IIT Kharagpur, one of India’s premier engineering institutes, has undertaken a comprehensive review and update of its undergraduate and postgraduate curricula in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Embracing the NEP’s vision and principles, the institute aims to offer a more interdisciplinary and flexible learning experience for its students.
As part of this initiative, IIT Kharagpur has broadened the choice of electives in both UG and PG programmes, empowering students to choose subjects from across the institute. Additionally, a new category of programmes called “Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Programmes” has been introduced, allowing students to pursue a B.Tech and an M.Tech programme concurrently, stated a press release issued by the institute.
Professor V K Tewari, the Director of IIT Kharagpur, emphasized that the inclusion of NEP 2020 in the academic curriculum will promote entrepreneurship and generate more employment opportunities by encouraging students to become employers rather than employees.
“With the multiple entry/exit policy, any student can take a break from their respective courses to gain industry experience and come back to continue his academic curriculum. Another facet that enhances the flexibility of NEP 2020 is the short-term certification courses for developing short-term and long-term training programs to provide skilling, re-skilling, and upskilling opportunities,” he said, highlighting the strategic implementation initiatives of IIT Kharagpur concerning NEP 2020.
The update in curricula also includes significant changes in internships. The UG programmes, which earlier had eight weeks of summer internships, now offer an extended option of eight months of research or industry internships. Similar internship opportunities are being proposed for PG programmes as well. Moreover, all bachelor’s programmes in science have been converted to four-year duration, following the footsteps of the already existing four-year Bachelor’s programme in technology.
As part of its global outreach, IIT Kharagpur has established an International Student Office and is actively working to increase the admission of international students in its programmes. The institute aims to promote diversity and international collaboration within its academic environment.
To further enhance departmental development and initiatives, each department at IIT Kharagpur will formulate strategic plans to assess progress and reach predefined goals. These plans may also serve as the basis for securing additional funding from the institute to support various academic initiatives.
The move to align with the National Education Policy 2020 demonstrates IIT Kharagpur’s commitment to providing a modern and progressive education, preparing students to excel in a rapidly changing world and contributing to India’s progress in science, technology, and innovation.
