IIT-M to have 50% subjects as elective

Chennai: To provide more flexibility to students at the Indian Institute of Technology, Ma­dras (IIT-M), the institu­te plans to allow students to have 50 per cent of their subjects as elective so that th­ey could select a larger nu­mber of subjects they liked.

In an interaction with the institute’s alumni on Fri­d­ay, IIT-M director Prof. Bh­askar Ramamurthi said, “The idea is to provide a st­udent with an opportunity to select 50 per cent of the subjects he likes to pursue.”

Elaborating on other fut­ure plans, the director ex­plained that the institute planned to combine classroom study with the online education system and self- learning.

“We have joined hands with Nasscom to offer computer science engineering though a massive open on­line course platform to students of all engineering colleges in the state and also in the next phase of the Nati­onal Programme on Techn­ology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) we will broadcast lectures live online,” said Prof Ramamurthi, who gra­duated  in electronics engineering from IIT-Madras in 1980.

The institute had started construction of a 700-room ladies’ hostel, which would be the largest accommodation facility at IIT-M, the director pointed out.

“In our rev­ised master plan we have made sure that we would only demolish old buildings to construct multi-storeyed ones to preserve the ecology of the campus,” he added.

Next: Green laws being violated, claim activists

Green laws being violated, claim activists

Chennai: In an impugning remark to IIT’s thriving eco system, a group of environmentalist and wildlife conservationists have come out with a study which says that the institution has carried out construction activities on the campus in gross violation of various wildlife and construction rules.

The study carried out by the Chennai solidarity gro­up, a civil society group in the city, states that the eco system on the IIT campus which is the only jungle in the city and housing various animals and birds is in danger, and further expansion activities planned by IIT will jeopardise it.

Nit­y­a­nand Jayaram, who headed the study says, “The institution took up 37 disti­nct construction activities in the past 12 years which has led to the clearance of 52 acres of forest and in the process, 8100 trees were cut down.”

He adds, “None of the new constructions have the requisite approvals from the CMDA, SC and the nat­ional board of wildlife. Su­ch construction is under the category of institutio­ns but we could not find any approvals by the CM­DA on its website.”

M.G. Devasahayam, a re­ti­­red IAS official and act­ivist says, “IIT-M was car­ved out of largely the erstwhile deer park as part of an Indo-German agreem­ent signed in 1959.” The study points put that after more than 50 years, the student population has incr­ea­sed from 1,500 to 5,500 and an updated master plan suggests a further increase to 8,000, making the population in campus approximately 15,000. 

Devasahayam adds, “We ask a committee to be for­med with representation from civil society and ot­her relevant departments and audit the construction done and that is planned. We further demand that the CMDA take action agai­nst the violations.” The IIT administration was unav­a­il­able for comment.