Liberal Arts programmes at the IITs offer a multidisciplinary lens – Times of India

Ever since the IITs were set up in the 1950s, Liberal Arts (known in the IITs as Humanities and Social Sciences or HSS) were conceived as being integral and fundamental to the training of Indian engineers. “The assumption then and valid today, was that engineers perform their tasks embedded in human society. Exposure to Philosophy, Literature, Psychology and other HSS disciplines inculcates a broad-based appreciation of the human condition that goes beyond any instrumental use of that knowledge. Incidentally, the most reputed institutes of technical education globally recognise the importance of HSS disciplines. Steve Jobs attributed Apple’s elegant typeface to his exposure to a Calligraphy class at Stanford,” says Devika Sethi, School Chair in-charge, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Mandi that offers a Master’s in Development Studies (MA-DS) in which over 400 applications were received this year for about 20 seats.

“We have leveraged our location in an IIT by offering MA students courses taught by Science and Engineering faculty on climate change and ICT for example. There is no disciplinary entry barrier to our MA DS programme, and we have had several BTech degree holders from other institutes as part of our MA cohort over the years. Graduates of this programme have gone on to join NGOs and think-tanks, and some have opted for doctoral studies as well. Classroom interaction and peer learning are enriched by the diversity of our intake,” she adds.

The multi-disciplinary approach is in sync with today’s young people who do not want to be labelled only as engineers, scientists, doctors, or management people etc, they want to get a world-view of things, says Jaison Manjaly, Jasubhai Memorial Chair Professor and Head, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Gandhinagar that has full time MSc (Cognitive Science) and MA (Society and Culture) programmes. The institute also has plans to start humanities programme at the undergraduate level.

The IITs’ engagement with inter-disciplinary research-based teaching for Engineering students who, as part of holistic learning, are exposed to HSS based subjects, helped enrich the liberal arts courses. “The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) at IIT Guwahati has faculty members in disciplines ranging from Economics to History, and from Archaeology to Literature and Politics. We leverage this strength to offer teaching and mentoring to not just STEM students but also those enrolled for the existing doctoral and postgraduate degrees the department offers,” says Sukanya Sharma, head, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Guwahati that launched the Master’s in Liberal Arts (MLA) for the academic year 2022-2023 with courses that can be taken by undergraduate Engineering students for further academic engagement. “Some of the courses will provide an exploratory foray into disciplines like Philosophy and Linguistics that most students would not have studied in school,” Sharma adds.

NEP 2020 effect


Overall, what has worked in favour of the liberal arts programmes is the NEP 2020 holding centre stage. “Whereas earlier university-based education in India was conceived mainly through the lens of ‘single-discipline’ environments with limited avenues for inter-disciplinary and vocational education, with the NEP 2020, a paradigm shift has been effected in the way a Humanities based education is viewed,” Sharma says.

“But while the NEP highlights the importance of a holistic and multidisciplinary education, more emphasis needs to be placed on exploration and choice of branch. Anxious parents need to allow students to explore within limits. Without that, the education system will never rise above a form of vocational training,” says Anurag Mehra, professor-in-charge, Center for Liberal Education, IIT Bombay where the Liberal Arts, Science, and Engineering (LASE) programme will have its first intake in Autumn 2022, giving students the opportunity to graduate with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in their chosen concentration in areas such as Natural Sciences, Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences, Art & Design, Custom Concentration.

“As more institutions adopt this form of education, it will help prepare our students for the jobs of the 21st century. In a fast-changing world with the increasing adoption of AI and ML, jobs of the future will require individuals who have a broad set of skills and are able to combine their understanding of two or more diverse disciplines and integrate them into something unique,” Ali Imran, vice president, external engagement, Ashoka University, says. The ultimate aim is to create innovators and leaders, not merely job seekers, Mehra adds.

Main advantages

For non-BTech students who wish to pursue liberal arts, the IITs may be chosen for several reasons, explains Sethi. “Financial support is available, infrastructure is good, and faculty (PhD holders) are selected with due care after a competitive process. Most importantly, they get exposure to a variety of HSS disciplines within one School rather than being confined to a narrow department. To give one example, a graduate student wishing to research e-vehicles policy in India from the perspective of technical, economic, and social viability and implications could not do better than to apply to one of the IITs, where she/he could interact with domain experts from all these fields. Presenting one’s work to a mixed audience, getting multiple perspectives, and having the opportunity to further link oneself to the startup ecosystem at the IITs – these are additional advantages,” Sethi adds.