(2010- 2011) English - Indian Council of Philosophical Research

The available technological know-how makes it possible to have a virtual campus and classrooms
where the constraints of physical distance are overcome by web-linking scholars located in different
parts of the country. For example, it would be possible for a Ph.D. student enrolled in Chittagong
or Chittoor to have a research guide in Chandighar and a mentor in Chicago. The virtual campus
makes it possible to bring together scholars with similar interests in an enduring supportive network
facilitated by the ICPR. There may be for instance a dozen Ph.D. students actively researching in
the area of Navya Nyaya and there are only one or two outstanding scholars in the country with
expertise in their pursuit, who could help these aspiring student scholars. Further, the learned scholars
themselves would benefit by their interaction with these bright students. Together they constitute
a mutually stimulating group of senior scholars and serious students intellectually enriching each
other in important ways. Also, IIP would be involved in arranging online teaching of philosophy
courses in virtual classrooms taught by available international experts. Lectures from real classrooms
can be delivered to remotely situated students across the length and breadth of the country by using
both the broadcast and internet-based protocol network.
The IIP would have no permanent faculty. Rather it would draw its faculty from the already existing
pool of professors in our colleges and universities. These would be those with proven competence
and accomplishment, leading scholars whose credentials are already well established. They would be
invited to join IIP as full-time faculty on deputation, when their services could be fully utilized for
required periods of time, or as part-time participants who contribute a limited amount of their time
to be negotiated. These professors, full-time or part-time, principal or adjunct, would be employed
for required periods of time with the result the faculty pool is constantly changing. Such a scenario
of floating faculty, it is believed, would have for the IIP a dynamic faculty resource necessary for
promoting excellence in philosophical studies at different levels with constantly changing research
priorities. Further, some of the activities of the IIP like online teaching would be outsourced
where outside expertise is available. The IIP not only works in liaison with the existing universities
and colleges teaching philosophy but also with other organizations with interest in promoting
philosophical studies such as the UGC. It will also draw from the expertise of those institutions
that are already engaged in online teaching such as Indira Gandhi National Open University, which
enjoys the use of gyan darshan and gyan vani network and e-gyan kosh, national digital depository.
The IIP activity would not be limited to graduate/postgraduate teaching and doctoral research in
philosophy. It would also include post-doctoral research and a network of carefully selected and
crafted research projects that are basically interdisciplinary addressing current contextually relevant
and problem-driven areas that are nationally challenging.
Objectives
The primary objective of the Indian Institute of Philosophy is to promote originality and excellence in
philosophical studies in the country in an interdisciplinary context. Philosophical studies include:
(a) teaching at graduate and post-graduate levels
(b) research at doctoral and post-doctoral levels
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