Indore: IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Indore, director Pradeep Mathur, who had been hoping for another extension, had to finally big adieu to the institute as his term ended on Dec 31, 2019. It was a new change for IIT Indore as someone else took charge of the position starting Wednesday.
Professor Neelesh Kumar Jain was appointed as Director (Officiating) of IIT Indore, until the new director is appointed by Ministry of Human Resource Development. While talking to Free Press, Prof Deepak B Phatak, chairman, board of governors, IIT Indore said that MHRD has made Jain director (officiating) till a full-fledged director is appointed.
Jain joined IIT Indore as Associate Professor in Jan 2010 and became Professor in Dec 2013. He did PhD (2003) and MTech (1995) from IIT Kanpur with specialization in Manufacturing Science and BE in Mechanical Engineering from SGSITS Indore in 1993.
The notice for inviting applicants for the position had made it loud and clear that the applicant with an engineering background would be preferred and most likely appointed. Mathur comes from a science background and has been holding the post since the inception of the institute in 2009.
Mathur was hired as the institute director despite coming from a science background for the prime institute providing technical education. He was hired in 2009 and then his term of 5 years expired in 2014.
However, his term was further extended by 5 years keeping him as IIT Indore director till 2019. Mathur had often been caught up in several controversies during his term.
IIT to bring in more transparency: “Prof Neelesh Kumar Jain was selected and approved by the ministry for the position of Director (Officiating). He will get all the powers of a director and will be in-charge until a new director is appointed. We will bring more transparency to institute. The practice of nepotism will be discouraged. We will take institute to newer heights in collaboration with the new director.”
Prof Deepak B Phatak
Chairman, Board of Governors of IIT Indore
