IIT-Bombay likely to start BSc in Economics from this year

While the idea was proposed back in 2015, lack of appropriate number of faculty was the reason behind this delay and officials at IIT-B are now hopeful of that the faculty strength will be appropriate by the time the admissions start.

The first batch of the four-year course Bachelor’s of Science in Economics at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) is likely to begin from 2017. While the idea was proposed back in 2015, lack of appropriate number of faculty was the reason behind this delay and officials at IIT-B are now hopeful of that the faculty strength will be appropriate by the time the admissions start.

IIT-B, however, will not be the first to run an undergraduate course in economics as IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur already run a similar programme. (HT file photo)

“This course is our priority at present but we need approvals from a series of committees so it’s taking some time. We’ve decided to give first preference to this proposal in the upcoming meetings,” said Prof Narayan Rangaraj, dean, academic programmes, IIT-B.

According to the proposal made by the Humanities and Social Science (HSS) department, around 20-30 students would be taken in the batch and its first year curriculum would be the same as other engineering students. And while most other proposals have come through, it is yet to be passed by the Undergraduate Program Committee and the senate, said sources.

IIT-B, however, will not be the first to run an undergraduate course in economics as IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur already run a similar programme. The plan is to admit students on the basis of Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) scores of interested applicants. “An economics programme from IITs is in high demand, especially during placements. Both IITs in Kanpur and Kharagpur have been running this course successfully for the past few years and the demand keeps growing,” said a professor from IIT-B.