Chennai, September 15: Students from Jammu and Kashmir aspiring to study at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) now have an alternative pathway beyond the conventional JEE-based route, with IIT Madras inviting them to explore undergraduate degree programmes and continuing education opportunities through its Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE).
Director of IIT Madras, Prof Kamakoti Veezhinathan, on Tuesday encouraged students from J&K to take advantage of programmes offered through CODE, which enables learners to pursue higher education largely through online and non-campus modes. The initiative also offers working professionals an opportunity to return to higher education without leaving their jobs.
The initiative was highlighted during a visit to IIT Madras by a group of 13 journalists from Jammu and Kashmir, facilitated by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Srinagar.
Prof Kamakoti Veezhinathan said the institute uses various non-campus programmes to facilitate continuing education and make learning opportunities accessible beyond its main campus.
The programmes offered through CODE include the Bachelor of Science (BS) programme, web-enabled M.Tech programmes, executive education programmes, short-term training programmes and the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL).
“Coming to the BS programme, its success in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka is due to wide coverage and awareness by the media. I have a request for you. In Jammu and Kashmir, please talk about this BS programme. We have also done this in Uttar Pradesh. You should take information about the programme to every village,” Prof Kamakoti said.
He said IIT Madras would like to increase participation from Jammu and Kashmir in the next admission cycle.
“With this, for the next admission cycle, we want to set a target that at least 5 per cent of the students should come from Jammu and Kashmir. We will work with you towards this,” he added.
Chairperson of CODE Andrew Thangaraj informed that the IIT Madras BS programme is a full undergraduate degree programme offered by the institute.
Students enrol in the programme, study different subjects, complete assignments and examinations, earn credits and, after fulfilling the required academic requirements including offline exams, they receive a BS degree from IIT Madras.
“The programme is designed to allow students to pursue higher education largely through an online mode, making it accessible to people who may not be able to attend a conventional campus programme,” he said.
He said NPTEL, in contrast, is an online learning initiative of the IITs and IISc that offers courses across a wide range of subjects through video lectures and other study material prepared by faculty members from leading institutions.
“In simple terms: NPTEL is for learning individual short-term courses and gaining certificates, while the IIT Madras BS programme is for pursuing a complete bachelor’s degree,” Thangaraj said.
He said IIT Madras also focuses on five core engineering disciplines—civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering, and mechanical engineering—through its broader academic offerings.
Speaking to reporters, Thangaraj said the success of the BS programme in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka had been supported by wider awareness and media outreach and they hope that students from remote villages of J&K take these courses.
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