IIT-B to offer courses in fine arts, film-making & economics

In a move to reposition itself as a university and bifurcate its portfolio, Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay (IIT-B), has decided to introduce new course programmes ranging from a course in Film-Making to a whole new set of programme in Fine arts. This move has been termed as Vision-2021.

IIT-B which is already the foremost among all the existing engineering colleges in the country has decided to diversify its existing list of programmes offered at the Powai based institution, with an aim to flourish it as a University with a broad range of disciplines, within a period of four years. One among the key targets of the idea of revamping the institution is to attract foreign candidates which includes both students and faculty, thus building an international presence.

Putting together in a document, the institute’s Forbes Marshall Chair Professor-Rangan Banerjee stated that “the vision focus on the students as creators of new knowledge for society. The institute has thus realized that the role and influence of IITians is restricted not just to technology. The existing programmes provide a foundation for further expansion; both by starting new undergraduate curricula and by starting new programmes in disciplines that are currently not present in the institute. ”

The strategy of Vision 2021 includes allocating the accommodation zones and allowing personal space for married couples, enhancing the students experience by capping the count of students in classrooms. The institute aims to get monitory help and allocate funds through the researches performed by the faculty and also aims to invite the alumni, hoping for donation.

The document further illustrates the institute’s plans for a multi-disciplinary culture, stating that “Masters Degrees in film making and fine arts are being considered while a Ph.D. in policy studies, with a focus on technology, shall start in the near future.” Few of the programmes including an undergraduate degree in Economics will commence from the present academic year while others in Biology, Earth sciences, Mathematics, Management, Social Sciences and Humanities are at the designing stage and will take off soon in the upcoming academic years.

Speaking over the plan to TOI, Rangan stated that “the institute would seek feedback from the students as it is a shared vision for the future. It is this imperative that students fill the feedback form and help guide the planning process forward.” This will help the institution to further implement the plane and amend the existing one’s in order to achieve the goals and derive fruitful results.

Further adding to the statement, Banerjee spoke on the key focus areas of Vision-2021, stating that “The ultimate goal is to have single rooms for everybody, which is however going to take some time due to resource constriction.” A better advisory system is also to be introduced in order to help the academically weaker students, thus improving the institute’s academic performance. Also, a systematic plan will be implemented in order to hire foreign faculty on a five-year contract basis.

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