Today I met some students from IISER who are conducting their student-run test-- a sort of science talent test.
It seems they do their 5 year course with no majors. They just choose courses they like and do them. This may sound good, but it will lead to a good outcome ONLY if the student is very savvy from his 1st sem. For every course he plans to do by the end of his 5th year, he must plan in the 1st year, do the prerequisites and then progress. I am sure no one has this vision at 18.
If after his third year, he likes organic chemistry, but finds he has not done Chem 211 or whatever that is prerequisite for organic chem. But to do Chem 211, he has to have done Chem 103 in the first year. So now where does that leave him?
I think it's dicey. Or each student must have a jolly good course counsellor...and what do you think are the odds of that?
2 comments:
If I'm not mistaken, students have to study a basic (compulsory) amount of Physics, Chemistry, Math and Biology in their first two years and they get to choose only in later years. At least, that was the impression I had around 4 years back when I was finishing high school.
That's what I thought too. But this boy, who's now in the fourth year, says they only choose courses,not a major. The MS that IITs used to offer, had your major fixed when you joined. The MA in IITM has the people choose a major after two years-they also choose a minor stream. I think it is important to focus in your last two years. For the IISER students, the only focus is the MS project topic. I wonder how it will be seen if and when they apply abroad for PhD. In India, the UGC ruled colleges clearly will not give them a lecturer's job- here it is mandatory to have an MSc in the subject you teach.
Post a Comment