IIT Roorkee revises its postgraduate, MTech curriculum, introduces courses on AI and ML

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) has unveiled a revised postgraduate (PG) curriculum aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). The new curriculum emphasises project-based learning, industry interaction, and research, aiming to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the modern world.

The IIT Roorkee will implement the revised PG curriculum from the autumn semester of 2024-25. The revised curriculum was carried out with the objectives of enhancing the quality, relevance, and competitiveness of the academic offerings, ensuring that the graduates are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their respective fields.

The revised PG curriculum offers flexible basket-based courses, which include the programme core courses (PCC), specialization-based programme elective courses (PEC), and societal impact-themed social sciences courses (SSC). SSC courses will emphasize the societal impact of technology and science. The curriculum will also introduce the mandatory science, technology, and advanced research (STAR) basket and the Internship or Social Activity (ISA) basket, the institute said.

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IIT Roorkee: Features of revised PG curriculum

As per the institute, the revised PG curriculum has gained attention of the academia and industries. Some key features of the revised curriculum are given below.

• Flexibility in course selection based on a basket of course offerings, providing students with a wide range of options.

• Industrial internships and social activities in the curriculum will provide the students with hands-on experience and exposure to real-world challenges.

• Flexibility to choose courses on advanced technology themes such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and programming languages such as Python, C++, Hadoop and Java.

• Provision to switch to a PhD programme after earning 40 credits.

Summing up the initiative, the director of IIT Roorkee, KK Pant, said, “The comprehensive changes in the PG curriculum at IIT Roorkee are poised to transform the learning experience for students, equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.”