UGC & AICTE dismissed from Selection Committee that selects IIT Directors

A new format of ‘search-cum-selection committee’ to appoint for the director's post of IITs has been introduced, approved by IIT Council meeting, held last week.
The selection committee has been empowered to give the ‘presently serving director’ one more term if committee agrees upon the Director showing outstanding capabilities in providing leadership along with meeting some of the goals set out for the institutions.

Furthermore, the decision took place in order to gratis faculty members from extra tasks of laboratory/workshop in charge, and they can utilise time in research and lectures. On the whole, present ratio of faculty-technical personnel has increased to 1:1.3 from previously existing 1:1.1.
After passing of the Institutes of Technology Act, 1963, this is the second time occurrence that change has been made in the constituents of the selection committee. Chairperson AICTE was included as a member in 1980’s.

Role of Chairpersons of University Grants Commission (UGC) & All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have been put to an end, in the new selection committee.
The new selection committee is to have the HRD minister as Chairperson of IIT. In addition, it will consist of two more members from the Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC), to be chosen by the chairperson. First is the Chairperson of the board of governors of the IIT for which director is to be appointed and the second is the chairperson of the SCIC.

In a situation where the SCIC chairperson if  happened to be the chairperson of the IIT concerned also, the chairperson of the board of governors of another IIT will be nominated by the HRD minister, then. Besides, a Non-member secretary of selection committee will be served by additional secretary or joint secretary in-charge of technical education, of the HRD ministry.