Want to give JEE a pass to enter IITB? Here's your chance

(From left) Deputy Director (academics) Prof A K Suresh, Director Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri and Deputy Director (infrastructure) Prof Prasanna Mujumdar at the media interaction on Thursday. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

Soon your exemplary achievements in a particular Science subject may help you get entry to the Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay) without even having to sit for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE). During a media interaction on Thursday, the institute's new Director Subhasis Chaudhuri revealed that they were working on bringing in a number of new courses, which would be subject-specific, but only those who have performed brilliantly in a particular subject at the UG level would be able to give JEE a pass to be selected for the course.

A committee of academic experts is working on a plan to make this possible, but the lateral entry courses would not include the traditional engineering degree ones. Citing the example of the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics course that was started a couple of years ago, Chaudhuri said, "Students who have done really well in the International Mathematical Olympiad will also be able to apply for the course. We will conduct their interviews to select deserving candidates. This will ensure that someone with exceptional talent in a particular subject does not lag behind just to study other subjects for JEE. This will give us different types of students for UG courses."

Of the other innovative plans that the institute is working on, one is the Liberal STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) courses, which are not offered by other institutes. This will help students take up a variety of STEM subjects and pursue a tailor-made course with the help of the credit system. "This is still at a very nascent stage as we are in the process of working on the idea," Chaudhuri added.

Deputy Director (academics) Prof. Prasanna Mujumdar, said, "IITB already has a number of non-engineering departments which are running very well. These include humanities, design and management among all."

Adding to this, Deputy Director (infrastructure) A K Suresh, said, "We also have to ensure that students pursuing such courses get employment in future. There also has to be faculty support for these courses. A committee is studying all the possible options."

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