Education Minister Pradhan calls for industry aligned curriculum at top technical institutions

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged India’s leading technical institutions to redesign their academic programs to better reflect national priorities and evolving industry needs.

Speaking while chairing the 13th meeting of the Council of the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education, and Research at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Pradhan said engineering and science institutions must equip students with skills aligned to the country’s future workforce and technology ambitions.

“Our curriculum must be aligned to national priorities,” the minister said, adding that doctoral research should be more closely connected to real-world economic activity rather than remaining confined to academic boundaries.

Pradhan proposed the creation of industry-led curriculum committees to guide National Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, and the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology in designing courses around emerging job roles.

He said India needs skilled graduates in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum technologies, advanced manufacturing, and green hydrogen.

The minister also called for reforms in doctoral education, advocating industry-funded and industry-guided PhD programs, a stronger focus on product-oriented research, and linking PhD supervision outcomes to faculty performance.

These measures, he said, would help ensure that research contributes more directly to economic growth and social needs.

Accreditation and quality assurance featured prominently in the discussions. Pradhan said all NITs and IIESTs should be brought under the national accreditation framework and complete external peer reviews within one year, describing accreditation as critical to raising academic standards and strengthening public confidence.

To boost innovation, the council decided that the 13 NITs without incubation centers would be required to establish them, while at least 10 NITs will initiate work on dedicated research parks.

A national pitching conclave for start-ups incubated at NITs is scheduled for July 2026 to connect young ventures with potential investors.

Pradhan said NITs and IIESTs must evolve into hubs of applied research, innovation, and workforce development as India works toward becoming a developed nation by 2047.

The meeting also emphasized the role of Indian languages and artificial intelligence in making technical education more inclusive for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Senior academics, government officials, and industry representatives attended the meeting, which also reviewed governance practices, research quality, and innovation ecosystems across the country’s top technical institutions.