He is currently senior advisor to the president of the University of Illinois System and, effective February 17, 2024, is serving as interim executive director of the Discovery Partners Institute.

In 2011, he chaired the steering committee for Stewarding Excellence at Illinois, an institution-wide program for cost control and organizational efficiency created in the face of falling state revenues.

Starting in July 2014, Dutta served as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at Purdue University.

He oversaw the matriculation of the largest first-year class in history, the reversal of a three-year decline in research funding, and increased alumni engagement.

Dutta worked extensively with state legislators and business and community leaders to create institutional momentum around student success, affordability, and academic excellence.

[17][18] He led the efforts to raise $50 million from federal, state, and private sources for the construction of a new Innovation and Technology Complex to make UM-Flint an engine for economic growth.

In the announcement, Dutta was applauded by the president of University of Michigan for being a strong advocate for UM-Flint and for his commitment and work transforming the institution.