The National Institutes of Technology (NITs) will undertake a major academic revamp by aligning their courses with emerging technologies and introducing industry-oriented Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced. At the same time, the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) will be assigned campus-specific research priorities and supported in strengthening their startup and innovation ecosystems.
The announcements were made during the 13th meeting of the Council of the National Institutes of Technology, Science and Engineering Research (NITSER) and the third meeting of the Standing Committee of the IISERs, chaired by the education minister. Addressing the council, Pradhan emphasised the need for higher education institutions to align academic offerings with national priorities and evolving workforce demands.
“Our PhD programmes must be industry-centric,” the minister said, proposing the formation of an industry-led curriculum committee. This committee will be tasked with designing programmes based on emerging job roles and the skill requirements of the 21st century.
During the deliberations, the council discussed restructuring curricula, academic programmes, assessment methods and research focus areas in line with advanced and emerging technologies. These include Industry 4.0, green hydrogen, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing.
As part of the overhaul, NITs will introduce specialised postgraduate and Master of Technology (MTech) programmes in cutting-edge domains. The revamped PhD framework will prioritise problem-solving, product-based innovation and industry-linked research. To support entrepreneurship and innovation, research parks and incubation centres will be expanded across NIT campuses, and annual peer reviews will be conducted and made public to encourage institutional self-assessment and transparency.
The innovation roadmap also includes the establishment of incubation centres in 13 NITs that currently lack such facilities and the development of research parks in at least 10 NITs. In addition, a pitching conclave for startups incubated at NITs has been scheduled for July 2026, bringing together investors, industry leaders and academic stakeholders to foster collaboration and funding opportunities.
Highlighting reforms for IISERs, Pradhan announced that each of the seven campuses will focus on a distinct area of specialisation. IISER Pune will concentrate on advanced computing and quantum technologies, while IISER Kolkata will focus on biotechnology. IISER Mohali has been assigned healthcare and medical technologies, IISER Bhopal advanced materials and manufacturing, and IISER Thiruvananthapuram energy, sustainability and climate studies. IISER Tirupati will specialise in agriculture and food technology, while IISER Berhampur will focus on rare earth elements and critical minerals.
To promote entrepreneurship and innovation, Section 8 companies will be established at each IISER to support startup ecosystems and encourage education in Indian languages. According to the official press release, the council also agreed to complete external peer reviews of institutions within one year and stressed active participation in the National Accreditation Framework.
The meeting further underscored the importance of using Bharatiya Bhashas and adopting AI-driven multilingual learning tools to enhance inclusivity and improve access to quality education for learners from diverse linguistic backgrounds.
