IIT Madras’ Several Initiatives And Academic Programs In Sync With NEP 2020

In the recent past, IIT Madras has rolled down several initiatives for the implementation of the NEP 2020.

Harnessing the positivities and interdisciplinary academic possibilities of the NEP 2022 (National Education Policy 2020), the IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Madras has roped in key features of the NEP 2020 through various initiatives. Through various vibrant initiatives like the ‘IIT Madras for All’, BS Degree (Data Science and Applications), besides the Interdisciplinary Dual Degree (IDDD) programs, IIT Madras has embarked upon a seamless integration of the NEP 2020. WIth multiple entry and exit options, these programs help engineering and technology students to explore other specializations like humanities through change of discipline. 

Another aspect of the NEP 2020 where IIT Madras had been making significant strides is the Academic Bank of Credits, where the premier institute has been listed under the Central Higher Education Institution category. Moreover, as many as 491 students from IIT Madras are registered on the ABC platform.  

Notably, IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti along with other officials and professors of the IIT Madras addressed a press conference in the IIT Madras campus today underlining the ace institutions implementation of the NEP 2020. Several IIT Madras initiatives marked during the press conference to embrace the NEP 2020 include: Rural Interaction Centre, Rural Technology Centre, Centre For Innovation (CFI) and NIRMAAN, BS (Data Science and  Programming), and Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Programme (IDDD).

IIT Madras’ Implementation of NEP 2020: Key Initiatives

Rural Interaction Centre

By establishing Rural Interaction Centres (RICs) in villages, IIT Madras has been making way for quality education to rural students through technology. Equipped with a smart TV and internet connection the RICs facilitate live online classes to students of Class 8, 9, 10, and 12. The classes are held by experienced teachers for Science, English and Maths subjects in the mother tongue of the students. By far, around 12,000 students benefit from 189 such RICs in Tamil Nadu and Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, said a press release from IIT Madras. 

Rural Technology Centre

Through its Rural Technology Centre initiative, IIT Madras aims at enhancing computer science education in government schools. The technology centres bolster the technological exposure of students from class 9 to 12, by catering them with digital literacy skills and computational thinking skills. 

Center for Innovation (CFI) and Nirmaan

Driving forward the NEP’s push to boost entrepreneurship among students, the IIT Madras’ has come up with Center for Innovation (CFI) and Nirmaan pre-incubator, aimed at nurturing and inculcating entrepreneurship and innovation among young students. While the CFI aids the innovative explorations with appropriate infrastructure and mentorship, the Nirmaan serves as a sandbox space fostering entrepreneurship skills among students with mentorship, seed funding, and access to industry experts.

BS (Data Science and Engineering)

The IIT Madras’ BS in Data Science and Engineering program consists of four levels and students must complete all four levels to obtain the BS Degree from IIT Madras. However, a student can exit the program at any time. Based on the courses completed and credits earned, a candidate can either exit with a Foundation Certificate, or Diploma (s), or B.Sc in Programming and Data Science from IIT Madras or BS Degree in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras.

Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Program (IDDD)

Being a part of IIT Madras' academic arena since 2018, the Interdisciplinary Degree Programs or IDDDs, allow students to undertake dual degree programs at the Bachelors and Masters level. At present IIT Madras’ offers 14 such 5-year interdisciplinary dual-degree programs expanding across multiple departments of IIT Madras.

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