all our endeavours namely teaching, research, consultancy and
continuing education and to remain accountable in our core and support functions, through processes of
self-evaluation and continuous improvement.
IV. EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES
Educational Processes are at the core of the Institute’s functions, the main goals of which can be
stated as:
Undergraduate Education: To provide an excellent under-graduate (UG) education that includes mastery
of the fundamentals of Engineering, Science and Technology, an ability to conceptualize and formulate
technical problems, and to find effective solutions for them.
Postgraduate Education: To provide an excellent post-graduate (PG) education (through course as well as
research based programmes) that is primarily interdisciplinary, specialized, dynamic and focused on the
application of advanced concepts and skills.
Research: To pursue, basic and user-driven research largely characterized by interdisciplinary inquiry to
generate knowledge, develop technology and discover new and meaningful applications.
Continuing Education: To provide timely and relevant continuing education, imparting state-of-the-art
knowledge and skills to diverse clients, enabling them to make superior professional contributions.
The design of an effective academic system is crucial to support the strategic activity mix of the
Institute, proposed as a response to environmental changes. The key recommendations concerning
Educational Processes are given below:
Academic reorganization: The structure of academic programmes at the Institute needs review and
changes wherever necessary.
�� The UG programmes need to be reorganised to focus on broad-based engineering education and
on traditional disciplines. These programmes should continue to be offered by the Departments.
A few interdisciplinary UG programmes, viz., Biotechnology, Engineering Physics, may also be
offered.
�� The PG programmes of the Institute should focus on specialized areas of knowledge, reflecting the
research priorities of the Institute, the emerging frontier areas of Science and Technology and
human resource manpower needs in the fast-changing professional S&T market. These should be
offered as institute-wide programmes, wherever necessary.
�� The faculty of the Institute should be placed in a matrix structure with dual coordinates: one in a
Department dimension and another in a Research dimension.
Creation of New Departments: New Departments need to be created in response to emerging
demands in frontier areas. For instance, a separate department of Biotechnology should be created with
faculty strength of about 15, offering course-based as well as research-based programmes.
Flexible learning options and multiple pedagogical methods: The Institute, should consider offering
new programmes/courses with flexible learning options, such as self-learning modules using modern
educational technology, dual-degree programmes, lateral entry opportunities, and cross registration of
students across institutions located close to each other. These will enrich the academic atmosphere
and will also enable the Institute to reach out to a more diverse group of potential students.
Creation of specialized Schools: In the next five years, the Institute should create specialized Schools
in selected areas such as Management, Information Technology, Energy, Environment and
Manufacturing. These ‘Schools’ may be granted considerable administrative, financial and academic
autonomy with corresponding accountability. Such autonomy is necessary if the Institute has to address
the changing environmental needs effectively.
PG Education in select, frontier areas: The Institute should focus its research and its PG education
efforts on select, frontier areas. Sixteen such areas have been identified in the Strategic Plan. These
areas are :
1. Biotechnology
2. Chemical Physics and Molecular Biology
3. Communication Technology
4. Complex Systems
5. Computational Engineering
6. Development Studies
7. Energy Technology
8. Environmental Technology
9. Infrastructure Technology
10. Instrumentation and Control
11. Materials Technology
12. Measurement, Testing and Diagnostics
13. MEMS
14. Methodologies
15. Quality assured Design and Manufacturing
16. Transportation Engineering
The research programmes should be user-driven and performance-oriented, aimed at obtaining results
in the medium-term. This will induce a more professional approach to research and enable the Institute
to gain distinct competitive advantages in niche areas.
Building strategic alliances: Strategic alliances between the Institute and leading academic/research
institutions and enterprises will be necessary for globalizing institutional activities. Some useful
possibilities for deriving synergy from alliances include: (i) dual and joint degree programmes,
(ii) student and faculty exchange programmes, (iii) joint research programmes, (iv) foreign or overseas
campus programmes, and (v) specialized continuing education programmes.
Continuing education and Open-learning programmes: In keeping with the contemporary trends of
internationalization of education, the Institute should develop and offer flexible, learner-centered, openlearning
programmes using advanced educational technology. This will significantly enhance the
outreach of the Institute and further strengthen its position as a leader in providing higher technical
education to a variety of groups, besides the traditional focus of high school students and
engineering/technology graduates.
