LASE programme to focus on diverse fields, will be helpful for industry, says IIT Bombay Prof

IIT Bombay is likely to roll out a unique and innovative undergraduate programme, the Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (LASE) Programme, which will give students an opportunity to explore different fields, beyond STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

LASE students will have five categories -- engineering sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, art and design and design your own custom concentration -- to choose from.

In an exclusive conversation with Shiksha, Prof Anurag Mehra from the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Bombay, who is associated with the programme, talks about the purpose, eligibility, seat availability and more about the course.

Q. What is the motive behind introducing LASE programme? Was there any demand from students or industry?

A. The motive for creating this programme is to enable students to customise their learning in terms of depth and breadth. As IIT Bombay Director Subhasis Chaudhuri put it: “The motive behind such courses as a whole is to enable the cultivation of diverse all-round proficiency for those who want to explore different fields, venture out in new directions or pursue untrammelled and untravelled paths.”

The programme is designed to cater to different interests that students may have. The industry often seeks people with all-round proficiency. Our students frequently take up jobs that demand more than just technical skills. So, this programme will be very good for the industry as well.

Q. Is IITB the first IIT in India to offer such a specialised programme?

A. To the best of our knowledge, IIT Bombay is the first IIT in the country to offer a programme in liberal arts.

Q. Is the LASE programme in line with what National Education Policy (NEP) demands currently?

A. Yes, the new course is in accordance with the National Education Policy, which seeks to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to education.

Q. What will be the eligibility and admission criteria for the LASE course?

A. Students who complete the first academic year of their BTech in 2022 will be eligible to join the course at the beginning of the second year. Selected students will get a chance to graduate with a Bachelors in Science degree in engineering sciences, natural sciences, social sciences, art and design.

Q. On what basis will the LASE students be selected?

A. The selection of LASE students will be on the basis of some criteria, which is currently being worked out.

Q. What all will be taught to students during the course?

A. LASE students will take up a set of foundation courses in their second year. Apart from STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, these courses will focus on areas such as modern south Asian history, history of science, contemporary digital societies, current social structures, reading and writing literature. LASE students can specialise in cutting-edge interdisciplinary fields in this programme such as artificial intelligence and EdTech or healthcare engineering (within engineering sciences) or biology (within natural Sciences). All students will also complete a final-year project.

Q. How many students can enrol in the LASE course?

A. To begin with, we are planning to introduce a small number of seats, which is around 30.

Q. Who will be teaching the LASE course? Will there be a separate facility and faculty for it?

A. There will be a centre to run this programme. Some new faculty may be hired in due course to teach LASE students.

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