http://www.livemint.com/2008/01/05002310/IITs-move-to-give-more-flexibi.html
Starting this academic year, IIT Bombay has reduced the total number of mandatory credits that a student has to complete to successfully graduate.
Excerpts from the article:
Jeetha D’Silva
Mumbai: In an effort to produce more well-rounded graduates with diverse interests, the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are trying to get students out of the classroom.
Three IITs—Bombay, Delhi and Roorkee—have reduced the minimum number of credits that a student needs to graduate, while at least two other IITs—Kharagpur and Madras—are considering offering their students the same flexibility. IIT Guwahati and Kanpur say they have no plans to change.
The overhaul at most of the premier government-run institutes reflects a significant change: to break out of the rigidity of courses and curriculum, to ensure graduates are prepared for the demands of a new global economy and, in some ways, to ensure IITs still attract and retain India’s brightest students who might be wooed by foreign universities and more open educational philosophies.
“The B. Tech (bachelor of technology, the graduate degree awarded by IITs) education has so far been quite straitjacketed, but now we are making efforts to address that,” said Deepak Phatak, a senior faculty member at IIT Bombay. “This change in the course format will provide students some flexibility and freedom to structure their education,” he added.
Starting this academic year (2007-08), IIT Bombay has reduced the total number of mandatory credits that a student has to complete to successfully graduate, from 350 in four years to 250 in four years. Students who opt to do the full 350 credits in their chosen fields will be awarded an honours degree when they graduate. But those students who wish to use the extra time to pursue research or study another area of interest now have the freedom to do so; they will get a degree that reflects the major specialization as well the minor studies.
Students can also use their time to participate in organizing events hosted by the institute, such as campus festivals.