​More UG seats

After admitting PhD students for more than a hundred years, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, opened its doors to 83 enrolees for a four-year undergraduate programme in science in 2011. The rush of applicants is prompting it to raise the intake, even as the first cohort is going to graduate in July, with nearly half the class staying back to go on to an integrated Master's.In 2014, BS students were granted an option of an additional year of studies to continue for a Master's in science, making it a five year integrated programme.
Among those who have chosen to graduate after four years, many have received offers for PhD degrees at institutions such as the University of British Columbia; Brown University; Cornell University; Dartmouth College; Georgia Tech; University of California, San Diego; University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne; and University of Texas, Austin. A few have opted to pursue an MBA.
“While we plan to increase the intake, the upper limit is 120 and given the kind of applications received this year, it is indeed going to be a tough call,“ says Umesh Varshney, dean, undergraduate programmes. While the institution received more than 10,000 applications in the first two years, the number dropped in the next two years when students realised the entry was competitive, he adds.