100 PhDs

Third in the Foundation Day series.

One of the highlights of the Foundation Day, at least from my perspective was the Q&A session that followed the "messages" from the Panelists.

[The following is an approximately correct version of what happened]

Somu to Prof. Sangal
Somu: Sir , I have heard from various corners and have heard you announce that IIIT aims at graduating 100 PhDs every year starting from the year 2010. I as a PhD student from IIIT would like to know how is it that the Institute is moving towards realising this?

Prof. Sangal: It is said that US produces 600 PhDs only from Information Science field; China it is said (someone from crowd says 2000); and India with all the IITs, BITS-Pilani and IISc, hardly produces 50 PhDs, combined together and it's a shame! IIIT wants to set itself a target which is respectable and challenging. That's how we are looking at the target.

Somu: That does not answer my question, Sir. What are the steps that the Institute is taking towards realising the target? [It requires 100 students who are enrolled for PhDs to think of producing 100 PhDs]

Prof. Sangal: Producing 100 PhDs is the toughest of the challenges that we have set for ourselves. As for the way in which we go about it, we are not yet clear. We are on the look out for a way.

This speaks volumes about what and where we are heading towards. The next few of my posts shall try to consider how things are moving.