Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan chaired the 13th Meeting of the Council of National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, calling for deep reforms to align higher technical education with national priorities. Emphasising that curricula and research must directly respond to emerging industry needs, the Minister urged institutions to adopt industry-led curriculum frameworks and make PhD programmes more application- and product-oriented to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem.
High-Level NITSER Council Meeting Held at Bharat Mandapam
The meeting was held on 13 January 2026 under the chairmanship of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and was preceded by the 3rd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs).
The Minister reviewed presentations on:
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Enhancing academic and research standards
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Improving governance efficiency
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Strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems across NITs and IIESTs
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Charting the future roadmap for India’s premier technical institutions
He reiterated that these institutions are central to building a future-ready workforce and achieving the national vision of Viksit Bharat.
Curriculum Must Align with National Priorities
A central theme of the meeting was the urgent need to modernise curricula in line with India’s strategic and economic priorities.
The Minister stressed that academic programmes and research must be aligned with critical and emerging domains such as:
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Industry 4.0
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Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics
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Cybersecurity
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Quantum Technologies
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Semiconductors
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Green Hydrogen
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Advanced Manufacturing
He also proposed the creation of industry-led curriculum committees to ensure that programmes are designed around emerging job roles and 21st-century skills, rather than outdated academic frameworks.
Major Push for Industry-Centric PhD Reforms
The Council discussed comprehensive 360-degree reforms in doctoral education, with strong emphasis on relevance, outcomes, and accountability.
Key proposals include:
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Industry-led and industry-funded PhD programmes
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Product-based PhDs focused on real-world solutions
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Allocation of PhD scholars to faculty based on performance metrics
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Launch of specialised PG/M.Tech programmes aligned with sector-specific industry needs
These reforms aim to make doctoral research more impactful and closely connected to national innovation goals.
Strengthening Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
The Council strongly underlined the need to transform campuses into innovation-driven ecosystems that nurture job creators, not just job seekers.
Key decisions included:
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All 13 NITs currently without incubation centres must establish them immediately
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At least 10 NITs to initiate the setting up of Research Parks
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Organisation of a National Pitching Conclave in July 2026 for NIT-incubated startups, in collaboration with investors and industry leaders
These steps are expected to significantly boost startup culture and technology commercialization in public institutions.
Accreditation and Quality Assurance Take Centre Stage
All NITs and IISERs agreed to:
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Complete external peer review within one year
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Actively participate in the national accreditation framework (NAAC)
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Recognise accreditation as a core quality assurance mechanism
The Minister also stated that premier technical institutions must come under structured accreditation frameworks to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.
Promoting Inclusivity Through Bharatiya Bhashas and AI
A strong commitment was also made toward inclusive education, particularly for learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
Institutions resolved to:
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Promote learning through Bharatiya Bhashas
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Leverage Artificial Intelligence tools for multilingual education
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Ensure that language is not a barrier to access, understanding, or excellence in higher education
This aligns closely with the inclusive vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Distinguished Participation Reflects National Importance
The meeting witnessed participation from a wide range of national leaders across education, innovation, governance, and policy, including:
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Members of Parliament Shri Ghanshyam Tiwari and Shri Shashank Mani
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Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe (NAAC, NETF)
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Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar (former UGC Chairman)
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Ms. Debjani Ghosh (NITI Aayog)
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Shri Deepak Bagla (Atal Innovation Mission)
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Senior Secretaries from Education, MeitY, DST
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Directors and Chairpersons of IISERs, NITs, IIESTs, IIT Delhi, IISc Bengaluru
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Senior Ministry of Education officials
The breadth of participation underscored the national strategic importance of the reforms discussed.
Conclusion
The 13th NITSER Council meeting marks a decisive step toward transforming India’s premier technical institutions into globally competitive hubs of applied research, innovation, and workforce development. With a strong focus on industry alignment, doctoral reform, accreditation, entrepreneurship, and inclusivity, the roadmap outlined under the leadership of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan is poised to significantly strengthen India’s higher education ecosystem and accelerate progress toward the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
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Source: PIB
