Let's Think Beyond Engineering
In a world where futures are defined by results, marks and ranks, students often get disillusioned about their strengths and let their weaknesses define their prospects. Each student of today wants only the best. Anything less than the best seems like a compromise. But actually, it’s not. Success has always been a journey and not a milestone, and there is more than one way to travel this journey.
Students who choose PCM as a course during their 2 years of higher education are instinctively inclined towards admissions to IITs. Students with other streams like commerce and humanities do not consider IITs to be an option at all. Breaking down this myth, it is not at all true that students with other streams cannot go these institutes. Talking of IITs, there are a total of 23 institutes in various cities across India. These institutes have evolved and expanded their courses over the years. Keeping in view the increasing scope for other fields, these are not just the usual engineering courses. There are exams other than JEE for entrance to IITs according to the courses which they offer, to aid the students who have varied backgrounds, but strive for the IIT brand and quality.
Many PCM students naturally drift towards engineering as a career option after class 12, either because they continue to evaluate their options or because they have been led into believing that engineering is the end game. If a student makes it through the stages of JEE and gets into an IIT, he/she still has a wide array of career options to choose from. IITs across India have a lot of courses to offer other than the contemporary engineering courses:
- Developmental Sciences: The departments of humanities and social sciences in IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati and IIT Kanpur offer various courses including Integrated courses in Developmental and biological sciences. It’s a multi-disciplinary field and totally relevant to go for. IIT Bombay also offers a 4 year course in Bachelor of Sciences.
- Bachelors in Designing: The Industrial Department Centre (IDC) in IIT Bombay offers courses in Bachelors in Design (B.Des). A similar course is offered by IIT Guwahati, for those who aspire for designing as a career. The courses include web designing, app designing, industrial designing, interaction designing, animation designing, visual communication etc.
- English Studies: IIT Madras offers courses in English studies, which includes subjects like perspectives in English studies and social sciences, western philosophy, and world literature. Similar courses with related subjects are offered in IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Bombay.
- Economics: IIT Kanpur was the first institute to start Bachelor of Sciences (BS) in Economic studies, in its Humanities and Social Sciences Department. IIT Kharagpur also offers a 5 year integrated Msc. programme in Economics. Courses in Economics studies are also available in IIT Bombay.
Admissions to all these courses are totally independent of the PCM combination and students of any field who have a desire for the same can go for these courses. As mentioned above, JEE examinations are not the only criteria and it is up to the students to choose their way.
There is a world beyond engineering in IITs, and this needs to be a spread commotion.