V. HUMAN RESOURCES
Human resources are the most important among all the resources of the Institute. The goal of
Human Resources Management (HRM) in IITM is to develop its human potential, consistent with the Vision
and Mission of the Institute. The main recommendations on HRM are the following:
Developing a heterogeneous academic community: The Institute must aim to develop a
heterogeneous academic community, which is necessary for technological innovation and excellence in
learning. Such an academic community can generate diversity in academic/administrative thought and
practice; and develop a cosmopolitan ambience in the campus.
Recruiting top-class faculty and staff: The Institute must bear in mind the current and projected need
of well-qualified/experienced faculty and staff. In recruiting high-quality human resources it faces tough
competition from various sources. The Institute’s HRM policies (recruitment, compensation, career
advancement, appraisal, etc.) must be such that they are able to attract and retain high quality
human resources at various levels. This is an important challenge for the Institute.
Training of Employees: In order for the Institute to remain a world-class organization, its employees
must have state-of-the-art knowledge and skills. The Institute must focus on training and improving
quality through imparting new skills, and redesigning staff jobs. It should commit at least 2% of its salary
budget (a norm among leading educational and R & D institutions around the world) for continuous
improvement of human resources. HRM efforts must enable the employees to perform multiple tasks, in
multiple roles.
Incentives for good performance: The Institute must offer an attractive monetary and non-monetary
compensation package. The current performance appraisal norms and practices in the Institute need to
be strengthened. The incentive structure associated with performance appraisal is currently weak.
Major reforms in appraisal and career development are needed to retain and motivate qualified faculty
and staff.
Outsourcing human resources in specific areas: The Institute should evolve policies to identify tasks
that require outsourcing of human resources, without compromising on high quality.
Deploying technology for enhancing productivity and efficiency: Experience elsewhere in the
world shows that Information / Educational Technology, strong complementary alliances, and
improvement in productivity and efficiency can facilitate growth without a significant increase in
manpower.
Rightsizing: This is the most crucial action to be performed by the Institute. The additional level of
manpower needs to be only 20% higher than the present level even for doubling the level of present
activities. The need to rationalize the use of human resources and rightsizing are in tune with the
government policies.
VI. PHYSICAL RESOURCES
The infrastructure of the Institute consists of classrooms, laboratories, workshops, library,
computing and communication facilities, educational technology facilities, and campus amenities for living,
health-care, security and recreation. The quantity and quality of infrastructure are crucial for the
competitiveness of the Institute in higher technological education and research, and also for its work culture
and organizational climate. The Institute has to develop an action plan for maintenance, efficient utilization
and up-gradation of existing infrastructure and creation of new infrastructure, within the bounds of emerging
technological options and funding sources. This would enable IITM to become and remain a world-class
institution in education, research and services. The main recommendations for infrastructure development
follow:
Developing state-of-the-art facilities: Most of the physical infrastructure of IITM is three to four
decades old. Therefore, significant new investments would be required for developing state-of-the-art
academic and administrative facilities. The facilities must support the Institute’s efforts to widen its reach
among potential customers and firmly establish its image as a global leader in higher technical
education and research.
Prioritizing infrastructural investment options: The initiative on infrastructure development is linked
with the other initiatives in many ways. The notable linkages include: (i) the positive effects of highquality
infrastructure in attracting the best talent to serve as faculty and staff; (ii) the use of educational
technology for augmenting teaching; (iii) the benefits of having a digital library enabling faculty and
students to add value to the Institute’s information/knowledge resources and raise finances there
from; (iv) the impact of computing and communication networks on performance improvement, in terms
of quality, delivery and flexibility, of academic and administrative activities. Such beneficial linkages
must be considered in determining priorities for investments in infrastructure.
Adopting project management practices: The Institute must adopt proven project management
methods to ensure that its infrastructure development projects meet the general requirements of timely
completion, tight cost control and high quality of work. Well-executed infrastructure development
projects at the Institute will strengthen its world-class status and give it a distinct competitive edge.
