Industry-based research plagued by shortages: Murthy

There is shortage of good teachers in key institutions all over the country, including IITs, hindering industry-based research, Infosys founder Narayan Murthy today said.     

"If we have to raise standard of research in IITs to that of premier technical institutes in the US, we have to develop the infrastructure comparable to them," he said at the golden jubilee celebrations of the IIT Kanpur here.    

Murthy, who was the chief guest, said though the country has made rapid strides in the technology sector, "a lot more needs to be done as our research teams cannot match ones from the premier technical institutes of US".     

 

Suggesting that autonomy in academic and financial issues should be granted to IITs, he said "The government should not interfere in decisions taken by board of governors in IITs regarding fee structure, pay scales and research funds."      

Murthy, though, asked for government help in long-time research projects and support for IITs to develop some of the finest research labs in the country. 

Murthy said with completion of 50 years of IIT Kanpur, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's dream of building a world class technical institute has been realised.

He took the audience down the memory lane by recalling his days at the institute as a B Tech student in 1969 and pointed out that students of IIT Kanpur are occupying top positions in the banking, finance and corporate sectors.  

The Infosys founder also interacted with students and told them that there was no short cut to success and that they should not shy away from hard work.  

The chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT, Anand Krishnan, said that there was a popular misconception that students of IIT are eager to go abroad and render their services there. The truth, he said, was that 85 per cent stay back and work in the country.