B Ravi, who assumed charge as Director of National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) two years ago, previously served at IIT Bombay for 32 years. He was the founding head of School of Entrepreneurship at IIT-B and mentored several start-ups. With a background in mechanical engineering, he is well versed in software technology. A 1986 graduate of NIT Rourkela, he earned his Master’s and PhD from IISc Bengaluru. Edited excerpts from the interview:
What was your vision when you took charge, and how has it evolved over time?
My vision was to build an institute of global excellence and local relevance. Striving for international standards is essential, but I believe it is equally important to create meaningful local impact, extending our contributions beyond the institute’s boundaries. This means supporting other institutions, uplifting surrounding villages, and fostering industrial growth in the region in a sustainable manner. The initiatives to ensure future development must be balanced with respect for local culture and preservation of the nature. There are over 40,000 alumni, who are doing very well in a variety of fields. Known for their commitment to teaching and research, the faculty embody humility, openness, and collaborative spirit, qualities that foster innovation and academic growth. The call to action, with the narrative ‘Good to Great’, appears to be resonating with all stakeholders.
What major challenges have you faced as Director, and how did you navigate them?
The non-teaching staff play an important role. When I joined, staff recruitment had not taken place for over 20 years. We successfully doubled the number of permanent staff, reinforcing our workforce. The staff need to be aligned with the institute’s vision and should be respected for their contribution. For this, we have taken several initiatives, including brainstorming retreats to evolve suggestions for institute development. ‘Staff Day’ celebrations were revived after many years. To foster inclusivity, the Dean of Faculty Welfare was renamed as the Dean of Faculty and Staff Welfare. A draft policy for the professional development of the staff through training, visits to other institutes, online degrees has been formulated.
Please tell us about steps taken to improve the curriculum?
The curriculum must evolve with time. It is shaped by the expectations from the Government and society, especially students and their parents, as well as insights from alumni, industry leaders, and academic experts. The internal committee, which has faculty from different departments, is trying to create a ‘bold and balanced’ curriculum, which integrates core and computer subjects and maintains a balance between theory and practice. We believe that the curriculum should begin with a strong foundation of science (‘know-why’), followed by engineering (‘know-what’), technology (‘know-how’) and finally management (‘show-how’). On the practical side, we emphasise four areas: physical activities for health, cultural activities for emotional well-being, technical activities for hands-on experience, and professional activities to develop communication skills. The curriculum is designed to enable students to explore and pursue diverse career paths, including academics, research, industry, business and others.
How closely does NITK work with industry to ensure curriculum remains relevant?
To achieve this, faculty must be industry-oriented, which implies engaging with the industry in research, development and consulting projects. Our curriculum development workshops involve industry professionals, many of them our own alumni. This ensures alignment with market needs.
Can you explain about NEP (National Education Policy) and IKS (Indian Knowledge System) in the curriculum?
The NEP is a beautiful framework emphasizing holistic, multi-disciplinary flexible, and experiential learning. Our ‘bold and balanced’ curriculum plan represents the implementation of NEP in both letter and spirit.
IKS is deeply embedded in NEP. There is a large body of knowledge in nearly every field, and could be incorporated in all or most courses rather than being confined to a single course. Students of mathematics and computer science may like to know about ‘Lilavati’ and students of chemistry and metallurgy would be interested to know about ‘Rasayana Shastra’. I am happy to mention that we recently established an IKS section in the library and hosted a two-day workshop on IKS.
What role does NITK play in promoting the culture of entrepreneurship?
This is my highest priority, and we are doing everything possible to create a strong ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship here. It starts with the induction programme of students and NSS and NCC to connect with the real world and observe problems faced by society. Student-led technical and cultural clubs provide them with resources to foster creativity. Other key elements of the ecosystem include the Centre for System Design, Central Research Facility, and Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park. All these will help in incorporating an entrepreneurial mindset within students and faculty.
Do you think Indian industries are investing enough in academic research?
It is getting better, and there is more scope. It is a two-way street. Academia benefit by better utilisation of their talent and resources for nation’s economic development, and the industry benefits by transferring the cost and risk of innovation, creating a new product or process, to the academia.
However, navigating the ‘valleys of death’ between concept, prototype, product and market is challenging. The ‘valley of death’ between research prototype and marketable product is the most difficult one. Both sides (academia and industry) need to build mutual trust and join their hands to bridge these valleys.
How is the patent filing trend in your institute?
The inclusion of patenting in the NIRF has accelerated patent filing in academic institutes. However, it is not clear how many of them are actually useful to industry partners. The ranking bodies, institutions and faculty have to realise that real-life impact is equally, if not more, important than ‘Impact Factors’ of the publications. NITK has a decent number of patents filed and even granted, but very few were licensed so far. This year, we have made a strong push to reach out to industry and have been successful in licensing a few patents
How is the alumni network of NITK helping the institute to grow?
There are an estimated 40,000 alumni. Their experience and connections are valuable, and one of our greatest strengths. The alumni are reconnecting with the institute through annual reunions and other events. We are deeply grateful for their involvement, support, and contributions in various ways. These include guest lectures, student mentoring, curriculum development, internship and placement opportunities, etc.
What role does NITK play in promoting the culture of entrepreneurship?
This is my highest priority, and we are doing everything possible to create a strong ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship here. It starts with the induction programme of students and NSS and NCC to connect with the real world and observe problems faced by society. Student-led technical and cultural clubs provide them with resources to foster creativity. Other key elements of the ecosystem include the Centre for System Design, Central Research Facility, and Science and Technology Entrepreneurs Park. All these will help in incorporating an entrepreneurial mindset within students and faculty.