Developing strategic alliances for infrastructure development: The increasing emergence of
specialised hi-tech organizations, the advantage of the Institute’s location, the availability of excellent
human resources at the Institute, and the aesthetic and functional features of the campus, can be
leveraged by the Institute to develop strategic alliances with selected organizations for infrastructure
development and use.
Ensuring effective utilization and maintenance of infrastructure: In order to achieve higher levels of
productivity in the Institute, management control systems [e.g. computer-based Management
Information System (MIS), Integrated Computing Environment (ICE)] have been evolved. They must
ensure effective utilization and maintenance of all the infrastructural facilities.
Benchmarking: The availability and quality of infrastructural facilities are key criteria used in
determining an institution’s status in the world of higher technical education. They also have a profound
effect on the ambience at the Institute. Therefore, periodic benchmarking of institutional infrastructure
(and performance) is imperative, especially in a competitive situation.
VII. GOVERNANCE
The objectives of governance strategies are: to identify new tasks/roles; to design organizational
arrangements for the smooth functioning of the Institute; and to develop policies for strategic alliances,
for ensuring congruence between structure and strategy. The Institute’s governance influences the agenda
for all the other strategic initiatives. The key recommendations on governance are:
Implement the strategic activity mix: IITM’s activities for the next decade should become a more
productive mix of Education, Research and Services, while maintaining the current average faculty
work-load mix of 40-25-25-10 for Teaching, Research, Services and Administration. Each of the
activities in the new strategic mix should be chosen to maximize effective utilization of physical and
human resources, value addition and resource generation. Individual faculty members may be
permitted to trade-off time among their tasks according to a mutually agreed, flexible, annual work plan.
Make the organization leaner, more professional and more focused: In order to achieve and
sustain the new strategic activity mix, the Institute’s structure must be reorganized to become leaner
and more focused. In managing the increasingly complex affairs of the Institute, the Director should be
supported by upto two Deputy Directors, Six Deans, with the following designations: Dean (Academic
Courses), Dean (Academic Research), Dean (Administration), Dean (IC&SR), Dean (Students) and
Dean (Planning). All support services (HRM, Infrastructure, Finance, Marketing etc.) should be
strengthened with professional expertise and be designed to become leaner and more effective.
Redesign organizational processes: The structural changes in the organization will have to be
accompanied by process changes for transactions within the Institute. These process changes have to
be related to: effecting decentralization, increasing transparency, and establishing accountability, at all
levels.
Strengthening the IPR role: In the current context, IITM while performing a predominantly academic
role, should include a business role, nationally and internationally. With increasing emphasis on
marketing and revenue generation, the activities of IITM should reflect an economic orientation. The
organizational features for meeting the new goals should include greater customer responsiveness,
higher flexibility, less bureaucracy and more professionalism. The SMP, therefore, recommends that a
company, called The TechNovator be formed under Section 25 of the Indian Companies Act. ‘The
TechNovator’, may be managed by professionals to (i) market Institute’s products and services and (ii)
to outsource services needed by the Institute. This company will thus act as an outreach arm of the
Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research.
Forming strategic alliances: IITM must form selective strategic alliances with academic, research and
industrial organisations for: (i) benefiting from the comparative advantage (e.g. lower cost, higher
quality), (ii) securing attractive returns from larger projects that can be implemented only through a
strategic alliance, (iii) leveraging resources for mutual benefit, and (iv) reaping the rewards that will
accrue from establishing long-term partnerships founded on the principles of mutuality, synergy and
complementarity.
Instituting conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms: The existing systems and procedures
for conflict resolution and redressal of grievances need to be strengthened. An Office of Ombudsman
should be established for redressing grievances and resolving conflicts.
VIII. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Competition in the field of higher technical education is becoming increasingly significant. There is
competition for attracting the best students; finding the best placement opportunities; recruiting the best
faculty; securing project funding and consultancy work; getting suitable participants for continuing education;
for entering into strategic alliances and for marketing the Institute’s technology, products and services. To
ensure a dedicated process for exploiting its Intellectual Property, the goals of the Institute ought to be:
To identify usable products and services of the Institute.
To adopt a promotioxpnal strategy, best suited for each in terms of:
�� Reaching potential customers to meet their needs.
