IIT-Kanpur is the first IIT institute to have begun Economic Sciences department. Students clearing JEE (Advanced) 2017 and willing to pursue Bachelor of Science (BS – Economic Sciences) program would be given admission in it.
Director of IIT-Kanpur, Prof. Indranil Manna said that, after the beginning of Earth Sciences Department in the previous academic session, this year it has begun Department of Economic Sciences. “Economics was taught as a subject in IIT-Kanpur at the undergraduate level as per the needs of Humanities and Social Sciences department. From 2005, a unique five year integrated M.Sc. programme was launched and students were selected to through JEE Advanced. In 2011, this programme was shaped into a four year BS and five year BS-MS dual degree programme in Economics”.
This was the driving force to go for a new department on the existing programme (course) which is a result of one and a half years of strenuous thinking and consultations. National Advisory Board with experts from IIM-Indore, TIFR, a professor of Stanford university and others highly recommended for the formation of this department and the senate of IIT-Kanpur approved it.
IIT-KANPUR TAKES THE LEAD IN THIS REGARD
After the formal approval of the Board of Governors, the department has become formally operational from May 6, 2017, Director mentioned further.
A department had been dedicated for the Economics course because this undergraduate programme in Economics had become very popular with more and more higher ranking JEE students opting for it and earning for themselves excellent placements. At present this department will run in the premises of the Department of Humanities with there being no separate building for it.
As the Department of Economic Sciences has become functional, more faculty would be needed to fill the gap. This department will have 13 faculty members and it will continue to run four year BS and five year BS-MS dual degree programme in Economics along with PHD programme as mentioned by its Head-Prof Joydeep Dutta. There are plans to introduce two year interdisciplinary Masters programme in Economic Sciences, a first of its kind in the country.
