Kharagpur: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the recommendations of the Anil Kakodkar panel on the functioning of IITs will be soon considered by the Council of IITs and the central government.

"The committee noted that the number of PhDs that come out annually from IITs is very small in comparison to similar institutions in the US and China," he said, addressing the annual convocation at the IIT here.

"The committee emphasized the importance of technology and innovation linked to advanced research. It suggests that IITs take on the challenge of creating an advanced research based innovation eco-system with the involvement of industry and national technology related programmes," he said.

A five-member committee headed by then Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar was set up in 2009 to bring research to the forefront in the IITs and increase its role in national development projects.

"High quality talent is essential if the IITs are to make the kind of impact on India's development process that they can and should. The recommendations of the Anil Kakodkar committee will soon be considered by the Council of IITs and by the government," Manmohan Singh said. IANS