The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has announced a sweeping overhaul of its undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD curricula, to be rolled out from the academic year 2025-26. The revamped structure is designed to align with global education trends and better prepare students for the demands of a rapidly evolving technological and environmental landscape.
At the heart of the new curriculum are three key pillars: flexibility, hands-on learning, and sustainability. These themes aim to empower students with future-ready skills across disciplines while encouraging ethical reasoning and interdisciplinary innovation.
Curriculum Reform Rooted in Broad Consultation
Launched in early 2022, the curriculum reform process incorporated feedback from thousands of stakeholders, including students, alumni, and industry experts. Their insights helped shape an outcomes-based curriculum that integrates emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, along with broader concerns such as sustainability and ethical decision-making.
Undergraduate Programmes: Greater Flexibility and Practical Exposure
The new undergraduate structure offers students a wider array of choices, enabling them to pursue minor degrees, specialisations, and honours tracks. Notably, students will have the option to enroll in an integrated M.Tech. programme after the third year, allowing them to graduate with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years.
A stronger emphasis on hands-on learning starts from the first year, with early departmental exposure, enhanced lab sessions, and small tutorial groups that foster deeper faculty interaction. Smaller class sizes in foundational courses will support a more personalised, engaging learning environment.
Sustainability and ethical reasoning are now embedded across disciplines, ensuring that graduates are equipped to tackle the environmental and moral challenges of the future. The curriculum also promotes interdisciplinary learning, encouraging students to develop creative solutions to global problems through technology.
Postgraduate and PhD Programmes: Industry Alignment and Research Rigor
The M.Tech. and MS curricula have also been redesigned to incorporate project-based learning. Each programme includes mandatory components such as a capstone project and a summer internship, enhancing students’ readiness for real-world challenges.
For PhD students, the revised framework prioritises independent research, collaborative industry engagement, and the ethical application of transferable skills. These changes aim to nurture researchers capable of addressing critical societal issues with academic rigour and professional integrity.
New Programmes from 2025-26
To complement these curricular changes, IIT Delhi will launch several new academic programmes in the upcoming academic year:
- B.Tech. in Design, open to candidates through JEE (Advanced) and UCEED
- Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry, a first at the institute
- M.Tech. in Photonics, with admission via GATE or equivalent exams
Through these innovations, IIT Delhi reaffirms its commitment to delivering cutting-edge education that is both relevant and responsive to the changing needs of society. The institute aims to nurture not just technologists, but adaptable, ethical leaders equipped to drive transformative change.
