IITs, elite colleges launch new-age courses to train tomorrow’s workforce

Apart from introducing newer courses, premier institutes in India, including IITs, are overhauling their traditional curricula to better equip the next-generation workforce for an evolving world.

The Indian Institutes of Technology and select elite private colleges are launching cutting-edge courses in such fields as artificial intelligence, space science, climate and even cricket analytics designed to meet the demands of an evolving job market and shape the workforce of tomorrow.

Simultaneously, they are revamping the traditional curricula as they position themselves at the forefront of educational innovation.

IIT Madras is introducing a Bachelor of Technology or BTech in AI from the upcoming academic year. This week, the institute launched an MTech in Ocean Structures with a focus on the blue economy at its Zanzibar campus.

The institute enrolled 30 students for the first cricket analytics course offered by IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation in collaboration with GITAA, a company that the institute incubated. The cricket data they will study ranges from player statistics to team performance.

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“The key objectives in offering these new courses are to equip students to the needs of a fast-changing, technology-driven world as well as to equip them with industry-ready skills that will make them invaluable to their employers,” an IIT Madras spokesperson told Moneycontrol.

In the previous academic year, IIT Roorkee launched an MTech in Terahertz Communication and Sensing to design and develop components and systems for 6G communication standards.

Besides, there is an MTech in Semiconductor Technology offered by the institute in partnership with Taiwanese universities. The institute has planned new programmes for the upcoming session, including a BTech in Energy Engineering, an MTech in Space Science and Technology, and an MTech in Biomanufacturing.

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IIT Kanpur said it floated more than 100 courses in the past year related to computer organisation, software development, database systems, electric vehicles, renewable energy, AI, and machine learning (ML) among others.

Last year, Kotak Mahindra Bank started the Kotak School of Sustainability at IIT Kanpur to run undergraduate and postgraduate academic and skill-building programmes on different themes of sustainability.

Elite institutes

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) launched an ME in Environmental Engineering to train students on sustainable development with an emphasis on water, land, and air resources. The institute introduced minor programmes such as Data Science in Climate and Health to equip students with basic skills in these fields.

Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has launched a BTech in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), which includes fundamental topics such as embedded systems, sensor networks, control systems, augmented/virtual reality, and real-time computing.

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“Cyber-physical systems are becoming prevalent in a range of sectors such as power, water, waste, transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. Graduates with a BTech in CPS are well-equipped to enter various fields, including smart manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, smart grids, and medical devices,” said Santhosh KV, professor in the department of instrumentation & control engineering at MIT.

Evolving traditional offerings

Apart from introducing newer courses, premier institutes including the IITs are overhauling their traditional curricula to better equip the next-generation workforce for an evolving world. This strategic revamp aims to align education with the rapidly changing demands of modern industries.

At IIT Kanpur, statistics as a subject now factors in the needs of the digital age and has applied ways of Data Science in the course. In some cases, the content may not vary much but the teaching method better caters to the new-age requirements.

“With a constant shift in technology, information, and trends, IIT Kanpur is committed to adapting to the changing environment by re-looking at the orientation of the courses as well as the methodology of teaching at either the fundamental or advanced levels,” said Shalabh, dean of academic affairs at IIT Kanpur.

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In March, IIT Roorkee said it had revised its post-graduate curriculum in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020. The revision, which came after a decade, will be implemented from the autumn semester of 2024-25. Emphasis has been given to practical components.

Further, internship and social activity, social science courses, and science, technology, and advanced research (STAR) groups of courses have been introduced. Students can choose coursework or research-based study models.

“IIT Roorkee is also planning to start initiatives like academia-industry-community tripartite engagements, which will again be one of the first initiatives the institute will pioneer. With the help of industry, IIT Roorkee wishes to work for the communities for a direct, visible impact made by our students and faculty,” said Naveen Kumar Navani, dean of academic affairs, IIT Roorkee.

BITS Pilani is revamping its traditional courses by integrating elements of new-age curricula. Computer science and engineering programmes now encompass areas such as AI, ML and cybersecurity.

“Courses are being designed to incorporate interdisciplinary modules that blend traditional subjects with new-age topics. For example, a traditional electronics course might now include modules on IoT (Internet of Things) and smart systems to reflect current industry trends,” said Soumyabrata Chakraborty, registrar of BITS Pilani.