The number of research scholars registered with Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has seen an increase of over 100 per cent compared to the number recorded half a decade ago.
Delivering his annual report during the institute’s 49th annual convocation on Friday, institute director Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi said 400 persons had enrolled for Ph.D during 2011-12 academic year, which marks an increase of over 100 per cent compared to the number five years ago.
Pointing out that funds from industry for sponsored research had seen a steady increase, Prof. Ramamurthi said funds for industrial consultancy and sponsored research had increased at an annualised rate of over 30 per cent.
The director also said the institute remained committed to protect and preserve its animal population even with the mandated growth plan. “While spotted deer and macaque populations have increased significantly since 2008, the black buck count has fluctuated around 20,” he added.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Fali S. Nariman in his convocation address after being conferred the honorary doctorate urged students to come back from abroad not just because India needs them but they would realise later in life that this country, no matter how badly governed, was the country of the future.
Mr Nariman exhorted IITians not be disheartened about quotas and reservations in education. “Affirmative action in education is what the country needs and not quotas”, he said quoting America’s youngest college president Anthony Marx who emphasised the need for higher education to be an equaliser.
A total of 1,679 degrees – 141 Ph.D, 127 MS, 467 M.Tech, 69 MBA, 29 M.A, 123 M.Sc, 225 Dual Degree (B.Tech and M.Tech) and 273 B.Tech and the first batch of nine PG Diplomas in metro rail technology and management – were distributed at the convocation.