IIT-M to introduce 'life skills course'

IIT, Madras (IIT-M) today announced a series of student-related initiatives including helping them "process" failure and make them aware of sensitive issues such as gender and sexuality.
"Life Skills Course" will be an "experiential" curriculum that seeks to engage the fresh batch of 900-odd students in a variety of activity-based learning that will carry two credits of 15 hours each, totalling 30 hours.
The one-semester course is part of the premier technical institute's efforts to reach out to students who start preparing for an entry into this prestigious institute from Class nine onwards, LS Ganesh, Dean (Students), said.
He told reporters here that carefully selected experts, both from IIT and outside including alumni, will engage the students on a range of issues such as failure and a new-found independence. Suicide prevention will also be a part of the course.

With many IIT aspirants having never faced failure, such efforts will help the teachers enable the students "process" failure, he said.
Programmes and activities related to gender diversity, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and workplace issues are also in the offing through lectures, films and panel discussions. Such efforts were aimed at making students aware of and be sensitive to such issues, he added.