IIT Madras's Cybersecurity Degree: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) have collaborated to launch India's first practice-oriented four-year Bachelor of Cybersecurity (BCyber) programme. The programme commenced in the academic year beginning July 2026.
The programme aims to address the nation's growing demand for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals. Students enrolled in the programme will be equipped with the knowledge and practical expertise required to safeguard the country's rapidly expanding digital infrastructure, strategic sectors, and emerging cyber ecosystem.
Programme's Salient Features
- The first two years of coursework will be conducted at IIT Madras.
- The next two years will involve field deployment in selected government organisations, with the possibility of fellowships.
- Candidates who successfully complete the programme will receive a bachelor's degree from IIT Madras and IIT Madras alumnus status.
Eligibility and Admissions
- This year, admissions were conducted jointly with IIT Kanpur, based on the selection process defined for IIT Kanpur's BCyber admissions.
- Candidates selected for the programme had the option to choose either IIT Madras or IIT Kanpur.
Course Curriculum
Total Credits 52
Semester 1 (July-November)
| Course | Credits |
| Introduction to Computer Systems for Cybersecurity | 9 |
| Problem Solving with Computers | 12 |
| Linux System Administration | 12 |
| Introduction to Cryptography | 9 |
| Recreation Course | 2 |
| Life Skills 1 | 4 |
| NCC / NSS / NSO | 2 |
| POSH Training 1 | 0 |
| Professional Ethics | 2 |
Semester 2 (January-May)
Total Credits 52
| Course | Credits |
| Computer Organisation and Architecture for Cybersecurity | 9 |
| Computer Organisation and Architecture for Cybersecurity Lab | 4 |
| Ethical Hacking | 12 |
| Introduction to Data Science | 12 |
| Principles of Economics | 9 |
| Life Skills 2 | 4 |
| NCC / NSS / NSO | 2 |
Semester 3 (July-November)
Total Credits 51
| Course | Credits |
| Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing | 12 |
| Web Technologies and Security | 12 |
| Operating Systems and Computer Networks | 15 |
| Elective from Bucket A | 12 |
| POSH Training 2 | 0 |
Semester 4 (January-May)
Total Credits 57
| Course | Credits |
| Elective from Bucket A | 12 |
| Elective from Bucket A | 12 |
| Course from predefined list | 12 |
| Course from predefined list | 12 |
| Course from predefined list | 9 |
Semesters 5 to 8
| Component | Credits |
| Field deployments involving projects in areas such as Security Operations, Offensive Security, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, Secure Systems, Malware Analysis, Firmware Reverse Engineering, Critical Infrastructure Security, Hardware Security and Cloud Security | 45 credits each semester |
| NPTEL Electives | Minimum 12 and maximum 27 credits |
Electives In Bucket A
| Elective | Credits |
| Firmware Reverse Engineering | 12 |
| Digital Forensics | 12 |
| Cloud Security | 12 |
| Malware Analysis | 12 |