The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has announced two online courses on artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) and cybersecurity.
According to a news report, one of the courses is a short-term programme on AI and ML. The other is a certification course on cybersecurity. They are organised by the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), a deemed university and an autonomous organisation funded by the Defence PSU.
Both of these programmes are 12-weeks long and will consist of two-hour sessions five days a week. For the course on AL and ML, selected candidates will be trained on probability theory, pattern recognition, big data analytics, computer vision, natural language processing, augmented reality, deep learning, and other fundamental and advanced AI/ML topics.
Interested candidates will have to take an entrance test which will be conducted on 20 February. The eligibility criteria for those appearing in the exam is that they should hold a graduate degree in any stream. They will be tested on their programming knowledge, the basics of algorithms, databases, data structure, statistics, probability, and modular mathematics.
The cybersecurity course will deal with the fundamentals as well as advanced topics such as forensic and incident response, system programming, reverse engineering and malware analysis, basic and advanced vulnerability analysis, exploit mitigation, and penetration testing. Students will also be trained on the tools and techniques required for cybersecurity professionals through the 12-week course.
For this course as well, students will have to take an entrance exam, which will be held on 21 February. They will be asked questions on the fundamentals of operating systems, networking, system software, data structures, and programming languages.
Educational institutions around the country have increased the number of courses they provide on advanced technologies like AI. For example, the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-Delhi) is currently accepting applications from graduates and professionals for a six-month certificate online course on data science and ML.
The organisation will provide the course through its Continuing Education Programme (CEP). This programme is aimed at early-career professional or mid-level managers looking to explore cutting-edge data science and machine learning tools and techniques.
Further, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) also announced the launch of a 10-month PG-level Advanced Certification Programme in Deep Learning. The program offers a practical understanding of how ML algorithms can be developed and optimised for hardware and applied in areas like edge computing. Apart from this, the course aims at providing expertise in areas such as speech, text, image, and video.
A report explained that while computer science has remained one of the top educational streams, many colleges are witnessing a growing number of students now opting for electronics and communication, AI, and data science. In early 2019, to attract more students to the engineering sector, the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had requested all affiliated engineering colleges to introduce new courses like data science and analytics, blockchain, machine learning, and robotics, among others. Since 2020, AICTE also implemented a blanket ban on new engineering institutes across the country and instead requested colleges to apply for new-age courses.
