The recent controversy at IIT Bombay over a workshop on “South Asian Capitalism(s)” has reignited debates on the presence of humanities and liberal arts in India’s premier technology institutes. A flyer for the workshop, featuring cartoons of political leaders and the armed forces, sparked criticism from some quarters, with allegations that humanities are being used by “Left-liberal” groups to influence IITs. Critics have argued that such courses compromise the “brand IIT,” while supporters claim they are essential for producing well-rounded graduates.
The IIT Bombay Workshop Controversy
The controversy erupted when a cartoon depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath under the caption “We Fool You,” while Indian security forces were captioned “We Shoot You.” Though IIT Bombay quickly distanced itself from the event and cut ties with the faculty involved, the debate has grown.
This incident follows similar controversies at other IITs. In 2023, IIT Delhi saw debates after a professor discussed the idea of an India “without caste oppression and Hinduism.” Previous years have also seen protests over the CAA at IIT Bombay, recitations of Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s poems at IIT Kanpur, and clashes at IIT Madras over student study circles. Critics argue these incidents demonstrate that IITs are becoming arenas for ideological battles rather than strictly technical education.
Humanities at IITs: Origins and Global Context
Humanities and arts departments in IITs are not new. They began in the 1960s as “service” units, offering electives in English, economics, and ethics to engineering students. The goal was to produce engineers who could navigate societal impacts of technology, communicate effectively, and make ethical decisions.
Globally, top tech universities have long embraced interdisciplinary education:
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MIT offers degrees in history, anthropology, linguistics, media arts, and philosophy.
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Stanford University has 27 departments under its School of Humanities and Sciences, offering programs in languages, literature, art, history, music, and philosophy.
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ETH Zurich and Tsinghua University provide full-time graduate programs in public policy, arts, philosophy, sociology, and more.
These models highlight the importance of blending technical knowledge with social, ethical, and cultural understanding.
Indian Tech Institutes: From Electives to Degrees
In India, humanities gained prominence in the late 2000s. IIT Madras introduced a five-year integrated MA in Development Studies in 2006. Today, IITs like Delhi, Bombay, Kanpur, Gandhinagar, and Hyderabad offer MAs and MScs in fields such as cognitive science, society and culture, and digital humanities. IIT Mandi, for instance, receives over 400 applications for 20 seats in its MA program.
IIMs have also followed suit: IIM Kozhikode launched an MBA in Liberal Studies and Management, while IIM Bangalore introduced a four-year undergraduate program integrating liberal arts.
The rationale is clear: blending humanities with technical education produces leaders capable of approaching complex problems from multiple perspectives, combining business, technology, and ethical reasoning.
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Government Policies Supporting Interdisciplinary Education
Several government policies have encouraged the inclusion of humanities in technical institutes:
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The Yash Pal Committee Report (2009) recommended integrating humanities, social sciences, and aesthetics into IIT and IIM curricula to foster holistic education.
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The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) emphasized multidisciplinary education to prepare India as a “global knowledge superpower.”
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Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has noted that these changes help expand educational opportunities and remove barriers for students.
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Leaders like Amitabh Kant (NITI Aayog, 2018) highlighted that incorporating arts and humanities would enhance innovation, creativity, and research in classical arts and architecture.
Criticism and Concerns
Despite the intentions, critics argue that humanities in IITs have shifted from complementary education to ideological arenas. They claim that certain departments are dominated by left-leaning faculty, which could influence students’ perspectives beyond academic learning.
Columnist Harshil Mehta stated that these departments attract “intellectually compromised activists” and fund labs without scrutiny, while Deepan Shanmugasundaram argued that unless government oversight intervenes, STEM innovation could suffer.
Some critics believe taxpayer money is being diverted away from core technical education toward programs that foster activism rather than academic growth.
Defense of Humanities in IITs
Supporters argue that humanities are vital for holistic development. Alumni and professionals note that understanding society, ethics, culture, and communication skills is essential for engineers and managers working in a complex world.
SK Kumar, an EPC executive, emphasized that humanities provide “a well-rounded understanding of the social milieu in which graduates work.” He cautioned, however, that curricula must avoid advancing particular ideological agendas and must align with IITs’ democratic and meritocratic values.
Balancing Ideology and Education
The challenge for IITs and IIMs is clear: retain the benefits of humanities while avoiding ideological bias. Universities should be spaces for critical thinking, empathy, and innovation, not breeding grounds for any political agenda. Studies suggest that integrating humanities with technical education enhances creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Decoupling humanities entirely would risk producing engineers who excel technically but lack ethical judgment, social awareness, or communication skills. Conversely, unchecked ideological influence could compromise the institutes’ reputation and technical focus.
A balanced approach involves:
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Maintaining academic rigor in humanities programs.
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Ensuring ideological diversity among faculty and content.
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Monitoring funding and curriculum design to prevent misuse.
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Encouraging interdisciplinary thinking that complements technical studies.
Conclusion
The controversy at IIT Bombay underscores the delicate balance between technology and liberal arts in India’s premier institutes. While critics decry potential ideological bias, humanities and liberal arts remain essential for developing ethical, socially aware, and innovative leaders.
IITs and IIMs must continue to integrate humanities without losing their technological edge, ensuring graduates are not only skilled engineers and managers but also thoughtful citizens capable of addressing societal challenges.
The solution is not decoupling humanities but creating holistic programs that foster innovation, ethical reasoning, and interdisciplinary thinking. The ongoing debate serves as a reminder that education must evolve to produce leaders who can navigate both the technical and social complexities of a rapidly changing world.
