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The Board of Studies (BOS) meeting for B.Voc with Pondicherry University

~ Durai

C3steamland Design has been running a residential 1 year “Masters” program for called Becoming and Being a Shifu (Master) program for a couple of years. This program supports those who have completed an undergraduate degree in any field learn skills, competencies and inner-capacities through a hands-on individual mentor driven program. This program is not officially certified by any university, but over the last couple of years has become extremely successful. Most of the students who graduated from the program joined us and continue to create this learning environment for others. It got us thinking why we should wait for youth to waste 3 or 4 yrs in undergrad where they don’t seem to have developed much. An opportunity presented itself to partner with AIAT Auroville Institute of Applied Technology) to start a recognized undergraduate course affiliated to the Pondicherry university. The exciting par tof the B.Voc Bachelor of Vocation programs was that we were allowed to design our own syllabus that was applied and holistic. From the C3STREAMland Designs we offered support for two possible courses in software development & machine learning, Applied electronics & chip design. We worked for almost 5 months to create a syllabus for these courses to meet the industrial needs and value of life. During syllabus creation, we also explored recent courses online that are application oriented and were excited with the syllabus which we felt met the real needs of the industry while keeping in mind broadening of character of the individual. In this blog we look at the board of studies that was put together to review the syllabus we came up with from different perspectives of computer science and engineering.

About B.Voc

Looking at the incredible advancement of science, the world continues to face an enormous crisis, especially the rural-urban divide and the disconnection of technological progress from human needs. Auroville is the city of the future and we are here to open the way of the future for youth who belong to the future. Our program and curriculum based on integral education address not only the skills needed by the youth but also the competencies to use these skills to create a life-enhancing culture and interrupt unhealthy social narratives (or ISMs such as casteism, sexism, consumerism, etc.) and develop inner capacity (responsibility, dignity, courage to create) already present in the youth. The B.Voc programs over the three years are targeted for these. The program has been developed by academia, recent neuroscience and leadership training, and industry leaders through research and application and includes recent online learning platforms.

Through this program, we aim to develop the synthesizing mind (ability to abstract, compare, and summarize), the respectful mind (respect and dignity for all), the ethical mind (developing systems and culture with care for people and the planet), and the creative mind (creativity that comes from care as distinguished from innovation which may be limited to something new).

(Software development and machine learning) held on 15.09.2022@ at 10.00 am in blended mode, at the seminar hall department of computer science, school of engineering and technology,

The Members of the Committee present are

  1. Dr S. SIVASATHYA, Chairman, Professor & Head, Department of Computer Science,

PU, Pondicherry

  1. Prof PUNAM BEDI, PROFESSOR, Department of Computer Science, University of Delhi.
  2. Dr S.NICKOLAS, Professor, Department of Computer Applications, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli
  3.  Dr P. ANANDHAKUMAR, Department of information technology, Madras Institute of Technology campus, Anna University, Chennai.
  4. Dr R SUBRAMANIAN, Professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry
  5. Dr T CHITHRALEKHA, Professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry
  6. Dr S.K.V, JAYAKUMAR, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry
  7. Mr R.P.SREENIVASAN, Assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry
  8. THE PRINCIPAL, Pondicherry University Community College, Lawspet
  9. THE HEAD, Department of Computer Science, PUCC, Lawspet
  10. Mr SUBRAMANIAN MEENAKSHISUNDARAM, Client Technical Leader, FSS India Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore. (Special Invitee)
  11. Dr K.S. KUPPUSAMY, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry. (Special Invitee)
  12. Dr V. UMA, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry. (Special Invitee)
  13. Dr S.L. JAYALAKSHMI, Assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, PU, Pondicherry. (Special Invitee)
  14. Shri. LAVKAMAD CHANDRA, Director, AIAT, Auroville. (Special Invitee)
  15. Dr SANJEEV RANGANATHAN, Principal AIAT, Founder C3STREAM LAND, Auroville(Special Invitee)
  16. Mr P. DURAISAMY, Staff C3STREAM LAND, Guest Faculty AIAT, Auroville. (Special Invitee)
  17. Mr S. SIVABALAN, Assistant Professor, AIAT, Auroville. (Special Invitee)
  • The Special Board of Studies Chairman welcomed the Members and the Special Invitees. The Chairman briefly introduced the members and their fields of specialization.
  • The Chairman appraised the members about the purpose and background of the Special BoS Meeting. It was elaborated that the Auroville Institute of Applied Technology (AIAT) is affiliated with Pondicherry University. The AIAT institution is located at Irumbai Main Road, (Opp. TN.E.B.), Vanur T.K., Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu P.O. – 605111. The AIAT intends to start the new Vocational Degree course, B.Voc. (Software Development and Machine learning) from the academic year 2022-23.
  • Then, Sanjeev Ranganathan, Special Invitee, the Principal of AIAT, gave a brief presentation on the Auroville Institute of Applied Technology (AIAT), and the infrastructures available in the Institute, along with the aims of starting the new course, “B. Voc. Software Development and Machine learning” from the academic year 2022-23.
  • Then, the main agenda of the BVSc. (Software Development and Machine learning) The syllabus was taken up for deliberations.
  • After detailed discussions, the following modifications/suggestions on the course syllabus and curriculum of the BVoc. The program was suggested by the members for the appropriate incorporation into the Syllabus.
  • Meeting ended with the concluding remarks from the Chairman.

System and cultural shifts

Theory – > Practical education system

Unskilled -> skilled learning

Regular Learning -> industrial learning

Unemployment -> employment and entrepreneurship

Reflection:

The professors really appreciated the spirit with which we had planned the program. What was expected to be a couple of hours of the presentation went on till the evening and even the HOD stayed till the evening to ensure all the questions were captured so it had a unanimous approval and was successful. Experts from different sub-fields emphasized their areas, but could all agree that they wanted the program to be most beneficial for students. It also helped us broaden our horizon so the students were not only oriented towards what we know well, but broadly for industry.