IIT Madras Launches First Online BSc In Programming And Data Science
The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' virtually launched Indian Institute of Technology Madras' online BSc degree in Programming and Data Science on Tuesday. This is the first online degree programme being offered by IIT Madras.
This online BSc degree programme is open to anyone who has qualified Class 12 examination, studied English and Mathematics at the Class 10 level, and enrolled in any on-campus undergraduate course.
As per a statement, the online BSc Degree in Programming and Data Science will be offered in three different stages - Foundational Programme, Diploma Programme and Degree Programme. At any stage, students can exit from the program and receive a Certificate, Diploma or a Degree, respectively, from IIT Madras.
Eligibility, Fee, Learning Platform
Based on the eligibility, interested candidates can submit an application form and pay a nominal fee of Rs 3,000 for the qualifying exam. Learners will get access to the course contents of four weeks for the four subjects -- Mathematics, English, Statistics and Computational Thinking.
The registered students can attend the online course lectures, submit online assignments and write an in-person qualifying exam at the end of the four-weeks' period. “In contrast to the typical admission processes of IITs which are constrained due to the limited number of in-campus seats, in this programme all students who clear (with an overall score of 50%) the qualifier exam will be eligible to register for the foundational program,” the statement added.
The programme, as per the statement, will be delivered on a state-of-the-art online portal and will attract learners from even remote parts of India where outreach of digital literacy is minimal and will help them stay ahead in their career journeys.
It further added: “To ensure that the online learning platform is closest to a classroom learning experience, the program will have videos from the faculty, weekly assignments and in-person invigilated exams just like any other regular course. The program will hone students' skills in managing data, visualizing patterns to gain managerial insights, model uncertainties and build models that assist in producing forecasts to make effective business decisions.”
Online Degree
Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka, Chairman of IIT, Madras; Board of Governors; Director and the faculty of the IIT, Madras; Chairman of AICTE Professor Anil Sahasrabudhe; Additional Secretary, MHRD Rakesh Ranjan and other senior officials of the Ministry were also present during the virtual launch of the programme.
The statement said: “Data Science is one of the fastest growing sectors that is predicted to create 11.5 million jobs by 2026. Online education is a trend being rapidly embraced for high quality education on a large scale.”
“Faculty from IIT Madras are addressing the need of this sector using online education processes and present an inclusive and affordable education model that will extend IIT's reach by orders of magnitude,” it added.
Mr Pokhriyal, in the launch, congratulated the team of IIT Madras for the world's first-ever online BSc degree program in Data Science and Programming. The Minister informed that the current batch of students who are completing their Class 12 in 2020 are eligible to apply. Graduates and working professionals can also take up this programme.
Mr Pokhriyal added that this unique offering removes all barriers of age, discipline or geographic location and provides access to a world-class curriculum in data science which is in huge demand for skilled professionals.