Over 16,000 apply for 120 seats

BANGALORE: The iconic Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has received an overwhelming number of applicants for its maiden four-year undergraduate programme to be rolled out this August, showing an hitherto unseen interest in studying science.
The 101-year-old institute, which will launch its much-awaited bachelor of science programme this year, has received over 16,000 applications for some 120 seats.Such an overwhelming response--an average of over 130 candidates vying for one seat--was totally unexpected, says professor Chandan Dasgupta, dean, undergraduate programme, IISc.
IISc, which has decided not to tax class 12 students with yet another entrance exam for its UG programme, will use multiple entrance exams in admissions. According to Dasgupta, at least 30% of the students will be from among those who have been selected for the Kishore Vigyan Protsahan Yojana. Others will be selected based on their performance in pan-India exams like IIT-JEE, AIPMT and AIEEE.
The BS programme, which will have a strong inter-disciplinary flavour, has enthused students from different systems of schools and states. Dasgupta says that though students from different boards have applied for the programme, more than half of them are from schools affiliated to CBSE. About one-fourth of the candidates are girls, and applicants are not restricted only to Southern states.
The eight-semester programme will have the final two semesters exclusively devoted to a research project. The course mandates each student to take a minimum number of courses in engineering and humanities, and offers six specialisation options--maths, biology, chemistry, environmental science, physics and materials.
Leading upto the launch of the programme, IISc director P Balaram once told the court that the BS programme had engendered more discussions than any other programme that he had seen at the institute. While the major objection to the programme has been that introducing a UG programme would fundamentally alter the academic character of the institute, its proponents are of the view that bringing undergraduates to research environment would do wonders for the research ambience.