IISERs seeks flexibility in offering science education

 A meeting of directors of five Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) in the presence of Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has thrown out some good decisions along with a few demands. They have decided to provide a kind of cohesive science education right from school to the university level. For this purpose these institutes will establish Science Magnet Schools on their campuses under the Navodaya Vidyaya Scheme. 

The meeting also decided to continue with the present system of admission. In the present scenario the parameter of making it to the institute is a combination of 1% of the toppers of central or state boards, Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojna and IIT-JEE. Now onwards, they can also accept International Baccalaureate School Diploma for admission to the five-year combined MS programme. 
 
The ways of awarding Ph. D also came up for discussion in the meeting. In the current system of 3+2+3 years one can complete Ph. D after eight years only. Before that combined BS-MS degree at the end of fifth year and allows discussion for Ph. D at the end of fourth year only. This system also permits some exceptions to the prescribed rules in a way that those showing exceptional talent can complete their degree early.  
 
At the same time there was no in principle disagreement to a new proposition of a fresh 4+1+1.5-year system for awarding combined BS and Ph.D. But, the institutes asked for some kind of flexibility in this matter.
 
The meeting ended with a new demand regarding government’s wishes of bringing IISERs under the bigger umbrella of National Institute of Technology Act. Instead, the institutes requested for a new act of Parliament to govern them.