IIT-Delhi to allow cross-branch M.Tech options for 3rd year UG students

Hindustan Times

28-05-2025

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi will introduce greater flexibility across its academic branches as part of a comprehensive curriculum revision, an official said on Tuesday.Under the new structure, undergraduate students will be allowed to apply for an MTech degree in any available programme at IIT-Delhi at the end of their third year, regardless of their BTech specialisation.
'So essentially, a BTech student from a particular branch can opt for an MTech in a completely different branch 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,' said Shouri Chatterjee, assistant dean (curriculum).
The revision spans undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes, and will take effect from the academic year 2025–26.
'Each course in every programme was reviewed, revamped, and approved by the Senate, which is IIT-Delhi's highest academic body. IIT-Delhi reviews its curriculum periodically, approximately every 10 years. The current process began in early 2022 and included extensive feedback from students, alumni, and industry experts,' Chatterjee said.
A notable innovation in the revised curriculum is the integration of AI-based code generators into the introductory programming course.
'Students will be taught how to use AI responsibly to write better programmes for more complex problems in less time. This innovation will future-proof the graduates of the next decade across disciplines by nurturing them in the mode of programming that is taking over the world. This course will be mandatory for all UG students,' said Narayanan Kurur, dean of academics.
In addition to these changes, three new academic programmes will be launched from the upcoming academic year. These include a BTech in Design, admission to which will be through JEE (Advanced) along with qualification in the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED); a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry, also via JEE (Advanced; and a Master of Technology (MTech) in Photonics, which will require qualification through the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).
'The BS Chemistry is also the first BS programme at IIT-Delhi,' Kurur said.
An IIT official said the revised undergraduate curriculum is built around key themes: flexibility, hands-on learning, environmental and sustainability awareness, creative expression, ethical reasoning, and alignment with emerging technological trends.
IIT-Delhi will also retain its policy allowing students admitted through JEE (Advanced) to switch academic programmes at the end of their first year, based on merit. 'Some of the older IITs have done away with the system, but we will continue allowing that based on student feedback,' Chatterjee said.
Additional enhancements include opportunities to pursue a minor degree or specialisation alongside the primary degree, the introduction of an honours programme as an add-on to the BTech, and greater emphasis on experiential learning.
'All programmes will see a modest reduction in total credits, with a more focused core. Many branches are now offering a flexible core curriculum. Laboratory and tutorial components in most departmental courses allow students to engage with faculty in a deep and meaningful manner,' said Chatterjee.
At the postgraduate level, the MTech and MS (Research) curricula will follow an outcomes-based structure, with stronger industry integration and project-based learning. According to an official, two key components—a capstone project focused on collaborative problem-solving, and a summer internship geared toward external engagement—aim to make students more industry-ready.