IIT-Madras to offer 2,000 courses by 2020

The premier institution has set up a Strategic Planning Committee, and the Board instituted the Strategic Management Project to build up internal capability for change.

The project consists of a series of coordinated interventions to bring about changes in the institute’s direction, structure, interfaces and performance.

Students are forced to exercise their choice of stream according to the all-India single-window admission process. But there are cases where many change their interest of subject after joining the IIT.

An undergraduate may develop a liking for a different or allied discipline, while a post-graduate may change his/her goal from a job to further studies and a career in research.

In order to enable students to meet their changing objectives, the Strategic Plan aims to introduce flexibility in the IIT Madras curriculum through a wide choice of electives.

The syllabus would be structured in such a way that the core course component makes up around 50 per cent and opportunities for multi-disciplinary diversification through electives are maximised.

Thus, a student will have the freedom to choose as electives nearly half the courses that he or she must complete to obtain a degree. This curriculum of degree programmes would have a typical break-up of 50 per cent core courses and 50 per cent electives. In addition, the IIT-M would also introduce industry-oriented online courses leading to certification of M Tech degrees.

The institute would have around 2,000 courses with a faulty strength of 700, and the core courses would define the stream opted for by the student at the time of admission, a statement said.