Govt begins search for 6 newest IITs’ directors in advance

The Ministry of Education has released an advertisement inviting applicants for the IITs in Dharwad, Goa, Palakkad, Jammu, Bhilai and Tirupati. 

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has released an advertisement inviting applications for the post of directors at its six newest Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) at Dharwad, Goa, Palakkad, Jammu, Bhilai and Tirupati. All these institutes were established between 2015 and 2016. 

As per a report published in The Print, the MoE released the advertisement inviting candidates, with five to eight months left in the current directors’ terms. Usually, the ministry releases an advertisement three-four months before a director is about to relinquish the post. Sources said the search has started early because of recent delays in IIT director appointments. For IIT Jammu, the search has begun eight months before the current director’s term ends, while for Bhilai, Goa and Dharwad, the period is five months. 

IIT Jammu director Manoj Singh Gaur joined the institute in June 2017 and his term will come to an end in June 2022. IIT Goa director BK Mishra, IIT Bhilai director Rajat Moona and IIT Dharwad director Seshu P joined their respective institutes in March 2017 and will relinquish office in March 2022. 

The earliest to leave will be IIT Tirupati director KN Satyanarayana and IIT Palakkad director PB Sunil Kumar, who joined their respective institutes in January 2017 and will leave office in the next three months. 

Apply by December 6  

The MoE advertisement released on October 18 stated that an applicant for these posts should be a PhD holder with first class or equivalent at the preceding degree, preferably in a branch of engineering. 

“In exceptional cases, candidates with science, mathematics or management degrees may be considered. He/she should have an outstanding academic record throughout and a minimum of 10 years teaching experience as a professor in a reputed engineering or technology institute or university and should have guided Ph.D. students,” the advertisement read. 

An applicant should preferably be less than 60 years of age on the last date of receipt of the applications, which is December 6, 2021. The applications will then be scrutinised by a panel. 

Three names for every institute will be sent to the office of the President of India, which will then give the final approval. 

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