With an objective to meet the growing demand for skilled graduates in the electronics and embedded manufacturing sector in the country, the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) on Monday launched a four-year online course, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electronic Systems.
The programme, which has been designed in a way that it offers multiple exits so that students can get a foundational level certificate, diploma or BS degree, aligns with the India Semiconductor Mission to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
This is the second online BS programme from IIT-M following BS Degree in Data Science and Applications, which has more than 17,000 students studying currently. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who launched the course, said the course was the right approach to implementing National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
“All the recommendations of NEP, whether it is flexibility, job oriented, entrepreneurship oriented, credit framework is attached to this architecture, multiple entry and exits, and above all, affordability in Indian higher education system with quality and accessibility are present in this BS in Electronic Systems,” Pradhan said.
He also said the Union government is facilitating good policy reforms with initiatives like PLI (Production Linked Incentive Scheme) to create a global hotspot for this ecosystem.
Students graduating from this programme can find job opportunities in industries such as automotive, semiconductor, and defence, among others, for positions like electronic system designer, embedded system developer, electronic hardware specialist, system testing engineer, and electronics research engineer.
Dr Pawan K Goenka, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT-M, said the BS Programme, first announced in 2020 was a very successful program with 17,000 students currently enrolled.
“What makes it a very unique program is that it makes IIT education accessible to a very wide range of people who otherwise may not be able to come to an IIT to get that kind of education. And also, it is very flexible in terms of where you want to exit. One does not have to commit for four years. Once you sign up, they can exit after one year, two years or four years,” he said.
The BS (Electronic Systems) programme is open to anyone interested in Electronic Systems, irrespective of age, with the only eligibility criteria being that the candidate should have studied mathematics and physics as part of their Class 12 (or equivalent).
Admission to the programme is possible without JEE through an in-built four-week qualifier process. Candidates who apply will be provided access to four weeks of content taught by IIT-M faculty and the qualifier exam will be based on this content alone. Sufficient support will be provided to candidates in this period in the form of discussion forums and live sessions.