Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ms Smriti Irani while chairing a meeting of the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology at IIT Mumbai in October emphasized that IITs carry a major responsibility of facilitating the Make in India campaign by participating in research and innovating processes to improve the competitive edge of Indian manufacturing on the global stage. Already many IITs are engaged in research, but they need to reach the frontiers of knowledge. It is also essential that socially relevant themes are given focus in research. She emphasized the need to build IITs into robust and autonomous institutions, and become global centres of knowledge.

The Council is the apex policy making body for the (18) IITs. Mr Vinay Sheel Oberoi, Secretary, Higher Education along with senior officers participated in the meeting along with Chairmen and Directors of all IITs. Prior to the Council meeting, the Minister has opened a new 1,000-seater hostel for girl students and visited the National Centre for Aerospace innovation and research (NCAIR) in IIT Bombay.

The current system of admission through a two-stage entrance was reviewed by the Council. It was decided that the system would be examined in depth by a group of eminent persons to determine whether it needed modification. Their recommendations were provided by the first week of November. The Council proposed a funding mechanism for IITs that would appreciably enhance Government investments for building world class infrastructure. A committee of Directors would examine ways to enhance loans to students, and maintain and enhance scholarships to needy students, especially those from the SC/ST/economically weaker sections.