BANGALORE: IITs better look out, for they are likely to lose the distinction of offering the most coveted undergraduate programmes in the country. Because, one hundred years after its establishment, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is finally going to open its hallowed doors to undergraduates.
According to a concept note prepared by the institute, a four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) programme has been mooted which will combine both basic sciences and engineering, with a special focus on research. The programme is likely to be started with an initial intake of 200 students at its proposed 1,000-acre second campus at Chitradurga for the 2010-11 academic year.
Unlike the IITs, where the sole focus is on engineering, the IISC programme’s USP will be its flexibility in combining divergent courses. The concept note has proposed following a major and minor system that is followed in universities abroad.“Under the proposed system, a student can take mechanical engineering as his major and genetics as his minor subject. This is how flexible we want it to be,’’ said an IISc official.
Another significant feature is the high teacher-student ratio being proposed.
One teacher for every five students -- common enough in postgraduate programmes, but unheard of in an undergraduate programme. Fresh faculty will be recruited to teach the undergraduate programme while the existing faculty will handle only a few advanced subjects.
The proposal was mooted by IISc director Prof P Balaram at the Senate body’s meeting last month. At the meeting, he said there were divergent views on starting of an undergraduate programme, and he asked for a concept note to be prepared. The note is currently under circulation among faculty members, whose views will be sought before it is finalised at the Science and Engineering faculties meeting.
The change of heart by the institute, which so far did not entertain the idea of undergraduate programmes, is surprising.
In his report to the institute’s court last year, director Prof P Balaram brought up the issue of UG programmes and said “I will put this up despite the fact that many times members of the faculty do tell me that we should not discuss this. They tell me it has not been done in the past. The fact that something has not been done in the past does not mean something cannot be done in the future.’’