‘Not just academic, but personal’: NSUT Delhi takes AI beyond BTech, across non-engineering courses

Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) Delhi will expand artificial intelligence (AI) courses across non-engineering disciplines and allow more options to students. The university is also actively working on increasing foreign student intake, improving the presence of women students on campus and improving the research and perception aspects to improve rankings, its vice-chancellor Anand Srivastava tells Careers360 . Edited excerpts:

You have been NSUT VC for almost two and half years – what do you think has been your biggest achievement?

My foremost achievement has been steering Netaji Subhas University of Technology toward becoming a more holistic and future-ready institution. While we have made progress on multiple fronts, I believe the most significant accomplishment has been strengthening the academic ecosystem by integrating innovation, research, and industry collaboration into the core of our education system.

We have expanded interdisciplinary learning opportunities, upgraded infrastructure and encouraged a culture of research and entrepreneurship among students and faculty. Initiatives such as improved industry partnerships, incubation support for startups , and enhanced placement opportunities have helped align our students’ skills with real-world demands.

Equally important has been our focus on inclusivity and student well-being — ensuring that growth is not just academic, but also personal and professional. Seeing our students excel, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to society is, to me, the most rewarding outcome of these efforts.

While I take pride in these achievements, I view them as part of an ongoing journey toward excellence, with much more to accomplish in the years ahead.

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Are we going to see further changes or expansion, in terms of infrastructure or NSUT becoming a multidisciplinary institute?

Yes, most universities today are actively planning both infrastructure expansion and a shift toward multidisciplinary education, especially in line with National Education Policy (NEP 2020).

For infrastructure, our focus is on:

• Having more smart classrooms

• Advanced laboratories and research centers

• Expanded libraries with digital resources

• Better hostels, sports complexes, and student facilities

• Innovation hubs, incubation centres , and industry-collaboration spaces

As for becoming a multidisciplinary institute, universities are increasingly moving away from rigid streams toward flexible, interdisciplinary models. This includes offering courses that combine fields, for example, computer science with economics, quantum technology with courses from physics, chemistry, computer science and electronics etc.; allowing students to choose minors, electives, and skill-based courses outside their main discipline; and promoting collaboration between departments.

The students will have more choice in subjects and career paths, better exposure to different fields and improved employability and skill development

State universities are facing a constant funding problem. How has it been for NSUT?

State universities in India do face funding constraints, but the situation at NSUT is a lot better. NSUT is partially funded by the Government of NCT of Delhi and it does receive regular budget allocations.

However, compared to central institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), which receive much larger central funding, this amount is relatively modest. It generates a significant portion of its own funds through tuition fees, hostel, exam, and other institutional charges, industry collaborations, research, and incubation activities.

This reduces dependence on state funding and buffers it against severe financial crises.
Even with stable support, there are still constraints when it comes to expansion – new campuses, labs, hostels – as they require large capital investment.

Overall, NSUT is better positioned because it is a premium technical institution with strong demand, has higher fee inflow plus industry linkage and enjoys priority funding within Delhi’s technical education budget. So while funding is not abundant, it is relatively stable and better managed than average state universities.

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Has NSUT implemented the NEP?

The implementation of NEP 2020 has been progressive and aligned with national guidelines, though still evolving in certain areas.

NSUT has already adopted a choice-based credit system (CBCS), with structured undergraduate and postgraduate regulations, which aligns with NEP’s emphasis on flexible and multidisciplinary learning. The curriculum allows electives, project-based learning, and interdisciplinary exposure.

Programmes across engineering, management, sciences, and humanities reflect NEP’s goal of holistic and multidisciplinary education.

For skill development and employability, NSUT promotes industry interaction, research, and innovation; regular faculty development programmes, internships , and project work enhance employability.

The curriculum is designed around learning outcomes, research orientation, and problem-solving skills, consistent with NEP’s outcome-based education approach. Departments focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world applications.

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NSUT actively promotes research, PhD programmes, and industry collaboration.

Other provisions of NEP have been implemented, such as flexible credit structures and electives, integration of emerging technologies and interdisciplinary courses and expansion of skill-based and value-added courses, full implementation of multiple exit options and Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).

Attempts are underway for greater integration of vocational education and Indian knowledge systems.

How is NSUT in terms of gender ratio, both in case of students and faculty?

In terms of students, it is moderately skewed towards males, but improving steadily whereas in terms of faculty it is comparatively balanced, even female-dominant in some departments

How important is internationalisation to NSUT and are you planning on expansion? Where do NSUT’s foreign students come from?

NSUT aims to build a global academic reputation through collaborations, MoUs, and research partnerships. Internationalisation supports research quality enhancement, global employability of students and exposure to emerging technologies and innovation ecosystems

At present, NSUT admits foreign nationals primarily through the DASA (Direct Admission of Students Abroad) scheme. The current foreign student presence is limited but diverse, mainly including students of Indian origin (NRIs/PIOs). The overall proportion of international students is relatively small, as NSUT is still in the early phase of internationalisation .

NSUT is actively working on this aspect, with focus on increasing foreign student intake, expanding global academic collaborations and exchange programmes, enhancing research partnerships and joint publications and improving international visibility through innovation, startups, and conferences.

AI has taken the centre stage of the education ecosystem. How has NSUT integrated AI into the system , for faculty and students?

NSUT has been proactively integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its academic ecosystem , aligning with national priorities and industry demands. The integration is visible in curriculum, research, pedagogy, and skill development initiatives.

NSUT has introduced AI-focused programmes and specialisations, such as artificial intelligence (AI) , machine learning (ML) and data science. AI-related subjects are embedded across disciplines through electives and open courses and interdisciplinary learning modules.

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Faculty members are engaged in AI-based research and interdisciplinary projects encouraged through faculty development programmes and workshops as well as through adoption of digital and smart learning platforms, online resources, simulations, and virtual labs. Going forward, NSUT will focus on data-driven teaching methods, outcome-based and personalised learning approaches.

We promote AI-driven research projects, publications and collaborations with industry and startups. The incubation center supports AI-based startups and entrepreneurial ventures.

Further, NSUT will expand AI across non-engineering disciplines and align with national missions, like Digital India AI for All initiatives.

How have the placements been over the past few years?

NSUT has maintained excellent placement performance over the years, with high salary packages and strong industry connections. While there has been a slight dip in placement percentages recently,as few students are going for entrepreneurship and higher studies, the overall trend remains positive, especially in terms of salary growth and recruiter quality.

On the ranking front, where does NSUT stand?

NSUT has strong performance in graduation outcomes (placements) and teaching-learning environment [on the National Institutional Ranking Framework or NIRF ranking]. There is scope of improvement in research and perception, which affects overall rank. NSUT consistently ranks within the top engineering institutions in India, with a solid national reputation.

While rankings fluctuate slightly, the university maintains a strong position driven by placements and academic quality and has the potential to move higher with improved research output and global visibility.