Experts worried about 'too many IITs'

In the debate on maintaining the brand of the country's premier engineering colleges, the heads of various existing Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and some academic experts say the upcoming institutes of technology should not be called IITs.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had last year announced that the government would set up eight new IITs and seven new Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs).

"The existing IITs have worked hard for decades to build the 'Brand IIT,' which is acknowledged worldwide. We feel the new institutes should display similar standards and earn a brand name for themselves. But it is the government that has to take the final call," said Ashok Misra, director, IIT-Bombay.

Brand experts say replication leads to dilution. "Brands are like elastic and thin out if stretched too much. Similar versions of IITs will definitely put the 'Brand IIT' in danger. The standard of research, faculty and students at IIT-Kharagpur, for instance, cannot be replicated. 'Brand IIT' will be a major cause for concern once these new institutes come up," said Harish Bijoor, brand specialist, Harish Bijoor Consults.

However, IIMs, which are as prestigious as the IITs, have no qualms. "Naming the new institutes as IIMs is not a cause for concern as long as the quality is maintained," said Devi Singh, director, IIM-Lucknow.

Former IIM-Bangalore Director Prakash Apte said the new institutes needed to maintain the quality of faculty, students and overall academics. "If they do not live up to the standards, the brand is in danger," Apte added.

"A good move was to name Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs) as National Institutes of Technology (NITs). Something similar should be planned for the upcoming institutes of technology as well," said Misra.

DK Goel, founder chairman, FIITJEE, an IIT entrance training institute, said the government had made a mistake by deciding to set up new IITs.

"The government should instead set up engineering institutes with the same facilities as IITs, give them equal resources and let them compete with IITs under a different brand name. There are talented professors who should be treated as entrepreneurs, given funds and asked to run these institutes," Goel added.