The Soap-box for Department Legislators 2024-25 was held on 27th February, 2024 in HSB 335. Atharv, the current Branch Councillor, welcomed the students and the candidates – Behjad Yasar (HS22) and Yaswanth Devarakonda (HS21). A copy of both their manifestos and feasibility reports can be found here.
Behjad first explained his manifesto and initiatives followed by Yaswanth.
This was followed by a two hour long session of questions. (And answers. Sometimes.) The delay in publishing the report owes to the writer still trying to find a way out of the question(-answer) session.
Cross-questioning
Yaswanth to Behjad:
Q: You have mentioned introducing zero credit course? What exactly does it mean? And how would you go about introducing the same because it needs a lot of administrative work?
A: It is going to be a pass/fail course. There is a need for the course in the department because a lot of students face difficulties with academic writing/reading, so we would conduct a couple of sessions on this. The current HoD is very enthusiastic about this initiative and we will try to push for the same in the Senate. We can incentivise it, like life skills, with attendance. It will be a very structured course.
Q: Availability of IDDD Minor in Public Policy is already in the process and so is double minor, which was also the current BC’s manifesto. So why have you included it in your manifesto?
A: It is basically an extension of the current BC’s initiatives and I will just try my best to push it.
Q: But it is already in the final stages and we can’t take IDDD for 5-year programme, so how are you going to make it happen?
A: I basically intend to extend support to the current BC’s initiatives.
Behjad to Yaswanth:
Q: What is the incentive to combine the Integrated MA (IMA) and MA Placement Cells? 2-Year MA students will have a very different skill-set and if IMA dataset is shared with them, the number of companies will remain more or less the same, so what is the benefit for IMA students?
A: From the next sem, there will be a lack of manpower for Placement Cell, so by giving access to IMA data, we are basically trying to do more collaborative work. It’s not that IMA Placement Cell will give access to the entire data but more that both the teams will try to work together, since there is going to be less manpower.
Q: We can somehow deal with the lack of manpower – I know that because I am currently in the Placement Team. But how would we negotiate with the competition from MA students with specialised skill-set?
A: I have some other initiatives for that like Interview Club, etc. There are many enthu students from the new MA Batch who are willing to help us improve our academic and placement stuff as well. So, basically, we use their ideas as a collective to increase placements.
Q: You have mentioned finding an alternative for MAP. But the current BC has already started working on that and spoken with the HoD. So, what is the point of this initiative?
A: The current BC hadn’t mentioned that he has already started working on it. But the issue here is that there are too many students and too few profs. If it is made optional, then it might help the students who are more job-oriented.
Questions from the BC (Atharv)
Atharv: Yaswanth, what is the feasibility for making MAPs optional?
Yaswanth: I have spoken with the HoD who has said that he will also work on this. I have also spoken with the profs who are a part of the DCC. And I have taken feasibility from the current and aspiring AAS and RAS for BoS and Senate.
Atharv: This particular option is not feasible because there can’t be any change in the existing curriculum of IMA students. MAP for 2020/21 cannot be made optional. Alternatives can be discussed in GBM. I am trying to make a list of all profs across IITM who can take HS students, and also trying to contact some universities with whom we can sign an MoU about this.
Yaswanth: DCC Profs have said that the initiative can be brought on. I will work on the alternatives if that doesn’t happen.
Atharv: Behjad, you know that there is a centralised system in insti to subscribe to journals and books because of which the department cannot disperse money to buy more books. They why have you included that in your manifesto?
Behjad: I had spoken with the HoD about this and he had sounded positive about it. We can also collect books from different sources through NGOs, Profs, etc
Atharv: Yaswanth, you want to introduce physical newspapers in the library. What is the feasibility for this? Besides, we already have a PressReader subscription, which is Central Library’s initiative, and no one reads the physical newspapers which are already there right now.
Yaswanth: How many people actually use PressReader? Also, as far as I know, physical newspapers are not available in the department library. If some newspapers are there in the library, people might at least be able to take a look at it when they’re free. It will also be useful for people preparing for UPSC. I have taken feasibility for this from the Dep Sec.
Atharv: I find it difficult to understand that people might have time to read physical newspapers and not online ones. But moving on, as you know, the Placement Team has problems with manpower. But you also want to conduct practice interviews which can only be taken up by the Placement Team, so will it not increase their work to have to handle Interview Club as well?
Yaswanth: No, it won’t be handled by the Placement Team but by a new club under the Department Council. This can be taken up by 4th/5th year (IMA) students, MA students and PhD scholars.
Atharv: Can 4th/5th year students be effective guides when they themselves are preparing for the interviews?
Yaswanth: Some people might be better at this than the others and would help them out. If 4th year students sit in these sessions, they will be prepared in turn. MA students can also help out because they also might be good with this.
This was followed by Atharv asking both the candidates some technical questions on IITM Student Governance.
Atharv: Behjad, you have mentioned making some changes to CCASH. So, this is not something that can be done by students because it comes under POCSO.
Questions by Department Council
Appu (DepSec): Behjad, you want Department Teams to be streamlined as verticals, so what is the difference in this as compared to the system we have in the Department Charter?
