Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar has taken up several initiatives to help its graduating students whose future plans may be interrupted by COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Institute has launched a One-Year Postgraduate Diploma Program in several streams for the upcoming Academic Year (2020-21) for students of the current graduating class.
A major objective of this program is to help students whose higher education or employment plans may be disrupted. This Postgraduate Diploma will also help graduating students who are interested in exploring, but are not fully committed to, a Master’s Program.
In addition, IIT Gandhinagar is also offering two Fellowships – ‘IIT Gandhinagar Junior Fellowship in Leadership’ and ‘Sabarmati Bridge Fellowship’ to enable students to undertake unconventional professional and exciting research opportunities and pursue their passions.
Speaking about the objectives of this new program, Prof. Sudhir K. Jain, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, said, “The postgraduate diploma and the research and leadership fellowships have been designed to engage some of our brightest students whose post-graduation plans for higher education and employment may get disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. These opportunities will enable them to continue to pursue their education or undertake exciting research or develop career-enhancing leadership skills until they can move on once this crisis passes.”
The Institute envisages producing future leaders in various walks of life not only in engineering, science, management and education but also in social work, politics and other areas. With that objective, the Institute is supporting a Junior Fellowship to encourage fresh graduates to undertake unconventional professional opportunities as well as to develop their leadership skills. For the Academic Year 2020-21, it is offering up to 10 Junior Fellowships on leadership.
The Sabarmati Bridge Fellowship will empower aspiring young researchers among final year BTech, MSc, and MA students of IIT Gandhinagar. This Fellowship will enable them to work with an IIT Gandhinagar faculty member on a research problem that could lead to scholarly publications. The Fellows will also gain exposure to the various skills required for a PhD program and research career.
The Postgraduate Diploma features intensive course-work similar to the M.Tech. program but with no thesis or research requirements. It is offered in Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Earth System Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. Students who successfully complete the program will receive a Postgraduate Diploma from IIT Gandhinagar (PGDIIT).
A candidate who completes the PGDIIT can apply to enroll for the M.Tech. degree provided he/she earns SPI of 6.0 and above, and CPI of 6.5 and above. Once admitted to the M.Tech. program, such candidates will have to fulfil all the requirements of M.Tech., including those of thesis/project for an award of M.Tech. degree. The coursework done as part of the PGDIIT will then be carried over to the M.Tech. program.
The Unique aspects of the IIT Gandhinagar Junior Fellowship in Leadership Include
Ø Selected Fellows will work full-time under a faculty mentor and provide support and help execute various initiatives of the Institute, thereby gaining valuable experience in leadership.
Ø Fellows are expected to dedicate themselves full-time to the Fellowship with professional and performance expectations of a Management Trainee at a top organization.
Ø Fellows will receive Rs. 25,000 per month.
Ø The Fellowship will be awarded initially for four months. If their performance is deemed satisfactory, the Fellowship will be extended for another eight months (for a total duration of one year).
The Sabarmati Bridge Fellowship is a full-time position that will enable Fellows to acclimatize to research groups and gain experience in collaborative learning and publication. Fellows will also gain exposure to the various skills required for a PhD program and research career.
Fellows will receive Rs. 20,000 per month. In addition, faculty mentors have the option to top-up this fellowship up to an additional Rs. 10,000 from their project funds. Final year IITGN BTech, MSc, and MA students who have a passion for research and are contemplating a PhD program or research career are eligible to apply. The applicants are expected to complete their graduation requirement in 2020.
