IIT Mandi sparks controversy with 'reincarnation' & 'out-of-body experience' as compulsory subjects for BTech students

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are renowned as India's top engineering and technology schools. Recently, IIT Mandi has stirred controversy by making subjects like reincarnation and out-of-body experiences compulsory for BTech students, sparking a debate on social media on the purpose behind the same.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi has introduced a new mandatory course for its first-year engineering students called "Introduction to Consciousness and Wellbeing."?

Offered by the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) department, the course covers topics such as subtle body, reincarnation, and near-death and out-of-body experiences.

The Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) department under the Ministry of Education, established in October 2020, aims to promote traditional Indian knowledge.?

Credit: iksindia.org | Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Home page

The IIT Mandi course includes studying theories of consciousness, the impact of Indian art and dance on the mind, and meditation practices. It also explores Western and Ayurvedic views on physical body anatomy, the gut-mind connection, and more.

In addition to this course, IIT Mandi has made weekly Bhagavad Gita recitals and yoga classes compulsory, sparking some criticism over the perceived imposition of religious practices on students.

How did social media react?

A Reddit thread on the course saw people sharing their views.

Chin tapak dum dum
byu/Teesri_Aadalat inBtechtards

One user asked, "Course material ke liya ganga provide karege kya?" ("Will Ganga be provided for the course material?")

Another expressed concern, stating, "IITs are losing their prestige."

Yet others expressed frustration:

Credit: X

A source from IIT Mandi criticised the course for including pseudoscientific topics like chanting Beej mantras and distance healing, saying it mixes these with real diseases such as OCD and thyroid issues.

"From the syllabus it appears that they talk about applying these pseudoscientific treatments to actual diseases," a source quoted by Careers360 mentions.

Despite the criticism, IIT Mandi insists that its approach to Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) is rooted in scientific research.?

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