IIT Delhi makes its new curriculum more flexible and outcomes-based

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has revamped its curriculum making it outcome-based, with more flexibility that allows for choices in general engineering, basic sciences, and humanities courses. The changes in curriculum will also give students opportunities for pursuing a minor degree or specialisation in several areas.

Other changes include an honours programme that has been introduced as an add-on to the B. Tech. degree. Additionally, an undergraduate student can now petition for an M. Tech. degree in any available M. Tech. programme at IIT Delhi at the end of their third year. This will allow a student to graduate with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years, stated the release issued by the institute.

The institute has decided that the candidates joining the Institute through JEE (Advanced) will be able to continue to change their programme, based on their merit, at the end of the first year, the release stated.

"One of the important changes that has been introduced in the curriculum is in programming education by integrating AI-based code generators into the introductory course on programming. Students will be taught how to use AI responsibly to write better programs for more complex problems in less time," it stated. IIT Delhi has revised the curriculum of its undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD programmes. The new curriculum will be implemented from the academic year, i.e., 2025-26.

IIT Delhi reviews its curriculum periodically, approximately every ten years. The current curriculum review process was initiated in early 2022. "The main themes of the revised undergraduate curriculum are flexibility, a deep focus on hands-on learning, and, in line with the needs of the modern world, emphasis on environment and sustainability, creative expression, ethical reasoning, and emerging trends in technology (such as artificial intelligence and machine learning)."

“We have reviewed and revamped our curriculum to make our graduates future ready. The new curriculum has emerged after extensive stakeholders’ feedback and provides flexibility and hands-on learning for our students,” said Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi.

Students will be given an early exposure to the department, i.e., in the first year itself. Modules related to environment, sustainability, creative expression, and ethical reasoning have been built into many courses. In addition, all first-year
courses are now mandated to have small class sizes.

Students can now take up more elective courses that will support additional options such as the honours programme, minor degrees, specialization, and advanced M. Tech./MS (Research) degrees.

A provision for conversion to a PhD degree while pursuing M. Tech. /MSR is also provided.