Collaborating with the Indian Army for excellence

As BITS Pilani signs a MoU with the Indian Army, DNA speaks to its vice chancellor, BN Jain about expected research outputs and benefits for existing students.

Can you throw light on this collaboration you have made with the Indian Army?
The signed MoU enable BITS and the army to start working together. A Centre of Excellence will be established, and will foster exchange of information and provide a platform for officer training at our institute.

The MoU enables an army official to live on the BITS campus while pursuing a programme. Further, we are inviting the Army to set up "off-campus" programmes on their campuses which will be conducted by us. Our "off-campus" programmes are highly recognised and provide the officials the advantage of holding on to their jobs while pursuing their education. These programmes usually go on for two to three years and the curriculum will be revised to cater to the education needs of the army.

The MoU that has been signed also provides for our institute and the Army to collaborate for required research.
 
What kind of research support do you aim to provide?
The army is deeply concerned about the safety and security of their personnel and it appears that research in the field of robotics could address these concerns. We intend to work on the developments of robots which can be used by the army for various risky operations like detection of mines.

Another area of concern is the acclimatisation of soldiers. Soldiers work in extreme climatic conditions and they cannot be deployed without being adequately acclimatised. This usually takes about three weeks. We are working towards cutting this preparation period to ten days. 
 
What is the assistance that you are expecting from the army?
Universities usually take up two kinds of research - one which they find challenging or important in their own right and one that is driven by user requirement. The research we are undertaking falls in the latter category. The support the army is providing in this case is through funds for research and sponsorship for any official they admit with us.
 
Are there any particular departments or courses which will be engaging in this collaborative effort?
The departments of telecommunication, computer and mechanical engineering, robotics, bio and pharmaceutical sciences, drug development and delivery system will primarily be engaging in this collaboration. But at the same time, management, social sciences and humanities will also be participating.

This is mainly because most officials retire from the army in their mid-forties and therefore end up pursuing two careers in one lifetime. The army is extremely conscious of this problem and is therefore open to departments which will prepare their soldiers for a fruitful second career as well.
 
How do you think this collaboration stands to help your students?
WIth army officers staying on our campus, our students and faculty will get to interact with them on an everyday basis. I am sure this in itself will be a learning experience. Further, they will get to contribute to a major research and development programme, which is both paid for and useful.