S. Vishnu Sharma
BTech in AI and Data Analytics course has been launched in IIT Madras. Students will be admitted into the course from AY 2024-25.
The undergraduate BTech in AI and Data Analytics has been carefully crafted to equip students with key skills and knowledge, say sources from IIT Madras.
Admission into BTech in AI and Data Analytics Course
Admission to this BTech in AI and Data Analytics will be through JEE Advanced exam.
The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JOSAA) counselling for the 2024 batch is currently ongoing.
Aim
The Program aims to cultivate expertise in diverse aspects of AI and data analytics, offering a panoramic view of its applications across industries.
BTech in AI and Data Analytics will have a student strength of 50 admitted through JEE.
There will be a strong emphasis on Math Fundamentals, Data Science /AI/ML Foundations, Application Development and Responsible Design besides a distinct interdisciplinary flavor.
The program is being offered through the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, established with an endowment of Rs. 110 Crore by Mr. Sunil Wadhwani, a distinguished alumnus of IIT Madras and the Co-founder of IGATE and Mastech Digital.
The vision is to be among the top AI-focused schools worldwide and also advise the Government and policymakers on Data Science and AI-related policy areas.
Flexibility
This BTech in AI and Data Analytics course will offer a lot of academic flexibility, allowing students to tailor their learning journey through a wide range of electives from within the department and outside.
From delving into the intricacies of Speech and Language Technology and Computer Vision to exploring Applications in Control and Detection and Time-Series Analysis, students can delve deeper into areas of personal passion and interest.
Director of IIT Madras
Director of IIT Madras spoke about BTech in AI and Data Analytics program. AI is evolving across engineering, science and humanities disciplines.
It is extremely important to understand these multi-disciplinary connections to be successful in this field, said Director of IIT Madras.
The BTech in AI and Data Analytics course is uniquely positioned to address this aspect. It is first of its kind in the world, he said.
The curriculum has evolved based on the experience gained by our faculty over more than a decade, he said.
Through this offering, IITM aspires to produce top-notch AI professionals, entrepreneurs and researchers who can take up with great confidence the grand AI challenges in the evolving market, he said.
Key areas
Prof. B. Ravindran, Head, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras highlighted about the key aspects of BTech in AI and Data Analytics course.
AI is at a point where computer science was 30 years back. Artificial Intelligence is going to be a very transformative technology and will be the defining technological development of this generation, and perhaps another generation to come, he said.
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‘The flagship program is going to be the undergraduate program – The BTech in AI and Data Analytics course.
We will ensure that the students know enough about the fundamentals of AI so that they can pick up things on their own if they want to get into a research career.’
He further said the program that we have developed is designed from the ground up to focus both on the fundamentals of AI and how to build applications and a system-oriented design of AI.
Since we are looking at the entire pipeline of AI design, I think it makes this program fairly unique, he said.
Core curriculum
The core curriculum of BTech in AI and Data Analytics course has been designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in AI and data analytics, covering a diverse array of subjects essential for success in this field.
From foundational courses in linear algebra and calculus to specialized modules in machine learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning, students are equipped with a robust toolkit to tackle the varied challenges in this discipline.
Practical experience
Furthermore, practical experience is ingrained in the curriculum of BTech in AI and Data Analytics course through laboratory sessions, workshops, and real-world projects, ensuring students graduate not only with theoretical knowledge but also with hands-on expertise ready for immediate application in the industry.
Curriculum
Prof. Arun K. Tangirala, Faculty, Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras spoke more about BTech in AI and Data Analytics course.
“We can divide the curriculum into four parts – First is ‘Foundation in Sciences’ that deals with mathematics, sciences, and statistics, followed by ‘Modelling Techniques’ such as convolutional neural network, deep net and so on, with the third being ‘Training and Deployment of Models’ in which the algorithms will be covered and finally, ‘Domain Applications’ which puts everything together.
‘Our interface with the Industry is very strong. In terms of internships, UG Research, and so on, the student here will have a much brighter chance of getting practical experience.’
Research themes
The Research Themes of the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI include Healthcare, Responsible AI, Language technology, and responsible development and deployment of AI for social impact.