IIT-Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera asserts that AI is not advanced enough to educate students or replace core engineering disciplines. He emphasizes that the curriculum in engineering colleges need not undergo a revamp due to the advent of AI, as new technologies lack the capability for research.
Behera expresses skepticism about AI’s current ability to educate students on scientific concepts and possibilities, citing our incomplete understanding of cognitive processes. He questions how a system can be created when our understanding of cognitive processes is limited, pointing out the complexity of why individuals comprehend math differently.
In an interview, Behera notes the limitations of innovations like ChatGPT, describing it as “as foolish as possible” and highlighting its lack of true understanding, merely gathering information from data.
Addressing the ongoing debate on reimagining education in the AI era, Behera states that AI systems are not inherently cognitive; instead, they rely on extensive architecture and databases. He argues against a complete curriculum overhaul, asserting that core engineering disciplines cannot be replaced by AI, which he considers a hype with an inevitable end.
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Discussing IIT Mandi’s expansion plans, Behera outlines a vision to increase faculty strength to over 300 and student strength to over 5,000 in the next five years. The institute plans to construct infrastructure, including hostels for economically weaker sections, new hostel blocks, an academic block, and a lecture hall complex, with financial support from the Ministry of Education through a HEFA loan.
Behera highlights recent initiatives, including the introduction of new BTech and BS programs and joint degree programs with other national institutes, showcasing IIT-Mandi’s commitment to academic growth and excellence.
