After 12 long years, IIT Delhi has finally overhauled its BTech curriculum — and it’s a big change. The aim? To reduce student stress and align better with what the industry actually wants, especially with fast-moving fields like AI and sustainability.

The changes come after two years of planning and feedback from students, faculty, and alumni. Starting 2025, first-year students will have fewer core subjects per semester, lighter academic load, and smaller class sizes — 150 students instead of 300.

This means more personal attention and less stress, especially during the adjustment-heavy first year.

Students now have more freedom to shape their academic path. A new honours option has been added to the BTech degree, and undergrads can even petition to convert to an integrated MTech programme by the end of their third year –finishing both degrees in just five years.

PRACTICAL LEARNING, AI TRAINING AND SUSTAINABILITY

There’s a stronger push towards “learning by doing.” Internships, hands-on projects, and team activities are now core parts of the new structure.

Every student will be trained to use AI tools responsibly and ethically. Programming courses will include AI-based code generators, and all graduates will receive basic training in sustainability.

IIT Delhi’s curriculum revamp committee studied top global and Indian institutions including MIT, Stanford, Cambridge, and other IITs before finalising the changes. The result? A curriculum designed to be more future-ready without burning out students.

(With PTI inputs)