Humanities, social sciences essential in tech institutions

Studying the humanities offers a way to understand the complexity of society

The introduction of the humanities and social sciences have added value to technological institutions such as the five (originally started) IITs at Kanpur, Kharagpur, Mumbai, Chennai, and Delhi. This is an outstanding example of what can be done if faculty members with expertise in the humanities are added and encouraged to offer courses there. They add values to the entire institution and through them to the nation itself. Study of the humanities and social sciences not only adds values but is a way of understanding the complexity of society, its culture and developing a historical perspective. It makes the students take on a more socially conscious attitude, which lasts through their career as technologists.

An outstanding example is the recruitment of the late Professor Usha Kumar as a full-time faculty member at IIT Kanpur (IITK) and offering of courses in the humanities, and encouraging students and the faculty to take these courses and take semester-long projects. Many did so and found these useful later in their profession as well. Such semester projects left a deep impression on these young minds and paved the way to the path they took in their future careers. This has come to be known as the Usha Kumar Model. Exemplifying this model, IITK set up a high school in its campus to help its employees, but also admits students from the Kanpur city. In addition, IITK is currently offering relief services to the city’s poor people.

The alumni, current faculty and students at IIT Delhi (IITD) work closely with the local eye hospitals and eye specialists. One of its earlier alumni initiated “Project Prakash”, which offers free eye care facilities (cataract surgery, spectacles and drugs for the needy ) in Delhi and its neighbourhood. Project Prakash is an ongoing project, and several current students of IITD take part in it. Also, on a different note, it was from an alumnus of IITD that the project called SPICMACAY or the Society for the Appreciation of Classical Music, Arts and Culture Among Youth got initiated, which has now spread across the country, offering annual events. SPICMACAY has made students and the general public aware of and appreciate the musical heritage that we in India can be proud of.