Basic Science and Humanities

"Anharmonicity 3.0 - The Battle of Unconventional Minds" was a vibrant celebration of creativity, innovation, and critical thinking organized by the department and executed by first-year B.Tech. students under faculty mentorship. Open to all MCKVIE students, the event promoted teamwork, strategic thinking, and creative expression through five engaging competitions: Mock IPL Auction, Photography, Extempore (Speakstorm), Drama (Antardwani), and Technical Cartoon Drawing. The Mock IPL Auction tested analytical and decision-making skills, while the Photography segment highlighted creativity through impactful visual storytelling. Speakstorm encouraged spontaneous thinking and confident expression on diverse topics. Antardwani showcased students' ability to create and perform compelling scripts within a limited time using given props and themes. The Technical Cartoon Drawing competition blended humor with intellect, presenting imaginative reflections on technology and science. Overall, Anharmonicity 3.0 successfully provided a dynamic platform for students to explore unconventional ideas and celebrate innovation and expression.

The Department of Basic Science and Humanities, in collaboration with the Mathematics Club and IIC, organized a day-long celebration of International π-Day on 16 March 2026 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., as 14 March was a holiday. Coordinated by Dr. Supriya Das and Dr. Arindam Ghosh, the event began with an inaugural address by Prof. (Dr.) Prasenjit Chatterjee, Dean (Research & Consultancy). The keynote lecture by Mr. Milan Chakrabortty on "The Hidden Patterns of Numbers: Exploring Mathematical Wonders" highlighted fascinating topics such as π, Fibonacci numbers, the golden ratio, and their connections with nature, science, and technology. A PowerPoint presentation competition titled "From Curiosity to Creation - Powered by Mathematics" followed, featuring 20 teams comprising 60 first- and second-year B.Tech. students. Participants presented applications of mathematics in areas like Artificial Intelligence, Cryptography, GPS, FFT, Chaos Theory, and Traffic Flow Modelling. Winners and runners-up were awarded medals, and the event concluded with a vote of thanks and feedback collection.

Event Description: The Basic Science and Humanities Department successfully concluded the third phase of its flagship programme "Nurturing Innovation" through the Students' Idea Contest held on 18th and 19th August 2025, marking the culmination of a journey that began in the first semester and continued through the second-third to nurture creativity, innovation and problem-solving among students. More than 130 ideas were initially submitted, out of which 54 were shortlisted and 29 were finally presented after a rigorous evaluation. The final presentations showcased a wide spectrum of projects across healthcare, safety, mobility, energy, agriculture, and community development - highlighting solutions like a mother & child immunization tracker, Vitamend for medicine sharing, women's safety-enabled power-bank, Auto-Sensor Railway Crossing Gates, i-CropWat for automated irrigation, PriceXact to link farmers with consumers, and community-focused platforms like SkillSwap and Mechanifinder. Collectively, these initiatives reflected originality, practical problem-solving and societal relevance while giving students valuable experience in presenting and refining their ideas.

The Department of Basic Science and Humanities, in collaboration with IIC MCKVIE, successfully hosted a dynamic and intellectually stimulating program titled "Anharmonicity - The Battle of Unconventional Minds" on 24th April 2025. Conceptualized and led by the department and enthusiastically executed by first-year BTech students under faculty mentorship, the event served as a platform to foster strategic thinking, teamwork, and creative expression. Open to all MCKVIE students, Anharmonicity featured a wide array of activities, including Photography, Mock IPL Auction, Battle of Brain, and Technical Cartoon Drawing Contest.

With active participation from students across all streams, the event radiated an energetic blend of excitement, creativity and healthy competition. A standout feature was the students' conscious initiative to maintain an eco-friendly approach - decorating classrooms entirely with chalk artwork on blackboards, thus eliminating the use of printed materials and flex banners. The program commenced with a symbolic plant watering ceremony, reinforcing themes of sustainability and growth, and concluded with the distribution of prizes and certificates, celebrating the dedication and achievements of the participants.

"Anharmonicity" stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit and imaginative potential of the MCKVIE student community - honoring unconventional thinking through engaging and thoughtful challenges.

The Basic Science and Humanities Department of MCKVIE celebrated International π-Day with an insightful online lecture by Mr. Milan Chakrabortty on 14th March 2025, titled "The Hidden Patterns of Numbers: Exploring Mathematical Wonders". His brilliant presentation, enriched with illustrative examples, offered a fascinating perspective on the beauty of mathematics beyond the classroom. On 17th March 2025, a student contest on "Mathematics for Industry" featured presentations on diverse topics, including Digital Image Processing, Fast Fourier Transform, Mathematics Behind Tumour Growth and Neuroscience, Graph Theory, Hashing: A-Mathematical-Analysis, and Fuzzy Logic in Industries. The top three winners were awarded medals and certificates, while two groups received special recognition as "Rising Presenter" and "Promising Presenter". The event successfully highlighted the significance of Mathematics in industry and everyday life, inspiring students to explore its real-world applications.

