<p>Notwithstanding the National Democratic Alliance government’s commitment to fast-track governance, the top posts in three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have remained vacant for more than six months.<br /></p>.<p> The posts of directors in IIT Bhubaneswar, Patna and Ropar are yet to be filled, after the terms of their last occupants came to an end in June. <br /><br />Sources in the premier institutes told Deccan Herald that the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is unable to fix a time for interview, despite the search-cum-selection committees set up to identify eligible candidates wrapping up the exercise and submitting the list of names. <br /><br />IIT Bhubaneswar is currently managed by the institute’s dean of faculty and planning Sujit Roy, who was appointed acting director, while IIT Kharagpur Director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti has been given additional charge of IIT-Patna. <br /><br />IIT Ropar Director K Surappa is currently on extension. <br /><br />Absence of a permanent director is hampering the day-to-day functioning of the institutes, especially IIT Bhubaneswar, where the vacancy has called into question its ability to shift to a permanent campus this year since it would involve paper work and financial decisions the acting director may not be able to handle. <br /><br />The position of Registrar is also vacant in IIT Bhubaneswar. “Major policy decisions cannot be taken in the absence of the director of an institute,” sources said.<br /><br />Though the UPA-appointed search-cum-selection committee submitted the list, the previous government could not act on it since the model code of conduct for the 16th Lok Sabha elections came into force.<br /><br />When Smriti Irani took over as HRD minister under the new NDA regime, she was not favourable with any of the recommended candidates, leading to the repeat of the exercise to select fresh names.<br /><br />“The file is stuck with the ministry and no decision has been taken on the names recommended by the committees,” sources said. <br /><br />“The ministry has to fix dates for interviewing the candidates. I do not know why it is not being done. The ministry should speed up the process,” a source added. </p>
<p>Notwithstanding the National Democratic Alliance government’s commitment to fast-track governance, the top posts in three Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have remained vacant for more than six months.<br /></p>.<p> The posts of directors in IIT Bhubaneswar, Patna and Ropar are yet to be filled, after the terms of their last occupants came to an end in June. <br /><br />Sources in the premier institutes told Deccan Herald that the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is unable to fix a time for interview, despite the search-cum-selection committees set up to identify eligible candidates wrapping up the exercise and submitting the list of names. <br /><br />IIT Bhubaneswar is currently managed by the institute’s dean of faculty and planning Sujit Roy, who was appointed acting director, while IIT Kharagpur Director Partha Pratim Chakrabarti has been given additional charge of IIT-Patna. <br /><br />IIT Ropar Director K Surappa is currently on extension. <br /><br />Absence of a permanent director is hampering the day-to-day functioning of the institutes, especially IIT Bhubaneswar, where the vacancy has called into question its ability to shift to a permanent campus this year since it would involve paper work and financial decisions the acting director may not be able to handle. <br /><br />The position of Registrar is also vacant in IIT Bhubaneswar. “Major policy decisions cannot be taken in the absence of the director of an institute,” sources said.<br /><br />Though the UPA-appointed search-cum-selection committee submitted the list, the previous government could not act on it since the model code of conduct for the 16th Lok Sabha elections came into force.<br /><br />When Smriti Irani took over as HRD minister under the new NDA regime, she was not favourable with any of the recommended candidates, leading to the repeat of the exercise to select fresh names.<br /><br />“The file is stuck with the ministry and no decision has been taken on the names recommended by the committees,” sources said. <br /><br />“The ministry has to fix dates for interviewing the candidates. I do not know why it is not being done. The ministry should speed up the process,” a source added. </p>
