IIT Kharagpur announces major curriculum reforms

In order to comply with the National Educational Policy (NEP 2020) and improve undergraduate students' educational experiences, the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) has announced a series of significant adjustments to its UG programmes beginning in the academic year 2024-25.

This offers a variety of new possibilities, including five-year dual degree plans, the removal of branch changes, double major alternatives, and semester-away programmes. Admission to all undergraduate degrees at IIT Kharagpur will be for five years beginning with the forthcoming academic session, including both BTech and BS levels.

Students will also be able to take five-year dual degree programmes after finishing their second or third year of study.

These dual degree degrees can be pursued by students within their parent departments or through interdisciplinary options accessible at various schools and locations.

This programme aims to provide new opportunities, such as combining a BS (Hons) in Economics with an MTech in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, or pursuing a BTech (Hons) in Civil Engineering and an MTech in Financial Engineering.

In addition to the five-year dual degree programmes, undergraduate students entering IIT Kharagpur in 2024 will be able to pursue a "double major" within their respective departments while pursuing a BTech (Hons) or BS (Hons) degree.

This project allows students to gain competence in numerous fields and personalise their academic experience to their interests and career goals.

Furthermore, the institute will introduce the concept of minor' or micro-specialisation' options in several fields, allowing students to delve further into their areas of interest.

To reflect the changing demands of companies and society, certain elective courses, such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), will be made mandatory for all students, ensuring they have the most up-to-date skills and knowledge.