IIT Roorkee Director Interview: New MTech, MS courses launched in response to huge market demand

IIT Roorkee recently added six postgraduate degree programmes and one five-year integrated programme to its curriculum to cater to the rising demand for new-age technologies. It is set to start PhD in Design from December this year. 

Prof Ajit K Chaturvedi

The seven new programmes are MTech (artificial intelligence) and MTech (data science), MDes (industrial design), MIM (masters in innovation management), MTech (microelectronics and VLSI), MS (economics) and MTech (dam safety and rehabilitation). 

In an exclusive interview with Shiksha, Prof Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee, talks about the purpose, learning objectives and more about the newly introduced courses. Below are the excerpts from the interview. 

Q. What was the idea behind launching the seven new programmes? Was there any demand from the industry?

A. The background of each course happens to be different. It is not that it is the outcome of a single exercise. There was a huge demand for artificial intelligence and data science, whether it was in the media, industry or among students and faculty. These two courses were directly in response to huge surge in demand. From the very beginning, we have tried to make it distinct from MTech in Computer Science and Engineering programme. We have designed it in a manner that it has a flavour of its own.

We had started working towards MDes course four years back. Initially, we got funding for the creation of Design Innovation Centre (DIC) and as part of that proposal, there was this roadmap towards creation of Master of Design and Master in Innovation Management programmes. So, we had done a national level exercise about two years back after that we were able to design the blueprint of the second programme. Then there was a discussion on the vehicle that will offer these programmes. For that, we created a new department of design. All academic work was done under the umbrella of DIC, which was funded by the Ministry of Education. MTech in Dam Safety and Rehabilitation programme has been designed in response to requirement by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Q. In which mode will these courses be taught? Online, offline or blended?

A. Except MTech (Microelectronics and VLSI) programme designed for working professionals, which will be offered online, all six courses will be offered in the offline mode. Currently, classes are being held online, but we will start calling students to the institute after the pandemic is over.

Q. Please tell us about the admission process of these courses?

A. The admission process of six of the seven courses except MS Economics, which is a five-year integrated programme, is already over. Classes of the six courses have already started from July 31, 2021. Admissions to MS Economics course will be done only through JEE Advanced which is yet to be conducted this year. So, we are yet to start the course.

Q. What is the student intake for these courses? What is the fee structure?

A. Student intake capacity varies between 20 and 30 for all courses. There are basically three kinds of fee structure for MTech, undergraduate and MBA courses. Four of the seven programmes are MTech, so the fee of all MTech programmes, except MTech (Microelectronics and VLSI), will be the same. Fee structure of MTech (Microelectronics and VLSI) will be different as it is for working professionals. Fee structure of five-year MS course will be same as that of undergraduate programmes. The fee structure of MIM and MDes courses is on a par with MBA.

Also read:

• IIT Roorkee Courses & Fees 2021

• IIT Roorkee Admission 2021 for BTech, MTech and MBA

Q. Are the new programmes in line with NEP 2020? 

A. Yes, the new programmes are 100 per cent in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. These are new-age technologies like artificial intelligence and data science. For e.g, we are providing five-year integrated MS Economics programme in which students can exit after four years with a BS degree. We are also trying to bring in expertise from multiple departments whether it is the department of mechanical engineering, department of management or department of architecture. Many of these programmes are multidisciplinary like artificial intelligence and data science. Again, that is a core flavour of NEP.

Q. Can working professionals also take up these courses?

A. MTech (Microelectronics and VLSI) is a three-year programme designed for working professionals. Two-third seats are for working professionals and one-third are for freshers. Working professionals can do this course along with their jobs.

Q. Will the institute set up new departments to teach these courses?

A. We have set up a new centre, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (CAID), which is offering MTech in artificial intelligence and MTech in data science to students. Apart from that, the Design Innovation Centre has been transformed into the Department of Design.

Q. Is there any unique course (from among new courses) which only IIT Roorkee is offering?

A. I think MIM (Masters in Innovation Management) is a unique two-year programme. Students will be trained in innovation management because we Indians are innovative, but those innovations do not translate into business. Students will be taught how to take that journey from innovation to business.

Q. What other new courses are you planning to introduce?

A. We are planning to introduce executive MBA programme soon. There may be restructuring or renaming of some courses. Also, PhD programme in Design has already been approved by the Senate and we will start it from the December 2021 semester.

Q. How will the institute ensure internship and placement for these courses?

A. We are expecting a very good response from the new courses. In fact, we have a full-fledged placement and internship cell that will take care of it. 

Read more:

• IIT Roorkee develops app that can detect quakes, send early alerts
• IIT Roorkee launches 7 new academic programmes, check details
• IIT Roorkee to conduct JAM 2022 on February 13, application process begins on August 30