IITians plan to make India global hub for knowledge

The seventh annual Pan-IIT Global Conference ended with alumni of the prestigious institutes chalking out plans to make India a global knowledge hub by 2022.

“One of the major initiatives we have planned to reform India’s education relates to industrial training institutes (ITIs). They are crucial to meeting India’s manpower needs and creating jobs,” the conference’s chairman Ray Mehra said at its conclusion in Chicago on Sunday night. “Reforming them is part of our agenda to boost vocational manpower in India. Though this initiative is underway, we are creating a guidebook for these institutes.

“We are involving retired IITians in India in our work to reform the ITIs. To begin with, we will target major cities across India.”

The IITians have decided to support the Akshaya Patra Foundation to bring education and nourishment to deprived children. Promoted by California-based IITian Desh Deshpande, the foundation helps run the world’s largest mid-day meal scheme, feeding more than a million children. The summit also firmed up plans to push educational reform in India, as outlined in the Panch Ratna presented to president Prathibha Patil in July.

“Under the Panch Ratna, or five-point plan, we want India to become the global hub for knowledge creation. In our education session, attended by Sam Pitroda, we decided to facilitate memoranda of understanding between Indian and US universities,” Mehra said.