BANGALORE: The Indian Institute of Science’s (IISc) Undergraduate programme is being projected as one that would revolutionise undergraduate education in the country. The UG proposal notes that the solution to current problems in undergraduate education in India requires large scale restructuring of courses, improving the peer group by integrating engineering and science streams and scouting and nurturing talent to make learning science an exciting and enjoyable experience.
So how exactly has the IISc proposed to do this? Express gives you the details of what form the UG programme will take.
Programme
The undergraduate programme will be a four year Bachelor in Science programme, with students allowed to major and minor in one stream each.
For example, at the end of the course, a student can receive a degree with a major in physics, and a minor in computer science. The course will be divided into eight semesters across four years.
Core courses
The first three semesters will be common to all students.
During this time, students will be exposed to pillars of classical scientific, mathematical, and engineering principles.
Students will have to take up courses in maths, physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering.
Students will also have to take up courses in humanities, such as history, philosophy, sociology, and management of science and technology during the first three semesters.
Streams
After the first three semesters, students will have to opt for a stream, which will from then on be his or her `major’.
Simultaneously, they will also take about 30 pc of courses from other streams which will constitute `minors’.
This provides flexibility for students to remain in a science based programme, while dabbling in some engineering courses.
Following streams have been proposed: Materials, Environment, Computing, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.
Project
Research will be an important component of the programme.
The students will have to do a research project in the final two semesters of the course, in the field that they have chosen.
“All the inquiry skills developed in the first 7 semesters will be marshaled to frame questions, creatively explore answers and communicate this to others coherently,’’ the report says.
Teaching
Some of the existing faculty members will be drawn into teach the UG programme, while additional faculty members will also be recruited.
Besides, retired faculty members, PG, and doctoral students will also be encouraged to teach in the course.
The programme will also provide a one-to-one mentoring for students.
yusuf@epmltd.com