BHUBANESWAR: With incumbent Director of IIT-Bhubaneswar Prof MS Chakraborty’s tenure ending on Monday and selection process for the new head underway, the Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD) has appointed Dean of Faculty and Planning of the institute, Prof Sujit Roy as the acting Director.
In a letter to the Chairman of Board of Governors of IIT-BBS, Additional Secretary (Technical Education) Amita Sharma has asked the Chairman of Board of Governors of IIT Bhubaneswar to relieve Chakraborty, who will return to his parent institute IIT-Kharagpur, before he retires in December.
Roy, a Professor of Chemistry, will be acting Director till a regular and full-time Director is appointed.
In fact, the process for appointment of full-time Directors of three IITs, Bhubaneswar, Ropar and Patna, is currently underway by the HRD Ministry.
By the end of October, the new Directors are expected to be posted.
Nearly 140 applications have been received by the Ministry for these posts.
A committee will first chalk out a list of candidates based on the eligibility criteria following which the selection committee, headed by HRD Minister Smriti Irani, will interview them.
Sources said, as many as 18 Professors from IIT-Kanpur have sent their applications for the Director positions while five from IIT-Kharagpur have thrown their hats in the ring.
At least three from IIT-Bhubaneswar have also applied for the top position.