Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar(IITGN) has launched project Isaac to engage its students in creative projects to enhance their critical skills while they are confined to their homes because of Coronavirus.
Indian Institute of Technology (IITGN), Gandhinagar was established in 2008. It is also the hub of prestigious academic and research institutes such as the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad and the National Institute of Design. IITGN goes many steps beyond the call and definition of a technology institute, it aims to create excellence in science, technology as well as the Humanities and Social Sciences and thereby create rounded and nuanced minds. The vision is to shape IIT Gandhinagar into an exciting place for learning, teaching, and research and to establish the process of learning that is free, fulfilling and enjoyable experience.
The project is inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, who was similarly sent home by Trinity College, Cambridge, because of the Great Plague of London in 1665. During this year, Newton, then a 22-year-old college student developed some of his most profound discoveries, including early calculus, as well as his theories of optics and gravity.
Project Isaac is a model for academic institutions worldwide to explore ways to engage students in the midst of the pandemic. As part of the project, four different competitions are being organized by IIT, Gandhinagar to cultivate new skills among students regarding writing, painting, coding, music, creative expression, and so on. Students can take part in competitions online. Nearly 40 percent of IITGN students are already participating in various activities, which are entirely voluntary.