VTU allows engineering students to add a second specialisation through minor degrees

Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has introduced regulations governing the award of minor degrees. Engineering candidates can pursue an additional area of study alongside their primary Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology programme.

As per the new regulations, students must earn at least 18 additional credits through prescribed courses in another engineering discipline or an allied domain to qualify for a minor degree. The regulations were notified on October 5, 2026, following approval by the university’s Executive Council at its 189th meeting held in June.

The initiative is intended to provide students with an opportunity to develop expertise beyond their main branch of study. According to the regulations, minor degree programmes aim to expand students’ domain knowledge, support interdisciplinary learning, improve employability and provide exposure to emerging technologies.

Students can pursue a minor degree within the prescribed maximum duration of their undergraduate programme. The university will issue a separate minor degree certificate alongside the BE/BTech degree, with the minor specialisation appended to the degree title.

VTU minor degree: How it works

Under the regulations, students enrolled in the third semester of a BE/BTech programme can opt for only one minor degree in addition to their regular degree. Registration must be completed before the commencement of the third-semester end examinations.

Students must consult their faculty mentor before applying. Their applications require approval from the head of the department and the principal or the concerned programme coordinator before being forwarded to the VTU registrar for approval. A one-time, non-refundable registration fee, as prescribed by the university, is also applicable.

Students can begin attending minor degree courses from the fourth semester and must complete the prescribed courses before the commencement of the eighth-semester end examinations. They must select courses in consultation with their mentor to ensure that the additional academic workload does not become excessive.

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NPTEL courses, credits, and All India NPTEL portalassessment

Students can earn the required additional credits through recommended online courses, including those offered through the All India NPTEL portal and VTU’s online Centre of Excellence in Mysuru.

The credits assigned to NPTEL courses depend on their duration. Four-week courses carry two credits, eight-week courses carry three credits, and 12-week courses carry four credits. The regulations state that the revised credit provisions for courses offered through the All India NPTEL portal are effective from January 2026.

For courses offered through the All India NPTEL portal, students must secure at least 10 out of 25 marks in assignments and 30 out of 75 in the final proctored examination. They must also meet the attendance requirement and obtain an aggregate of at least 40 out of 100.

For courses offered through VTU’s online Centre of Excellence in Mysuru, students must meet the prescribed attendance requirement and secure at least 20 out of 50 marks in the continuous internal evaluation component and 35 out of 100 in the semester-end examination. Where semester-end examination marks are scaled down from 100 to 50, students must secure at least 18 out of 50. The combined internal and semester-end examination marks must be at least 40 out of 100.

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VTU minor degree eligibility

A minor degree will be awarded only to students who successfully complete both the minor programme and their BE/BTech degree within the prescribed maximum duration.

Students must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0 after the declaration of their eighth-semester results to qualify for the minor degree. The requirement applies to both regular and lateral-entry students.

The university has clarified that earning the minimum 18 additional credits alone will not make a student eligible for the qualification. Students must complete the prescribed courses and fulfil the requirements of their main degree programme.

The credits earned towards the minor degree will not be included in the calculation of the semester grade point average (SGPA) or CGPA of the BE/BTech programme. They will also not be considered for declaring ranks in the main degree programme.

VTU minor degree and honours: Key rules

• Students cannot register simultaneously for the honours and minor degree programmes. The regulations treat the two qualifications as distinct, and students will not be permitted to switch from a minor degree to an honours degree or vice versa at any stage.
• Students can exit the minor degree programme at any time between the fourth and eighth semesters. However, those who withdraw or fail to complete the prescribed requirements will not receive a transcript or certificate for the credits earned under the minor programme.

The university has directed principals of affiliated engineering colleges, along with the concerned university department chairpersons and programme coordinators, to communicate the regulations to eligible students and ensure their implementation.