Research and innovation play a quintessential role in elevating universities to global standards. Educational institutions must prioritise innovation by granting students the liberty to select research topics aligned with their innate curiosity, which will ignite their passion for groundbreaking advancements, said director of Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad (IIT-H) B.S. Murty on Monday (September 15, 2025).

Advocating for self-directed learning and intrinsic motivation as cornerstones of excellence, Mr. Murty proposed that at least 10% of the curriculum be devoted to liberal arts, creative disciplines and interdisciplinary sciences such as anthropology, psychology, sociology and history.

Mr. Murty was addressing young graduates, faculty members and administrators of Mahatma Gandhi University, Nalgonda, at its fourth convocation ceremony. He called for the cultivation of bold ideas, their translation into viable projects and eventual innovation ecosystems.

Explaining the IIT-H experience of research and innovation, he shared that the institute promoted 320 startups this year and is generating a turnover of several crores of rupees, alongside 180 B.Tech innovations and 219 patents. "Dedicate at least one hour to pondering the challenges of the underserved," he told the students, while advising them to look beyond academics and cultivating empathy for the common populace through purposeful innovations.

"For inclusive growth -- truly the ethos of Viksit Bharat -- is the only sustainable path forward. Remember, unchecked growth, like cancer, avails nothing; equitable progress alone endures," Mr. Murty added.

At the ceremony, Governor and university Chancellor Jishnu Dev Varma presented doctoral degrees to 22 candidates and gold medals to 57 students for meritorious performance. A total of 16,210 degrees for undergraduate, 3,200 for post graduate and 7,800 for B.Ed candidates were presented for academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24.

In his address, he underscored the importance of MGU as a rural university that democratised quality education for the marginalised and the underprivileged. His speech emphasised values, innovation and inclusive growth.

Vice-Chancellor Khaja Althaf Hussain presented the university's journey, its key academic reforms such as introduction of innovative courses as per contemporary needs, besides a rigorous attendance policy. He explained the university's rapid evolution of a research ecosystem along with dedicated initiatives to nurture student and faculty-led projects to bridge theory and application. Mr. Hussain said the university is aiming at securing an 'A' grade in the forthcoming National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) evaluation.

Educational institutions should give students liberty to select research topics aligned with their innate curiosity: IIT-H director