Behjad: Right now, there is the Department Council and there are multiple teams under that. There is a lot of anonymity, lack of coordination etc. So, if we streamline it and bring it under one umbrella, they would have their own autonomy but there will also be a collaborative drive where all the teams put in their inputs and know what the other team heads are doing. For instance, there was a clash between the Film Festival and ART’s session, so this is something that shouldn’t happen and all the dept teams should do everyone’s PR.
Appu: You also want to develop a seating area near Madhava Hall. HoD has already said that you cannot make new plug points there and also there have been complaints from people from Physics Lab. So, how exactly do you plan to go about this?
Behjad: So, HoD was interested in this and the idea is to give away the scrap tables/chairs to Vana Vani school and to put some tables and chairs in that area. I don’t intend of putting any fans or electrical plug points.
Nidan (Placement Core): To be honest, I don’t think any of you has any clear idea of how the process of placement works and how it would be affected and what the Placement Team does or doesn’t do. But okay. Yaswanth, you want to combine the IMA and MA Placement Teams. Can you clarify? What would that mean for the next Placement Team’s work? And what is the feasibility?
Yaswanth: My idea is that both the teams combine their work and work more collaboratively to advance their own Placement Cells. The teams will be separate but they will work together. I got the feasibility from AAS.
Nidan: MA students will have far more people sitting for placements, so why would they want to do more work for IMA students?
Yaswanth: MA is a new team which would benefit from the experience of the IMA Team. With the new MA Batch coming in next year, more students will apply for the Placement Team and the strength will increase in coming years.
Nidan: They need experience, yes, but it can only happen to a certain extent because they don’t work in isolation. A significant part of the experience gap will be filled by other teams from other departments. And IMA students have a very different process for placements so there is a very small avenue where we can help the MA Placement Team. Apart from this, CDC is a team which, in collaboration with the Placement Cell, also does interview sessions and such with the alumni. So, do you really need a separate Interview Cell?
Yaswanth: Thanks for mentioning that. I can ask for collab with CDC as well. But I think the Interview Club needs to be there as a part of the Department.
Nidan: Behjad, you want to organise more panel discussions. So, which team exactly is going to be organising this? Where will you get the money/budget for this?
Behjad: It will be organised by the Dept Council. Budget will come from the HoD who has already given feasibility for this.
Nidan: Dept Council as in? And is there enough manpower for this?
Behjad: As in the entire Dept Council – it will be collaborative work with BCs from other departments. I don’t have entire feasibility yet but the HoD is enthusiastic about this.
Garima (Article 19 Head): Yaswanth, my question is regarding the minor basket list. Some of the previous BCs have also tried to do this but this is something that takes a long time so how do you plan to actually do this?
Yaswanth: I have taken feasibility for this from HoD.
Garima: Behjad, you have mentioned bringing in more books in the library. But how do you plan to ensure that they are maintained well?
Behjad: I plan to do this through getting student volunteers to do this.
Yaswanth: So, this can also be done through the final year MA people because they have HTTA stipends as a part of which they can take up this work as well.
Garima: So, my question is again to Behjad, regarding your CCASH manifesto point. Had you consulted with anyone – seniors – when including this point in your manifesto?
Behjad: No, I hadn’t. I had included it because of a CCASH session in my first year which had been treated insensitively.
Punnya (Conference Head): My question is for Yaswanth. There was no budget passed for conference by Senate this year, so how are you making your idea for a better conference practical?
Yaswanth: Pre-Covid, the funds came from the Institute. We can also get help from the HoD to increase the funds. If this is not sufficient, we can reach out to alumni.
Questions from ex-Heads
Keziah (ex-BC): Global Engagement Council has already released a Semester exchange Bluebook. Semester Exchange Guide for the department also already exists. So why do you both want to create a new one again instead of updating the current one?
Yaswanth: I wasn’t aware of the Bluebook. My initiative is to map out the students who had already gone for sem-ex.
Behjad: I’m not sure if the current Bluebook contains the details on the seniors who had gone for sem-ex. And also, I want to make a bluebook with the courses which have previously been mapped on sem-ex.
Keziah: Yaswanth, your manifesto mentions that you want to start a Music and Dance Club in the department. But how does this come under your purview? This is completely under the Department Secretary’s purview. So how did you include this in your manifesto as BC?
Yaswanth: I was just planning to bring more inclusivity among the students.
Keziah: Behjad, you have mentioned a deep-cleaning initiative. How do you plan to implement this?
Behjad: So, right now, there is one cleaning staff who only cleans the blackboard after the classes. But the classrooms are pretty dusty and dirty. The library, as well. So we need to hire more cleaning staff for this. This has been approved by Prof. Rajesh as well.
Kishan (ex-Dep Sec): So, soap-box is the place to show the other students of the Dept why you are eligible candidates for this post. You need to support your manifesto through the feasibility report. But both your feasibility reports are sub-par. But okay, coming to the question – what is your feasibility for the alumni meet-up events? Because the HoD can’t give feasibility for this.
Yaswanth: I am planning for this as a virtual meet event.
Behjad: I have taken feasibility from the IAR Team.
