IIT-Kanpur revamps curriculum as per NEP

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Oct 13 (IANS) The IIT-Kanpur has announced a comprehensive revamp of its curriculum, laying down a new template with pathbreaking features.

The transformative steps were part of the Undergraduate Academic Review Committee Report 2020-21 (UGARC 2020-21), which has been approved by the IIT-K Senate.

According to director, IIT-Kanpur Prof Abhay Karandikar, "The revamping of the existing curriculum, introduction of courses relevant to today's changing world and the revised grading system is in continuation of our steps in this direction and in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (2020) of the government."

He said that IIT-Kanpur already offers one of the most flexible academic programmes with options of double major, minor and dual degree with option of master's degree in different departments.

The revamped curriculum will introduce new degree options, including the honours degree and options of new interdepartmental degree programs.

It will also extend the scope of learning to include social-sciences, communication, humanities, economics, management and environment (SCHEME).

The official release said that the core courses will be restructured to give greater flexibility to the core curriculum.

Further, the programme will also enable counting of designated online courses done by students.

The transformational template for undergraduate education will include innovative features such as new opportunities for student exchange across institutions for the master's part of the bachelors-masters dual degree program, direct admission for talented students via globally acclaimed Olympiads, academic credits for approved entrepreneurial activities and learning done in the industry set up. There will also be an exit option degree for those students who want to leave the programme in the middle.

The academic programmes and the associated curricula at IIT-Kanpur will undergo a comprehensive review every ten years.

The review process begins with exhaustive deliberations within a committee comprising members drawn from the various academic departments as well as the student community.