The department successfully organized the "Paving Way to Innovation" workshop under its flagship programme "Nurturing Innovation" on 24th, 25th and 28th February 2025. Coordinated by Mr. Milan Chakrabortty, the workshop provided first-year students with an immersive learning experience. Keynote speakers Dr. Supriya Das and Mr. Mojammel Rahaman introduced real-world innovation challenges through interactive games and discussions, while Dr. Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury led a thought-provoking brainstorming session with innovative puzzles, effectively nurturing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. The sessions explored innovation vs. invention, challenges in the innovation journey and real-world examples from emerging technologies and accessibility solutions, highlighting the transformative power of innovation in society. With enthusiastic participation in group discussions and hands-on activities, the workshop was a great success in nurturing future innovators!

The final phase of the department's flagship programme, Nurturing Innovation, concluded on 21st-22nd May 2024 with the Innovative Idea Contest. Designed for first-year students, this two-semester initiative aimed to nurture original thinking and promote a problem-solving mindset to tackle real-world challenges creatively. In the second phase, 108 student groups (around 470 students) submitted innovative proposals. After a month-long evaluation by faculty experts, 34 teams were shortlisted for the final round.

The final presentations showcased a diverse range of projects, including a soil testing kit with integrated AI for crop recommendations using IoT and ML, a wind energy-powered portable fan, a self-cleaning system for photovoltaic panels, an AI-supported mental health app for stress management, a self-watering system for potted plants, a multi-filter air purifier, a website for e-waste trading and recycling, an automatic horn at turnings, a green polymeric flame retardant material, an app to connect players with their preferred sports groups, and an interactive humanoid robot.

The contest successfully cultivated a spirit of innovation, offering students hands-on experience in presenting ideas and receiving expert feedback. Winners will be awarded during the upcoming Induction Programme, inspiring continued innovation among the student community.

The Basic Science department, in collaboration with IIC MCKVIE, orchestrated a vibrant and intellectually stimulating event titled "Anharmonicity" - The Battle of Unconventional Minds, on 9th May, 2024, at its premises. Spearheaded by first-year B. Tech. students under the mentorship of Basic Science teachers, the event served as a platform for fostering intellectual growth, strategic thinking, teamwork and creative expression. Open to all MCKVIE students, the event showcased a diverse array of activities, including a Photography Exhibition, Mock IPL Auction, Quiz and Extempore speeches.

With over 500 enthusiastic participants, the event witnessed an atmosphere of excitement and companionship. One notable highlight was the environmentally conscious approach adopted, evident in the students' initiative to decorate all nine classrooms solely through hand-drawn artwork on blackboards, eschewing printed materials or flex banners. From the symbolic inauguration with a plant watering ceremony to the spirited prize and certificate distribution, students reveled in both the competitive spirit and companionship fostered by the event. "Anharmonicity" stands as a testament to the collaborative spirit and creative prowess of MCKVIE's student body.

International π-Day was commemorated successfully on 14th March at MCKVIE campus by the Basic Science department in collaboration with Mathematics Club of MCKVIE. Following an enlightening speech on "Exploring the Unseen Language of Numbers" by Mr. Milan Chakrabortty, a competition among MCKVIE students on the theme "Mathematics and Engineers" was organized. Students presented various topics starting from the use of vector calculus to Maxwell's equations, from differential equations to probability in real life problems, from the applications of mathematics in different fields like optical communications, information technology to specific domains like morphology, GPU or Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method. Certificates were awarded to the winner and runner-up teams, each of which consisted of three students.

The workshop on Quantum Computing, organized by the Basic Science department of MCKV Institute of Engineering, spanned two enriching days, 4th and 5th March, 2024. The primary aim of the workshop was to raise awareness about quantum computing, heralded as the frontier of computing technology. Attended by students from various departments of MCKVIE, the event featured distinguished speakers from renowned institutions who shared their expertise on different aspects of quantum computing.

The workshop, "Paving Way to Innovation," orchestrated by the Basic Science department from 26th to 28th February 2024, was a remarkable success, by implanting the seeds of innovation within 500 first-year students through engaging lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. The workshop effectively communicated the meaning of innovation and pathways to develop an innovative mindset through discussions enriched with diverse examples. The hands-on activities, including brainstorming sessions, group discussions and idea generation exercises, sparked enthusiasm and inspired students to come up with innovative concepts.

The collaborative efforts of the BSC and EE departments culminated in the successful organization of the workshop titled "Solar Solutions: Powering a Greener Tomorrow" from 29th January to 2nd February, 2024. The primary focus of the workshop was to impart valuable insights and knowledge about solar solutions to the B.Tech. second-semester students. The workshop comprised of informative lectures, complemented by a plant visit, offering students a firsthand experience with the functionality of solar panels installed in their own institute premises.

The event "Nurturing Innovation", organized by the Basic Science department, proved to be a resounding success. With 49 groups of students submitting their proposed innovative ideas and 19 ideas being selected for the final stage of the Innovative Idea Contest, the event provided a platform for students to showcase their creativity and innovative thinking. The presentations, delivered in front of teachers and judges, highlighted the students' dedication and enthusiasm. The winners will be honored with awards and certificates from the institute during the next Induction Programme, further motivating them and encouraging a culture of innovation among the student community.