President to host conference of IITs, NITs and IIEST directors

New Delhi (PTI): The Rashtrapati Bhavan will on November 19 host a conference of directors of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and Indian Institute of Engineering, Science and Research (IIEST), Shibpur, an official statement said.

The conference is part of regular interactions of President Ram Nath Kovind with educational institutions in his capacity as visitor to 152 Central Universities and institutions of higher learning, it said.

Apart from the Directors of 23 IITs, 31 NITs and IIEST, Shibpur, the conference will be attended by Union Minister for Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', MoS in the HRD Ministry, Secretary (Higher Education) Sanjay Dhotre, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology and Chairman AICTE Anil Sahasrabudhe.

According to the statement, the conference will discuss issues such as challenges in National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), participation and contribution of alumni in activities of the institutes, and steps to increase the representation of women in faculty and student intake. Some of the other issues on the agenda include ways to involve students in nation building, promotion of research, innovation and entrepreneurship, filling up of vacancies, including faculty from foreign universities, and review of major infrastructure projects, it said.