Chennai: IIT Madras has partnered with movie powerhouse Eros Universe to produce a documentary that brings to the screen the personal journeys, aspirations and achievements of students enrolled in its online BS degree programmes.Directed and edited by programme alumnus Shashwat Mookherjee, ‘Portrait of Many Faces’ features 17 students from diverse social, economic and geographical backgrounds, offering an intimate perspective on how access to quality higher education can expand opportunities and shape individual futures.“By bringing together individual experiences from across the country, the documentary offers a human perspective on the transformative potential of higher education,” IIT Madras director V Kamakoti said after the documentary’s screening at the campus.“More than 25% of students enrolled in these programmes are from below-poverty-line families. They could not have entered the IIT system through the conventional route. This programme has become a gateway for them to access quality education,” he added.IIT Madras’s BS in Data Science and Applications is one of the largest non-campus, online degree programmes, with over 50,000 active students.Professor Vignesh Muthuvijayan, faculty coordinator, IIT Madras BS Degree, said, “The documentary was filmed across India and takes viewers into the homes and personal spaces of students. It captures the circumstances in which they pursue their education.”Its flexible, multi-level structure enables learners from varied educational, geographical and professional backgrounds to pursue higher education alongside other commitments. Students can progress through prescribed academic requirements towards certificates, diplomas and degree qualifications, offering multiple pathways for learning and advancement.
