COVID-19: IIT Gandhinagar launches PG course for graduating students

 The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Gandhinagar, has launched a one year post graduate diploma programme to help its graduating students whose higher education or employment plans have been disrupted due to the coronavirus outbreak. The postgraduate diploma, to be offered in Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Earth System Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering, will also enable students to seek lateral entry in M.Tech programmes.

"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," Sudhir K Jain, Director, IIT Gandhinagar told PTI.

"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," he said.

"The diploma will feature intensive course-work similar to the M.Tech program but with no thesis or research requirements. The course will also help graduating students who are interested in exploring, but are not fully committed to a master's program," he added.

The institute plans to run the course even after the COVID-19 crisis is over. However, the opportunity for direct admission is only a one time facility being offered this year. In addition, the premiere institute will also be 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.

"We are 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,we are offering up to 10 Junior Fellowships on leadership," he said.

"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," he added.

The Sabarmati Bridge Fellowship is a full-time position that will enable fellows to acclimatise 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. Universities and schools across the country have been closed since March 16 when the central government announced a countrywide classroom shutdown as one of the measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Later, a nationwide lockdown was announced on March 24, which has now been extended till May 17. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected employment as well as further study plans of many students due to the uncertainty, economic downfall as well as lockdown restrictions.