Be it academic problems or the problem of settling down in a new environment; language barrier or feeling of homesickness; career guidance and counseling, IIT-Bombay’s “student companion programme” will take care of it all. This student-oriented guidance initiative has been specifically designed to cater to the needs of post-graduate (Masters and doctoral) students.
“It will give students a platform to get help in formal as well as informal ways, and will simultaneously target overall development of students. Besides mentorship, seniors will monitor the performance of academically weaker juniors and explore all options to bring them to the next higher level,” VSK Murthy Balijepalli, general secretary of academic affairs, post-graduate programmes, IIT-Bombay, said.
The companion programme will be monitored by the office of the dean of academic programmes. “Students coming from varied backgrounds are exposed to a new and rigorous system. Additionally, all PG students have to undertake compulsory teaching assistantship duties. Hence, adjusting is not always easy. It makes the first six months very critical. So, if PG students have a companion to interact with and discuss their problems on a one-on-one-basis, it will be of immense help,” professor S Biswas, dean of academic programmes, said.
The aim of the programme is to detect problems and solve them at an early stage. A student companion, who has been a part of the IIT system for some time, can help new PG students with focused academic inputs. It could be helping with an academic backlog, or showing ways to settle down and get the best out of the IIT system.
“For instance, choosing the right courses is crucial. A student companion can guide the students and help them select courses based on their strength,” said Biswas.
There is also an online discussion forum where students can post their queries. “It will not only help the new students, but also the senior students, and will ultimately improve the research output of the institute due to the formation of inter-disciplinary research groups,” Balijepalli said.
