New Delhi [India], August 25 : The 56th meeting of the Council of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was held on Monday at IIT Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Education, Dharmendra Pradhan.
According to an official release, the council unanimously pledged to advance Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for 'Atmanirbharta se Samriddha Bharat', committing to transform IITs into pillars of inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship, and global technological leadership.
In his address, Pradhan urged the IITs to lead India's leap from incremental progress to a quantum transformation, while stressing the importance of creating job creators rather than job seekers.
He called for IITs to deepen their impact on national development through real-world problem solving and translational research in critical and emerging technologies and specifically emphasised introducing regional Indian languages alongside English as mediums of instruction to ensure inclusive and accessible education, in line with the Prime Minister's vision of an equitable and self-reliant nation.
Underscoring the expanding influence of IITs in the domains of entrepreneurship and research, the Minister highlighted that the IIT ecosystem now includes over 6,000 start-ups, 56 unicorns, and nearly 5,000 patents.
Pradhan credited the success to strategic government initiatives such as the Prime Minister's Research Fellowship, Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, and the growing network of research parks and industry linkages across campuses. These achievements, he noted, have positioned IITs as engines of economic growth and symbols of India's aspirations in the Amrit Kaal.
Minister of State for Education and DoNER, Sukanta Majumdar, echoed these sentiments, stating that the IITs are not merely institutions of academic excellence but are central to India's journey towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047. He described them as institutions that embody Innovation, Inclusion, and Transformation, producing world-class technologists, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who are transforming global industries and societies.
With 23 IITs, international campuses, and a thriving start-up ecosystem, he noted, the IITs are leading India's RISE--through Research, Innovation, Skills, and Entrepreneurship.
A short film was presented during the meeting, capturing the Prime Minister's Independence Day address and his vision for how technology, research, and entrepreneurship will drive India's path to self-reliance and prosperity. This set the stage for deep and strategic discussions on the future direction of IITs and their role in national development.
The Council also reviewed the potential of regional and Indian languages in engineering education. Institutes shared how they are using tools like Bhashini and platforms such as Shivani to support language-diverse learners with translated materials, mentoring, and inclusive pedagogy and resolved to take every necessary step to facilitate effective learning for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
The meeting concluded with a discussion on the long-term vision document, IITs@2047, which will guide the evolution of the IIT system over the next two decades in line with national aspirations. The Council also explored steps to elevate the annual IIT R&D Fair into a globally recognised platform for innovation and industry collaboration. Measures to support international students and address challenges faced by foreign faculty were also considered.