�� Developing effective customer relations and services.
�� Refining and expanding the customer base.
The following recommendations are made in relation to these goals:
Development of a knowledge base: Promoting IITM’s value added products and services in a
competitive environment require the development of a knowledge base. It should involve several linked
databases on areas such as:
�� External customers (needs, preferences, past transactions).
�� Technologies (morphologies, life cycle status, developers and suppliers, patents).
�� Funding agencies (programmes, priorities, past interactions).
�� Internal effort and output (human resources, equipment and facilities, products and service
accomplishments/capabilities).
�� Related institutions and enterprises (objectives, programmes, performance).
A comprehensive knowledge base will provide the foundation for evolving appropriate promoting
strategies to enlarge the Institute’s reach.
Creation of IP arm of the Institute as a limited company (TechNovator): The Institute can keep in
touch with market realities and be responsive to market changes only through a dedicated
marketing organization. The TechNovator will have considerable flexibility and autonomy to pursue
and conclude commercial transactions.
Development of product/service focused strategy: The Institute’s range of products and services
has expanded considerably, and the range and location of customers is also wider now. It is only a
matter of time before the Institute’s reach will have to significantly extend beyond India. A
product/service-focused marketing strategy with customer/user orientation is necessary to develop and
sustain the Institute’s competitive advantage as a provider of hi-tech products and services.
Building strategic alliances: The faculty can concentrate on their professional work, while creating IP
by effectively utilizing the Institute’s resources, if strategic alliances are built with professional
marketing organizations and commercial consulting firms. This will offer significant advantages to the
Institute in terms of: (i) increased sales of its technology, products and hi-tech services; (ii)
commercialization of the software produced; and (iii) productive involvement in contract/turnkey
assignments and (iv) feedback for identification and choice of R & D projects.
Value addition and commercialization of software: Much of the software produced in the
Institute is intrinsically valuable to Industry but does not feature the necessary operational packaging
to make them user-friendly in the context of field use. Commercialization of this software, including
user-friendly documentation, could be achieved through alliances with top-grade software houses which
may also be given the marketing rights and the Institute can benefit through royalties.
Setting up a Technology Park in collaboration with alumni and industry: The idea of an Institutepromoted
Technology Park presents a cost-effective opportunity for collaborative R&D. The Institute
and industry will benefit mutually through the synergy between the knowledge and creative
inputs of the former with the financial and professional inputs of the latter. This synergy is of great
importance in the current context of intellectual property rights for technological innovations and
patents.
IX. FINANCIAL RESOURCES
The Government of India is the primary source of funds for IITM. Other sources include student
fees, research funding, consultancy and continuing education revenues, fees for various services, alumni
contributions and grants. The expenditure trends indicate a shortfall in the availability of funds in the coming
years. In keeping with the policies of the government, IITM will have to become increasingly self-reliant and
utilize resources optimally. IITM has implemented the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations and has
increased the student strength significantly in the recent past. These will increase the operating costs of the
Institute.
The total investment in all the physical facilities of IITM, over the last forty years, estimated
conservatively on a current cost basis, amounts to Rs.10000 million. Intensive efforts of fund-raising over the
next few years will be needed to meet the capital expenditure for replacement, up gradation and creation of
assets as well as meeting their operating costs. Hence the strengthening and the restructuring of the
finance function are important. In this context, the goals of the Institute’s financial system have been
identified as the following:
Review the existing accounting system and its ability to support IITM’s needs..
Recommend an accountability model (including systems and structural implications).
Assess the resource requirements for the future and formulate a resource-mobilization strategy for
IITM.
Develop an implementation plan for the proposed strategy.
The main recommendations concerning finance are outlined here:
Implement activity-based costing: The Institute should develop activity-based costing systems for
achieving cost control, performance measurement, budget preparation and pricing of services. The
system will also enable the Institute to improve operational efficiencies when coupled with MIS and ICE.
