Getting first rank easy, maintaining tough: IIT-M director Kamakoti

CHENNAI: Exuding confidence and jubilant over the rank in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), V Kamakoti, Director of IIT-Madras, said the nation’s premier institution will achieve a landslide victory in the coming years by grabbing all the top ranks.

“IIT-M has created a record in the Indian education history. We retained the top position in the overall category for the 6th consecutive year, and in the engineering category for the 9th consecutive year,” he said. Excerpts…

How did you feel when you received four awards for different categories?

First rank is like a friendship. Anyone can easily get the first rank like a new friendship, but maintaining this is really difficult. August 12, 2024, is a very proud day for all of us. Compared to previous years, our scores have increased in various parameters in NIRF.

So, Your only goal is to retain the top position every year in NIRF ranking…

No, not at all. Our aim is to implement the Sustainable Development Goal 4, which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all. IIT-M will fulfil the academic requirement of India. Every child, who is born in India, should at least pursue an UG course with us.

But rural students are unable to join the IIT-Madras for various reasons including lack of awareness and poor preparation for JEE due to poverty

I agree, but, one of our recent initiatives is a BSc in Date Science, offered in online mode, has over 30,000 students. In this, more than 5,000 students are from below poverty line studying with 100% scholarships. We offer scholarship to students whose parent’s annual income is below Rs 5 lakh. Affordable, accessible and quality education for all is our motto and this creates a good perception about IIT-M.

What’s your advice to the other varsities, especially the State-run institutions in Tamil Nadu?

See, comparing IIT-Madras with State-run universities is incorrect. Diversity matters for each institution. Through the new initiatives in medical science, AI and data science, analytics, school of interdisciplinary studies, sports excellence admission, we’re bringing diversity in the campus. It differs for Anna University and other Higher Education Institutions. These are the direct and indirect reasons for IIT-M’s consecutive top ranks. We have students from other states and countries. But the State universities enrol their own state students, and also facing some fund issues too. So, it cannot be compared with IITs. And, this year, the ‘State Public University’ category was announced and Anna University topped the list in India.

Does IIT-M need more funds?

There are some things we have to do consistently and there should be no slack. For that, we have to employ various strategies, including more funding. In that sense, CSR and alumni funding are essential. No matter how much we get, it is not enough.

When will your training programme for government school students start?

Training for government school students in career guidance starts at the end of this month. We’ve planned to provide 20 hours of training per year. We’re planning to introduce courses related to culture as well.

Any other new degree programme planned?

We’re planning to introduce BSc and B Ed by January 2025. BSc Mathematics with Computer Science has been planned. BSc and B Ed integrated course is also on cards. In this, BSc programme will be online, and B Ed will be offline. Admission is likely to commence from January 2025, and classes may begin by July 2025. We have decided to create 500 maths teachers per year.

What steps have you taken to ensure the mental well-being of students?

Ethics and humanity subjects are there. There are web portals, counselling sessions and grievances redressal committees. If a student is stressed, they can reach me in five minutes. Even if their upma is not good, we’re immediately addressing it.

The Institute is ranked 2nd in the research category. When will you succeed the IISC Bengaluru in the research category?

The biggest achievement is to compete with IISC. Research is their priority. But, teaching is our focus. However, IIT-Madras is trying to reach the top position in the research category also.