Time for IISc to re-invent itself

IN PERSPECTIVE

When Michael Angelo was asked how he sculpted the immortal statue of David, he answered: “He was already there. I merely chipped off the unnecessary parts of the marble to reveal him.” In the same way, the renowned mathematician G H Hardy said, “I did not invent Ramanujan who, like all great men, invented himself. I merely discovered him.” The same applies to great universities. They don’t make students eminent. They merely uncover the hidden eminence in them by recognising it.

In a world where merit sadly gets sidelined by mediocrity, it is a rare classroom and an even more rare teacher who recognises excellence and rewards it. Hardy was one such teacher and Trinity College in Cambridge University one such educational institution. Their combined efforts revealed the genius of Sreenivasa Ramanujan, which would otherwise have been buried among the accounts sheets of the Port Trust offices in Madras.

It is the sad truth that even a genius needs a benefactor. That role is now assigned to educational institutions. Such institutions are worth a billion dollars -- like the MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge, which are outstanding for recognising excellence. If the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is now placed among the world’s 15 best universities, and also declared India’s topmost in the latest World University Ranking (WUR) process, it must surely possess the ability to recognise true merit among its students.

The institute has nurtured great alumni, teachers and research scholars. Eminent scientists have left their footprints here. Philanthropists of various hues and nationalities have contributed to its growth and development. The greatest of them all, its founder Jamsetji Tata, said “I want no title for myself, nor do I wish my name attached to anything.” Yet, this renowned educational hub is popularly known as the Tata Institute. Nobel laureate C V Raman, Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai – men who played a key role in the scientific progress of India -- have been closely associated with it.

How does one take this legacy forward? Great institutions of learning cannot rest on their laurels. The IISc needs to reinvent itself. It can start with building a talent bank of young scientific minds. They are the future of this institution, and they need to be supported academically and in all other respects to work productively. The spate of suicides on campus earlier this year did not indicate such support. If the best brains in the country are roped in to add to the body of research conducted here, they must be looked after and nurtured to build the academic environment further. They must not be allowed to become pawns in the hands of seasoned manipulators.

Since the best of universities in the world have their share of political chicanery, it is all the more necessary to look after the interests of young student scientists and ensure that they are not exploited in any way. Given the right encouragement and environment, they will be great assets to the IISc. There are more than 2,000 such young scholars in IISc who are engaged in active research in areas ranging from biochemistry to aerospace engineering. These departments have spearheaded other institutions in the country like the HAL, NAL or even the CFTRI. Again, interdisciplinary doctoral programmes in new disciplines like climate sciences, mathematical sciences, or earth sciences have made the IISc a global university offering advanced instruction in the frontier areas of science and technology.

The newest feather in its cap will be the establishment of a post-graduate medical school with an 800-bed multi-speciality hospital devoted to medical research. This Rs 425-crore venture, supported by philanthropy, will make the IISc a world-class university through the services of a teaching hospital that will promote medical research. This is all the more reason why the IISc should take that extra step to preserve the sanctity of its academic programmes and not allow petty politics to ruin them.

The best of universities in the world have their share of political intrigues. Their maturity lies in the way in which they handle such draining forces. If the administrators of such institutions prioritise the interests of their students before anything else, the rest will fall into place.

One must remember that students who seek admission in places like the IISc are highly motivated and need to be encouraged to think and innovate. If their creativity is properly channelised, they will be the valuable assets in its programmes. Probably in the future, teaching cadre, too.

If the IISc has been recognised as one of the best universities worldwide, it is not because of its colonial architecture. Or its Victorian-style doors. Not even because of its 112 species of exotic trees. All these valuable assets do make it exceptional. It will become more so if its human assets are also carefully nurtured and cultivated.