... of post-docs! Let's take a look at the news story before I get to say why I'm disappointed:
The IIT post-doctoral research fellowships at present offer a monthly stipend of Rs 15,000 — this amount was fixed in 2006.
IIT Delhi has proposed raising the fellowship amount to Rs 35,000 per month in the first year of research, and an annual increase capped at Rs 40,000 — irrespective of the length of the research.
Apart from the monthly stipend, fellows can avail of house rent allowance of Rs 10,000 per month at present.
The hike proposal suggests that the HRA start in the first year at Rs 10,000, but be increased up to Rs 15,000 subsequently.
I have nothing against post-docs getting a better salary. But, if this is all there's to it, I'm disappointed.
Let's face it: are the post-docs the most important "limiting factor" in the IITs' quest for research visibility? Particularly when post-doc offers -- going strictly by this report -- are so small in number? At 25 every year in each IIT (and assuming a three-year tenure for each post-doc), aren't we talking about one post-doc for, like, 5 faculty members?
Instead, IITs -- and other institutions -- should really concentrate on the quality and number of their grad students ; they are the real 'limiting factor' that slows down their march towards enhanced research footprint. Shouldn't they be doing something to attract brighter grad students in greater numbers?
Because the Mehta committee recommended lesser salaries for faculty in IIT than faculty in central universities/UGC, maybe the IIT faculty feel that they can join as postdocs in IITs if the postdoc salaries are hiked.
ReplyDeleteIs there a age limit for postdocs?
ReplyDeleteEven with 35,000, many bright PhDs are going to do their postdocs in the US and Europe anyway. That's another reason for focusing on the PhD. students.
ReplyDeleteEven with 70,000, many bright PhDs are going to be faculty in US and Europe anyway. That's another reason to hire fresh-off-BTech to teach at our institutes.
ReplyDeleteAbi, we are unable to even fill the 25 post doctoral positions at IIT. Because a post doc at IIT gives them nothing. And the financial conditions are far from decent.
Replace the word "instead" with "Additionally", and I will be in agreement.
The real reason for asking for more postdoc than graduate students is because IIT/IISc professors do not want to train graduate students. Even famous professors in engineering in IISc have less than 2 to 3 doctorate students. The selection ratio of ph.d student in iisc is 10:1. This is because they do not want guide students.
ReplyDeleteThey would instead spend time in the coffee board and tell that no good ph.d student is available.
Kumar
Abinandanan's report on academic salaries:
ReplyDeleteFaculty : 1000000000...
Post-Docs= 1000.00
PhD students = 500.00
This is realy a good step whcih is taken by IIT Delhi about fellowship amount of Postdoc Fellowship in India. this amount is realy nice.......it will help to promote the Science research in India......
ReplyDeleteRather than spending the tears on the situation why we all are not getting united to streathening our voice for revolution. this system is Kumbhkaran and only listen louder voice. i think nobody will help in changing the situation except us who are the victims.
ReplyDelete