The Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, recently launched a four-year online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electronic Systems at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT Madras). The programme aims to meet the significant and growing demand for skilled graduates in the electronics and embedded manufacturing sector in India.
The degree is in line with the India Semiconductor Mission’s objective of establishing India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design. This is the second online Bachelor of Science degree programme offered by IIT-Madras, following the BS Degree in Data Science and Applications, which presently has over 17,000 enrolled students.
According to a press release, to make IIT education more accessible to all, the fee for the BS in Electronic Systems course has been kept affordable with additional scholarships being provided to eligible students. Students graduating from this programme can find job opportunities in the automotive, semiconductor, and defence industries for positions like electronic system designer, embedded system developer, electronic hardware specialist, and system testing engineer, among others.
The programme allows participants to withdraw from it after a period of one, two, or four years following their enrollment. The government has stated that this is the only course in the country that offers such flexibility and convenience to students, setting a new standard for making higher education more accessible to a broad range of potential students in India.
Individuals of any age with an interest in electronic systems can enrol in the BS in Electronic Systems programme, and the eligibility requirement is that the candidate must have studied Mathematics and Physics as part of their Class 12 (or equivalent). It is possible to apply for the programme without clearing the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) through a built-in four-week qualifier process. Applicants will receive access to four weeks of course material taught by IIT-Madras faculty, and the qualifier exam will be solely based on this content. During this period, candidates will receive adequate support through discussion forums and live sessions.
Although the course content will be delivered online, quizzes and exams for the programme will be conducted in person to maintain academic rigour and ensure the programme’s quality. Additionally, the qualifier exam will also be an in-person examination administered in over 150 cities across the country and internationally. Candidates that obtain the minimum required score in the qualifier exam can continue with the programme as there is no limit on the number of seats available.
There is a high demand for a skilled and knowledgeable workforce in the field of electronic systems. Keeping this in mind, the programme has been designed in consultation with industry leaders. The graduates of the degree will have strong fundamentals and industry-ready skills ensuring high employability.
The programme provides a combination of theoretical and laboratory courses that will be taught by both IIT-Madras faculty and industry experts. Students will receive access to recorded video lectures, reading materials, weekly assessments, tutorials, and interactive doubt-clearing sessions as part of the courses, all of which are available online.
