IIT-BHU: IIT-BHU to speed up lab technology upgrade: Director aims for modernisation, expansion

Varanasi: Labs at IIT(BHU) to be upgraded as rapid progress is made technologywith a focus on semiconductors, integrated circuit design and 6G technologies, said the newly appointed directorProf. Amit Patra. The institute is operating with just one-third of its actual number of academic staff positions and said the process aims to almost double that number.
Patra, who took over the position two months ago, shared his vision of taking IIT(BHU) to new heights during a press conference at his office on Thursday. He said IT-BHU was migrated to IIT(BHU) 12 years ago and there was a need to accelerate the pace of modernisation laboratories to keep up with the advances in technology. The process of equipping laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities, with the support of the government, will be accelerated, he said.
He acknowledged the ample resources and facilities at IIT(BHU), mentioning that there is room for improvement in the rankings. He said there are significant research opportunities in integrated circuit design, 6G communications and AI, with strong alumni support and corporate collaborations. Two major initiatives are being taken up in the areas of e-mobility and biomedical devices.
On the availability of faculty members, he said that as compared to the number of students, there should be 900 faculty in IIT(BHU) but currently it is run by only 360 teachers. “We will focus on the target of increasing the number of faculty to 650. Interviews are being conducted and advertisements are being put up to speed up the process and the aim is to complete the process on time,” he said, adding that the institute plans to motivate senior scientists and postgraduates from India and abroad to join, with initiatives to also encourage research scientists from other IITs.
Patra said that after joining the institute, he visited various departments to understand their strengths and weaknesses and identify areas for improvement. He noted the heritage buildings of departments like mining and metallurgical engineering and highlighted the excellent training facilities in student labs that simulate factory environments. IIT(BHU) has exceptional departments like pharmaceuticals, ceramics, mining, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering, which have provided significant academic leadership in the country, he said.
Patra highlighted the integration of aspects of the New Education Policy in the curriculum, aimed at increasing internships and job opportunities. There is a government plan to provide recorded lectures in various native languages from various IITs, while focusing on English language proficiency.
He added that a plan to set up a research park on the lines of IIT Madras was underway to facilitate monetisation of faculty patents and support start-ups, with funding of Rs 85 crores already secured for construction. Alumni and angel investors were ready to provide significant financial support to encourage start-ups and reduce failure rates, promoting entrepreneurship over traditional employment, he said.
Future plans included construction of new hostels for both girls and boys, enhanced security through CCTV monitoring system to be developed by the departments of computer engineering, a project to clean the Assi river and maintaining regular contact with IIT(BHU) alumni across the world to update Telling them about the achievements of the Institute and its contribution, Patra said, adding that IIT(BHU) is the leader in terms of citations per faculty, ranking 48th in the world, a position no other IIT has achieved.