The new BTech curriculum at IIT Madras emphasizes future-ready technological skills

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has revamped its BTech curriculum to align with modern technological advancements, making it the most student-friendly engineering program in India regarding curricular demands and flexibility. The updated curriculum allows for early exits for those seeking more freedom.

These changes were implemented based on recommendations from an Institute Curriculum Task Force, focusing on employment, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The academic system now offers greater flexibility, increased interdisciplinary learning, hands-on projects, and entrepreneurship opportunities starting in the second year of the BTech program.

The total credit requirements for the BTech have been adjusted, reducing the wall clock hours from 436 to 400, allowing students more time to explore professional and entrepreneurial opportunities.

IIT Madras also offers a combined BTech and MTech program in five years, as well as interdisciplinary degrees in high-demand fields like Nanotechnology, Data Science, and Electric Vehicles, which can be pursued alongside the BTech program.

Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, emphasized the institute's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship, highlighting that over 380 patents were filed last year and the launch of the ambitious "start-up 100" program, aiming to birth a new start-up every three days.

The IIT Madras Incubation Cell, India's leading deep-tech incubator, has supported groundbreaking start-ups like Agnikul, which launched the world's first 3D-printed rocket engine, Mindgrove, which developed India's first commercial RISC V-based secure IoT system on chip, Ather, a leader in the EV scooter market, and Planys, a pioneer in AI-based underwater remotely operated vehicles, among others.