Objective of the course

Each course has certain course objectives. The main objective of this course is to explore human values. In this course students will be exposed to paradoxes of happiness, and dilemmas of transcendence and social transformation. The course is interdisciplinary and draws from psychology, sociology, economic thoughts and political ideas. At the end, students will be able to develop a practical philosophy of social transformation, which aims at creating a just order in which all are happy. If continuous happiness is the human aspiration then there should also be a human program to fulfill basic human aspirations. To implement this program in practice we need harmony in the self, harmony with the body, harmony in family, harmony in society, harmony in nature, and harmony in existence. Students will be expected to explore vision for holistic technology, production systems and management models. The course also aims to question received notions of dichotomies of the Oriental and the Occidental, traditional and modern, and personal and social, and develop an integrated approach to value education based on natural acceptance of all, mutual fulfillment and co-existence.

The course goes beyond addressing the importance of and need for ideals (icons) which should be set before the youth, specifically the professionally talented ones, who dream of having a good career for themselves and of making India the global leader. The course aims to provide perspectives on choices. It sensitizes them to short term and long term consequences of their decisions for themselves and for the larger society. After completing this course a student must be wiser not only to choose his/her career in a technical field but also to adopt a line of action for nation building.