Create responsibility centres: The activity-based costing systems will provide the basis to create and
operate Cost/Profit/Responsibility Centres. The creation of these centres will lay the foundation for
effective decentralization of financial and administrative powers. These centres will also facilitate the
practice of Zero Base Budgeting (ZBB) to ensure de novo assessment of activities and cost control. The
budgets, if prepared on a quarterly basis, will enable the close monitoring of actual expenditure and
timely reporting for action. A conscious attempt should be made to move to budgetary control from the
present practice of expenditure control.
Develop rational pricing practices: All the activities of the Institute should be priced based on full
costs. This measure will increase income considerably. It will also enable the Institute to position itself
competitively in the market for knowledge-based services.
Levy user charges: This basic principle should be adopted in all but a few selected activities. The user
charges must reflect the cost of providing a service, especially for non-educational activities. The
Institute should maintain a comprehensive list of services it can provide and their respective charges.
This should be regularly updated.
Provide targeted, explicit and short-term subsidies: Subsidies should be provided only on a shortterm
and specifically targeted basis, where the activities involve the larger socio-economic issues of
access, equity and
development. Objective criteria should be developed, to decide on cross-subsidies to Departments and
Programmes that are not self-sustainable. The Institute should offer support to basic activities such as
UG/PG education and long-term basic research.
Mobilise Resources: Initiatives for resource-mobilisation need to be undertaken. Various external
sources of funds, within and outside the country. Their potential for support and their terms and
conditions should be explored. A systematic effort should be made towards identifying opportunities for
creating synergy through strategic alliances. This should be strongly linked with the marketing efforts of
the Institute.
Reorganize the finance function: The finance function should provide the key inputs for resourcemobilisation
from external sources. It should use expert advice to perform a variety of functions
including fund-raising, treasury, financial accounting, budgetary control, and costing. This reform is
necessary in order to develop the requisite skills/culture for dynamic financial management.
X. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Most of the proposed strategic change measures can be implemented internally. However, a few
strategies may also require enabling provisions in the Institute’s Statutes or Government policy.
During the implementation of the Strategic plan, IITM needs to make a major effort in
benchmarking its activities. It will place IITM in relation to the best practices around the world, which are
hallmarks of excellence. The benchmarking study will carefully analyze the processes and outcomes and
present a set of meaningful goals for continuous improvement of IITM in the next decade.
To achieve the IITM mission outcomes, these external changes need to be pursued actively and
accomplished over time. The implementation of the strategic change will be the responsibility of the
Committee of Deans and needs to be monitored by an independent
Committee of five members (three external and two internal) who will provide quarterly reviews to the
Institute community.
The plan envisions an Institute that has a reactive academic ambience and is intellectually
stimulating. It should be administratively and academically autonomous, where all its activities are
characterised by sustainable competitive advantage. The implementation of this Strategic Plan will enable
IITM to achieve its Vision and enhance its status globally in the community of higher technical education by
the next decade.
For the benefit of those readers, who are familiar with the management jargon, the influences of
Change Strategies on Institute Mission Outcomes are indicated in a matrix format in the next Section.
XI. INFLUENCE OF CHANGE STRATEGIES ON
INSTITUTE MISSION OUTCOMES
The influences of Change Strategies on Institute Mission Outcomes are indicated in a matrix
format. They are derived from the Report, “The Strategic Plan of IIT Madras: Vision 2010”, containing
recommendations in six major areas of the Institute’s operations: Educational Processes, Human
Resources, Physical Resources, Building Relationships, Governance and Financial Resources.
The rows in the matrices contain the key recommendations on Change Strategies to be
implemented in each of the six major areas. The columns contain the Institute Mission Outcomes that are
sought to be pursued. The entry in each cell of a matrix indicates:
The strength of influence of a Change Strategy on the Institute Mission Outcome as:
+ => mild influence
++ => moderate influence
+++ => strong influence
The temporal manifestation of influence, specified in terms of short-run (S) [< 5 years] or longrun
(L) [> 5 years] impact.
For example, in the case of Chapter VII - Governance, one of the key recommendations is, “Making the
organization leaner and more focused”. The expected influence of this Change Strategy on the Institute
Mission Outcome, “Sustainable Competitive Advantage”, is indicated as ++L; this means the influence
is expected to be moderate and will manifest in the long-run.
The other influences indicated in all the matrices can be interpreted in a similar manner.