Team siliconindia

• Centre plans leadership grooming program for IIT faculty to build a pipeline of future directors and senior academic administrators
• Two-year structured training anchored by IIT Bombay, with IIMs expected to support governance and management modules
• Around 300-350 high-performing faculty to be trained in batches, focusing on leadership, institutional governance and strategic decision-making

The central government is working on a structured and long-term plan to prepare high-performing faculty members at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for future leadership roles, including appointments as directors, according to officials familiar with the discussions. The proposed initiative reflects a growing recognition that academic excellence alone is no longer sufficient to run large, complex institutions and that leadership and administrative capabilities must be cultivated well in advance.

Under the plan, select faculty members from across the IIT system will undergo a dedicated two-year leadership development program designed to create a strong internal pipeline of future institutional leaders. An official associated with the proposal said the idea is to identify faculty who have demonstrated academic distinction and research depth, and systematically prepare them for senior administrative responsibilities. “The intention is to groom leaders who understand both the academic ethos of IITs and the operational challenges of running them”, the official said.

IIT Bombay has been designated as the anchor institute for the initiative and will be responsible for designing and implementing the overall training framework. All IITs will be required to nominate faculty members with strong academic credentials and a demonstrated leadership mindset for consideration. Officials said the program is expected to benefit from the involvement of the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), particularly to strengthen components related to governance, organisational behaviour and strategic decision-making.

As per the current proposal, around 300 to 350 promising faculty members will be trained in batches over time. Each cohort will be mentored over a two-year period, with the program structured around three one-week residential modules every year. These modules are expected to combine classroom learning, case-based discussions and peer engagement, allowing participants to reflect on real-world leadership challenges within higher education.

A draft outlining the broad structure of the program and preliminary eligibility criteria has already been prepared and is under internal review, officials said. The selection process will focus on faculty members who demonstrate strong research output, a student-centric approach to teaching and mentorship, and the ability to think strategically while working collaboratively. “We are looking at academics who not only excel in their disciplines but also show sensitivity towards institutional culture and people management”, an official explained.

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The training curriculum is expected to cover a balanced mix of behavioural, functional and domain-specific competencies. This includes leadership communication, decision-making and conflict resolution, along with institutional governance, policy implementation and financial oversight. Domain-specific inputs will focus on issues unique to large academic institutions, such as research administration, international collaboration and faculty development.

Officials said the initiative is particularly important given the responsibilities shouldered by IIT directors, who serve as the chief academic and executive authorities of their institutions. Directors play a central role in shaping institutional vision, setting research priorities and ensuring academic and administrative coherence, supported by deans and heads of departments.

Currently, IIT directors are appointed through a rigorous multi-stage selection process that includes public advertisement, evaluation by a Search-cum-Selection Committee and final approval by the President of India, who acts as the Visitor to the institutes. Appointments are typically for a five-year term or until the age of 70, whichever comes earlier.

If implemented, officials believe the leadership grooming program could mark a significant shift in how India’s top technical institutions prepare for succession, moving from a purely selection-based approach to one that systematically nurtures leadership from within the academic community.