IIT Goa commences task of building its own faculty team

Panaji: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Goa, which became operational only in 2016, is slowly working towards building its own pool of faculty members. Five new faculty members have joined the IIT this year, and two more recruits are expected to join by December 2017.

The IIT has been heavily reliant on faculty from its mentor institute IIT Bombay. Last year, 10 to 15 members from IIT Bombay were engaged at IIT Goa. Now, IIT Goa has seven new members of its own, including two appointments on contract basis. This will carve the path for the institute to gradually stand on its own.

"We want to recruit on permanent basis only when we find the best of talent. Because once you appoint a faculty member they will be here for a long time," IIT Goa director, Barada Kant Mishra told TOI. So far, IIT Goa was only recruiting at the assistant professor level, but has now started the process to recruit even for posts of associate professor and professor, where suitable candidates are available. These appointees are expected to join next semester.

IIT Goa began in 2016 offering BTech programmes in mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering with an intake of 30 each at the institute. As the IIT entered its second year in 2017, the student count has doubled to 180, calling for the IIT to build its own pool of talented faculty. Though the sanctioned strength of faculty members for the IIT is 45, it presently faces space constraints. Recruiting senior faculty members requires more laboratories and facilities for them to operate.