While many IIT teachers are dedicated to teaching and research, there are many others who do not exercise their intellectual faculties to the fullest degree. Their preference is to rust out, rather than wear out.
Late arrivals and early departures, and long tea breaks and gossip sessions are not common in all departments. Much more can be achieved if some of the non-teaching staff at the IITs take their job more seriously. I formed these impressions after doing my B.Tech, M.Tech and Ph.D from the IIT.
In the U.S., teachers are paid for nine months, against 12 months here. It is the responsibility of teachers to get funds from the industry in many cases there, while the major funding here is from the taxpayers' money. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's remark that the faculty at the IITs is not world-class is justified. That said, the best teachers I have had were from the IIT.
Palanki Balakrishna,Hyderabad
No doubt the IIT faculty is brilliant. But when it comes to research, we still mostly follow the “copy-paste” pattern. Right from school days, students are not allowed to do anything new or unconventional. They are just taught how to mug up facts and reproduce them in the examinations to secure good marks or grades. Anything new is rejected and students attempting it are demoralised.
How can we expect original research work when the creativity of students is destroyed even before it can take a definite shape?
Mozahidul Islam,Aligarh
As one with over 40 years of association with the IIT system, I feel inclined to agree with Mr. Ramesh's assessment of the faculty. Every IIT student knows the truth behind his comments. The ideal solution would be to put in place a rigorous recruitment mechanism for the faculty, similar to the JEE for students.
Nainan P. Kurian,Coimbatore
Mr. Ramesh's comment does not surprise at least those who are in the field of technology. Chetan Bhagat, an IIT-ian himself, said in his famous novel Five Point Someone that the IIT is a place where students lose their creativity. Nobody doubts the ability of the IIT faculty, for many of them are past IIT-ians themselves. But once they become teachers, they seem to forget how their expertise can be used.
David Lazar,Kothamangalam
