Mumbai, 02 July 2020:  COVID 19 pandemic has prompted higher educational institutes to look to innovative and disruptive ideas in academic exams and course study.  The sub-committee of Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC) has recommended a list of measures for minimum common strategy to be followed by all IITs for academic activities coming semesters.

One of the important changes proposed is the duration of MTech progarmmes in IITs. The MTech programme would be compressed to 18 months. The normal course duration on MTech programme is 24 months or two years. However, the final decision on this proposal will be approved by Senates of each IITs and Ministry of HRD.

The committee mentioned that all two year PG programme to be compressed in 18 months with each institute to have flexibility in conducting the prohram over 3 regular or 4 reduced semesters. All the newly admitted students will join the institute and start program in December 2020-January 2021 timeframe.  This is applicable for all PG programs including  MSc, MTech, MS(R), MDes, MA, MBA, PhD, and other Post Graduate programmes.

According to this report, classes for the first semester of the 2020-21 academic year will be conducted online for all courses. Semester 1 of 2020-21 classes for all UG (under Graduate) and PG (Post Graduate) programs will be conducted in online mode for all courses, with short term and smaller weightage evaluations.

The committee has also recommended that projects in BTech, MTech or other programmes to be given to students preferably to be theoretical without experimental work. In case experimental work becomes possible later in the year or next year, the project will be suitably augmented.

IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Jodhpur have already confirmed the upcoming semester will be commenced from August or September by online. There will be no physical classes or face to face classes.

IIT Delhi Senate, in its 211th meeting, has agreed to go in-principle with the Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC) sub-committee recommendations for our autumn semester (2020) academic activities, Ramgopal Rao, Director IIT Delhi informed.

Earlier, in an announcement, Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay,   said “After a long deliberation in the Senate meeting today , we have decided today that the next semester will be run purely in the online mode so that there is no compromise on the safety and well being of the students.”

These recommendations need to be approved by Senate of each IITs.