IIT Bombay has made the decision to eliminate the option of branch change after the first year in order to alleviate stress among first-year students. The institute recognized that the pressure to achieve higher grades for a branch change was causing significant stress for many students. Furthermore, the institute will also be reducing the number of courses per semester in the first year to lessen the academic workload.During the 256th meeting of the Senate held on Friday, various proposals were discussed to address academic stress among first-year students, leading to the decision. IIT-Bombay, being a first-generation IIT, has taken the pioneering step among its peers in implementing this change. The decision comes in the wake of the unfortunate suicide of first-year student Darshan Solanki.Following the submission of an interim report by a panel investigating the suicide of Solanki, which indicated that his declining academic performance may have been a contributing factor, the institute established a dedicated committee in March. The committee was tasked with exploring ways to alleviate academic stress, particularly for first-year students.Image Soirce: https://tse4.mm.bing.net/The institute explained that the decision was influenced by the recognition that the pursuit of higher grades for the purpose of changing branches was placing undue stress on numerous students, while benefiting only a few. Consequently, the number of available seats in certain popular branches may be marginally increased during the admission process. Another significant measure taken by the Senate was to alleviate the academic burden on students by reducing the number of courses per semester in the first year. This adjustment will provide students who struggle with the academic workload with additional time to focus on their coursework, as stated in the institutes statement.Starting from the 2023 batch, the changes will be implemented, requiring students to carefully select their desired branch upon admission to IIT-Bombay. Under the new policy, once a student enrols in a specific branch, such as Mechanical Engineering, they will continue their studies in the same branch without the option to change based on their scores, as was previously allowed. This modification aims to provide clarity and stability in the students academic trajectory.Image source: https://tse3.mm.bing.net/thidTo determine the best approach to reduce academic pressure on first-year students, the institutes committee conducted a survey among current students. The findings from the survey were then presented to the Senate for final deliberation and approval. As part of the measures to alleviate the burden, the decision was made to reduce the number of courses per semester in the first year from five to four, in addition to completing required lab work.According to a senior official at IIT-Bombay, a significant number of students opt for a particular branch during admission with the intention of utilising the branch-change option at the end of the first year to switch to their desired branch. This practice has resulted in added pressure on students, as achieving a high score is essential to avail themselves of the branch-change facility.Prof Subhasis Chaudhury, the Director of IIT Bombay, emphasised the institutes commitment to ensuring a positive learning experience for all students, regardless of their academic performance. He mentioned that the initial onboarding process is being redesigned to accommodate students from diverse backgrounds and provide them with sufficient time to adapt to the academic requirements of the institute.Prior to IIT-Bombay, IIT-Jammu and IIT-Hyderabad had already discontinued the practice of branch change.