Neeraj (ex-Conf Head): Yaswanth, you have mentioned something about the revival of the Conference Team. Why is this your manifesto point when it should be the Conference Secretary’s?
Yaswanth: I just want to give my support to the Conference Team. And I don’t want to stick to just academic responsibilities.
Neeraj: Why is there no mention of collaborating with the Conference Secretary, then?
Yaswanth: I’m sorry about that, but I got the feasibility from the current Heads.
Questions from DSB
Ritika (HS21): How many types of Legislative Committees are there and what is the difference between them? What does the Legislator do in SLC?
Behjad: Standing committee, Ad-hoc committee. Not really sure about the difference.
Yaswanth: Standing committees work on specific issues dealing with SLC throughout the year. Ad-hoc committees deal with a particular issue.
Behjad: Legislators attend all the SLC meetings, represent our electorate, be a part of standing committees, be a part of online/offline discussions, and so on.
Ritika: They also prepare mid-term reports, town hall reports and so on.
Aditya Mukherjee (HS19): My question is about MAP. Isn’t it the responsibility of the department to make sure all the students can do MAPs even if all the forty students decide to take it up?
Yaswanth: We can ask HoD to bring new Profs but I don’t know the feasibility for that because it is the HoD’s prerogative. I’m not sure how much effort can be put into this.
Aditya: Hiring new faculty is not feasible, obviously! My point is that the choice to do MAP with familiar profs should not be taken away. And if people can’t do MAPs with profs they’ve already worked with in area of their interest, then it is only fair that they get to do alternate courses instead.*
Sapan (HS21): Behjad, we need more working spaces. So, what kind of working spaces do we currently have and what are the amenities available in these spaces?
Behjad: Currently there are spaces like RSL, etc. But I will push for an SLC proposal to make more spaces by constructing new areas and so on.
Samhita (HS21): Yaswanth, what exactly do you mean by “re-structuring” ART? There have been attempts to do this before which haven’t led to fruitful results.
Yaswanth: So, I am planning to bring in more manpower. I will be collaborating with ART Head on this – the current head has given me the required feasibility.
Samhita: I know that. I’m asking how?
Yaswanth: I will try to increase manpower and try to bring in past alumni database.
Lakshmi P (HS19): Behjad, your idea about alumni meet-up seems pretty vague. How well do you know about the chapter meets and reunion that happens every year?
Behjad: Reunion happens in the campus every year. I’m not sure about chapter meets.
Lakshmi: Chapter meets are organised in every city and it is very difficult to get alumni to come. So, how are you planning to incentivise this?
Behjad: I was thinking of reaching out to the alumni in sports team and directly ask them. People can meet their profs, new students and so on. There can be informal sessions and also talks, etc.
Prarthana (HS22): Yaswanth, my question is about alumni databases. There’s already one in the Placement Team. You also mentioned sessions to help students in research but there’s already a course for that so how is your point any different?
Yaswanth: It is about practical knowledge for students who want it. The idea behind conducting these sessions is to get to know about practical stuff like how to get fellowships and so on.
Nidan (Placement Core): The alumni database that Prarthana is referring to is actually supposed to be in the public domain.
Partha (HS22): Yaswanth, my question is about mental health. What role is MITR going to play? You want a collab with MITR, but they have been having issues recently and MITR has been restructured to it’s a new body which would lack experience regarding this?
Yaswanth: MITR and Wellness Centre are both highly active clubs. MITR has collaborated with other departments in the past, so I’m thinking of something like that.
Atharv (BC): If a student faces a grave issue like not having registered the course, what would you suggest?
Behjad: I would ask them to meet the Dept Office.
Yaswanth: I would ask them to meet with the person allotted for this to HS Dept at the Admin Block.
Atharv: How can a student convert their credits from sem-ex into their grade sheet?
Yaswanth: On Workflow.
Saketh (HS19): Behjad, you mentioned collaborating with DoMS. What are the problems with this? Why haven’t we done this already?
Behjad: My idea is to collaborate with the departments in terms of students as well as professors.
Saketh: But there is a specific issue with DoMS. Also, profs can decide to invite other profs for guest lectures and such.
Ritika (HS21): Yaswanth, you want to bring in the double minor. So, how would you widen the list of electives? Which minors are you thinking of?
Yaswanth: I plan to bring in new courses to make up for MAP if it becomes optional. Also, I will ask Prof. Rajesh to bring in more electives in linguistics.
The soap-box was wrapped up (finally, thankfully, after a very long two hours) at this point.
The election was conducted on 12th March, as scheduled. But in a historic result, the post of Department Legislator of HSS saw a tie of votes. (How very HS of us :P)
The post of Branch Counsellor or Department Legislator (Academics) remains vacant as of now. There is no precedent or provision for such a situation in the SEC Election Manual 2024. But the SEC Commissioner has indicated that as per Annexure IV of the Election Manual 2024, the position is considered vacant and the nomination process by the HoD shall be initiated as per the upcoming SEC Guidelines.
*The report has been edited to update and better represent the statement made by Aditya Mukherjee.
Photographs by Aravind M
Report by Garima Sane
Article 19 