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:
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:
News & Updates
Photos & Videos
+23
- B Tech (Bachelor of Technology)
- M.E./M.Tech
- MSc (Master of Science)
- B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture)
- BSc
- Social Responsibility
- M.Arch (Master of Architecture)
- MBA (Masters of Business Administration)
- M.Plan (Master of Planning)
- B Des (Bachelor of Design)
- M.Des
- Executive MBA
- Engineering
- Science Subject
- Architecture & Planning
- Business & Management Study
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Design
- IT Software Courses
- Data Science Course, Certification, Degree, Fees, Admission, Career, Syllabus
- Top Medical Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top SDGs Institutions Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top Government Engineering Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top Overall Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top Executive MBA Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top NITs Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top Architecture Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Top State Public University Colleges in Uttarakhand
- Certificate colleges in Roorkee
- M.Tech colleges in Roorkee
- B.Tech colleges in Roorkee
- M.Sc. colleges in Roorkee
- B.Sc. colleges in Roorkee
- MBA colleges in Roorkee
- Ph.D. colleges in Roorkee
- Executive MBA colleges in Roorkee
- B.Arch colleges in Roorkee
- M.Plan colleges in Roorkee
- M.Arch colleges in Roorkee
- Engineering colleges in Roorkee
- Business & Management Studies colleges in Roorkee
- Science colleges in Roorkee
- IT & Software colleges in Roorkee
Contact Details
Address
Academic Affairs Office, James Thomason Building
Roorkee ( Uttarakhand)
Other Popular IITs
Get details of Similar Colleges
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a month ago
IIT Roorkee is undoubtedly one of India's the oldest and most prestigious institutions, but Lovely Professional University (LPU) has emerged as a modern, globally oriented university that outperforms in several key areas. LPU offers a dynamic learning environment with advanced infrastructure, cuttin
v
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
While the B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) programme at IIT Roorkee is highly reputed for its academic rigor, the placement scenario shows certain limitations compared to Lovely Professional University (LPU). In the 2025 placement season, IIT Roorkee reported a placement rat
v
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
Students must appear for the JEE entrance tests, which include JEE Main and JEE Advanced. IIT Roorkee JoSAA cutoffs for 2024 varied between 481 and 16381 for 2024. Candidates seeking IIT Roorkee admissions must clear their previous qualifying examination and achieve valid ranking in the JEE exams. S
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
IIT Roorkee admission 2025 is primarily entrance-based. The college accepts several entrance exams for admission to its various courses, such as JEE Advanced, JoSAA, IIT JAM, GATE, etc. Further, candidates seeking admission to the BTech programme at IIT Roorkee must fill the application form for JEE
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 2 months ago
For students belonging to the General AI quota, most of the BTech branches remained open till the last round for admission at IIT Roorkee. The cutoffs of different branches vary across rounds and categories. Some of the BTech branches, such as CSE, ECE, Civil, and Mechanical, etc., reflected a rise
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 months ago
Admission to B.Tech programs at IIT Roorkee requires candidates to first clear JEE Main, and then qualify JEE Advanced through JoSAA counselling.
Candidates must fulfill at least one of the following conditions, with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects (in the year they first a
R
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 months ago
Students can join IIT Roorkee, firstly they have to pass the JEE MAINS exam and qualify for the JEE ADVANCED exam.
- They should aslo have minimum 75% in 12th boards with PCM.
- They have to get minimum 95percentile to qualify in any branch of engineering in IIT Roorkee.
And rest of basic information is pr
U
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 4 months ago
To get into IIT Roorkee, students must target to secure a maximum rank of up to 2556 for BTech admission if they belong to the General AI quota. The lower the cutoff rank, the higher the probability of getting the top BTech branch for admission. The required cutoff rank varies for different rounds,
R
Contributor-Level 10
Is LPU better than IIT Roorkee?