Despite the global economic slowdown, emerging technologies are in demand. The COVID-19 imposed restrictions and challenges have exacerbated the demand for them, creating an increase in the demand for students that study these technologies, according to a recent news report.
Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other top engineering colleges report how companies are actively seeking students who have expertise in data science, machine learning (ML), internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, blockchain, and design thinking.
Emerging technologies are growing rapidly and so are the human resource requirements in these fields. This year, placements for students that learn emerging technologies have been better than last year, Pradeep Kumar Yemula, faculty-in-charge, office of career services at IIT-Hyderabad, explained.
A few institutes have already surpassed last year’s total number of offers in emerging technologies. For example, IIT-Guwahati received 23 offers for emerging technologies with an average salary of IN 2.4 million; this is while the second phase of recruitment is currently underway. Last year, the college had had a total of 21 offers for emerging technologies.
A representative of IIT-Madras noted that phase one placements at IIT-Madras went on well with good participation from companies in the AI/ML/data science sector. The institute expects the trend of active participation from companies in this sector to continue in the next few years.
Further, last November, IIT-Madras announced it would offer two free online courses on AI, available on the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL) platform. The courses began this January under Professor Deepak Khemani, from IIT-Madras’ Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
As OpenGov Asia reported earlier, while students will be able to take the course for free, for an e-certification, they will need to pay a fee and clear an examination, which will be conducted by the institute. The certificate will be awarded by IIT-M in collaboration with the NPTEL platform.
The two courses – AI: Constraint Satisfaction and Artificial Intelligence: Knowledge Representation and Reasoning – are 8 and 12 weeks long. The course, AI: Constraint Satisfaction aims to teach learners AI-centric diverse problem-solving methods. The curriculum will include constraint networks, equivalent and projection networks, search methods for solving CSPs, lookahead methods, dynamic variable and value order, model-based systems, model-based diagnosis, and truth maintenance systems.
The course, Artificial Intelligence: Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, is meant for slightly advanced learners, who already understand formal languages, programming, and logic. The course curriculum includes proof systems, natural deduction, tableau method, resolution method, description logic (DL), structure matching, classification, default logic, autoepistemic logic, epistemic logic, and multi-agent scenarios.
IIT-M recently began an online BSc programme in data science. It has seen a rise in demand for similar courses and the AI courses are mainly aimed at people who are working professionals or are pursuing another degree elsewhere. They can attend these courses part-time online and increase their qualification level. This programme is aimed at helping people acquire new skills and become job-ready.
India is expected to become a global leader in the development of AI, which could add up to US $957 billion to India’s economy by 2035. The country hopes to stand out in the international community as a model of responsible AI use for social empowerment. The nation has robust plans to leverage AI for inclusive development, representing the country’s ‘AI for All’ strategy.
