Pradhan Chairs 3rd Standing Committee Meeting of IISERs, Unveils Roadmap for Academic Excellence and Innovation

During the meeting, the Minister reviewed the academic and research outputs of IISERs alongside their future plans.

Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan chaired the 3rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) in New Delhi today, reviewing the academic, research, and institutional progress of all seven IISERs and outlining a forward-looking roadmap to strengthen India’s scientific education and research ecosystem.

Student-Centric and Outcome-Oriented Approach

During the meeting, the Minister reviewed the academic and research outputs of IISERs alongside their future plans. He emphasised the need for more student-focused approaches to unlock the full potential of India’s talented youth and to promote outcome-centric research that directly contributes to ease of living and societal advancement.

Shri Pradhan noted that the Standing Committee deliberated extensively on strategies to:

• Achieve academic and research excellence

• Enrich the overall student experience

• Strengthen IISERs’ core mission of delivering world-class scientific education and research

Describing IISERs as “jewels in the crown of higher education in India”, the Minister expressed confidence that each IISER would cultivate a new culture of excellence, nurturing scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs capable of addressing national and global scientific challenges and enhancing India’s global knowledge leadership.

Key Reforms and Decisions Discussed

The meeting resulted in consensus on several major reforms and initiatives aimed at making IISERs more flexible, inclusive, innovative, and globally competitive.

Academic Flexibility through iFLEX

IISERs will implement a Flexible Learning Entry and eXit framework (iFLEX), enabling a learner-centric higher education system while maintaining academic rigour and research orientation.

Key features include:

• Multiple entry and multiple exit options, including re-entry and completion

• Provision for a one-semester experiential internship in research, innovation, industry or entrepreneurship, in place of a regular classroom semester

• Allocation of academic credits upon successful completion and evaluation

This framework is designed to enhance flexibility while aligning education with real-world exposure.

PhD Programme Reforms

The Directors of IISERs informed the Standing Committee that an exhaustive review of PhD programmes would be undertaken to:

• Identify gaps and challenges

• Benchmark against global best practices

• Align PhD curricula with industry requirements and national priority missions

The objective is to modernise doctoral education and strengthen its relevance to India’s scientific and technological needs.

Research, Innovation and Centres of Excellence

Reaffirming their commitment to societally relevant research, IISERs agreed to establish Research Parks and Incubators at each campus to co-locate:

• Academia

• Start-ups

• Industry R&D

• Translational research facilities

Each IISER has been assigned a distinct domain of excellence, with Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to be developed accordingly:

• IISER Pune – Advanced Computing (including Quantum)

• IISER Kolkata – Biotechnology

• IISER Mohali – Healthcare & MedTech

• IISER Bhopal – Advanced Materials

• IISER Thiruvananthapuram – Energy, Sustainability & Climate Change

• IISER Tirupati – Agriculture & Food Technologies

• IISER Berhampur – Rare-Earth and Critical Minerals

These initiatives align with the national visions of Viksit Bharat and Make in India, fostering a knowledge-driven economy through indigenous technology development.

Establishment of Section 8 Companies

Each IISER will establish a Section 8 company to:

• Promote national and international priority research

• Bridge academic research with industry and innovation ecosystems

• Mobilise funding from CSR, philanthropy, government and private sources

The company will be governed by a Board comprising eminent academicians, industry leaders, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders, with a CEO as the operational head, supported by experts in IP management, technology transfer, regulatory affairs, funding liaison and industry partnerships.

Attracting Meritorious and Diverse Talent

IISERs proposed new measures to broaden access and attract top talent, including:

• Exploring a quota for students participating in International Olympiads, based on performance

• Introducing a sports quota for undergraduate admissions, on the lines of IIT Madras and IIT Indore

Additionally, IISERs will implement support mechanisms for students from Bharatiya Bhasha-medium backgrounds to help them transition smoothly to the medium of instruction at IISERs.

Vision Statements and Strategic Collaborations

The meeting concluded with:

• The release of 5-year and 10-year Vision Statements for IISERs

• Signing of MoUs between:

  • Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) and IISERs

  • IIT Madras and IISERs

  • IISc Bengaluru and IISERs

These partnerships aim to strengthen academic, research and innovation collaborations across institutions.

Distinguished Participation

The meeting was attended by eminent leaders from academia, policy, and government, including Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry, Ms. Debjani Ghosh, Dr. Vineet Joshi, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, chairpersons and directors of IISERs, the Director of CSIR–CMERI Durgapur, and senior officials from the Ministry of Education.

The 3rd Standing Committee meeting marked a decisive step towards transforming IISERs into globally competitive, innovation-driven and inclusive institutions, firmly aligned with India’s long-term scientific, technological and developmental aspirations.