Multiple-industry partners mooted to run new IIITs

BANGALORE: The incongruous possibility of top IT companies like Infosys and Wipro coming together to partner with the government in running the next-generation technical institutions is taking shape. An HRD ministry committee set up to hand-pick industry partners for the 20 new Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) has thrown up the idea of multiple industry partners running the proposed institutes in a novel PPP scheme.
The committee headed by Infosys' Mohandas Pai says that the 20 new IIITs should have a minimum 3-5 partners. "Multiple partners be chosen for IIIT for the reason that each IIIT will have very broad focus in terms of areas of research, necessarily being interdisciplinary is the norm rather than a limited focus within the same subject. It is improbable that one single private partner will have deep domain competencies in all the areas that IIIT focuses on," states the draft recommendation.
The Pai committee, interestingly, has also proposed roping in non-IT companies as partners. It feels that a manufacturing company, for instance, where there is a demonstrated use of IT, could make for an ideal industry partner.
On the lines of IITs, the Centre will set up 20 IIITs over a nine-year period starting 2011-12. They will be set up at a cost of Rs 128 crore each, with Centre, state and the industry footing the bill in 50:35:15 ratio. Karnataka, which already has an industry-backed International Institute of Information Technology in Bangalore, is pitching for an IIIT in Dharwad.
To increase the synergy between the academic institute and the partnering company, the panel has proposed deputing accomplished individuals from the company as adjunct faculty. Students of the institute will be allowed to do internships at the company and take up joint research projects. There will be "fair and equitable" agreements for intellectual property jointly developed by the institute and the company.
To have a long-term commitment to the institute, industry partner should make a minimum contribution of Rs 2 crore. "The same company may fund different IIITs based on their need. There should be no exclusive arrangements of any nature and the IIIT should be free to work with multiple partners," states the panel. Up to 25% of the seats on the board of governors will be open to industry partners.