IIT Madras offers BS, inter-disciplinary dual degrees in line with NEP 2020

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has initiated 'IIT Madras for All,' the BS degree (data science and applications) and the Inter-Disciplinary Dual Degree (IDDD) programmes today, in line with the features of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

IIT Madras through these programmes will provide a diverse range of educational opportunities with multiple entry and exit options. Students will be able to change disciplines and even pursue humanities specialization alongside technical programmes.

IIT Madras is registered with the Academic Bank of Credits Portal (ABC Portal) under the Central Higher Education Institution category and 491 students of IIT Madras have registered in the ABC portal.

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Key features of IIT Madras’ NEP implementation

Some of the key features of IIT Madras’ NEP implementation are; ‘IIT Madras for All’, BS Degree (Data Science) and Inter-Disciplinary Dual Degree (IDDD), Rural Interaction Center, Rural Technology Center and Centres that nurture student innovation like CFI.

Rural Interaction Centre

IIT Madras has established Rural Interaction Centres (RICs) in villages, that will provide access to quality education for rural students through technology. These centers use smart TVs and internet connectivity to conduct live online classes on science, English, and maths, delivered in the local language. Currently, the RICs have students from 89 villages in Tamil Nadu and 100 villages in Varanasi district, Uttar Pradesh.

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Rural Technology Centre

IIT Madras in collaboration with ASHA, IIT Madras has established Rural Technology Centres for providing computer science literacy to rural government school students in Tamil Nadu. The centers will provide digital literacy skills and computational thinking to the students in Class 9 to 12.

Center for Innovation (CFI) and Nirmaan

In line with the NEP's focus on fostering creativity and entrepreneurship, IIT Madras has established the Center for Innovation (CFI) and Nirmaan pre-incubator. CFI provides students with the necessary resources, infrastructure, and guidance to explore innovative ideas. On the other hand, Nirmaan offers aspiring entrepreneurs a sandbox space to develop viable business ideas with mentorship, workshops, seed funding, and access to industry experts.

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BS Degree (Data Science and Applications)

The IIT Madras Degree programme in data science and applications offers four levels of study. A student has to complete all four levels and can exit at any level. According to the institute,” depending on the courses completed and credits earned, students can receive a foundation certificate from IITM, Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), a Diploma(s) from IIT Madras, a BSc degree in programming and data science, or a BS Degree in data science and applications”.

Inter-Disciplinary Dual Degree Programme (IDDD)

IIT Madras' Interdisciplinary Dual Degree (IDDD) programme, allows students to pursue both bachelor's and master's degrees. These five-year programmes span multiple departments within IIT Madras and currently encompass 14 fields, including data science, robotics, cyber-physical systems, public policy, etc.