IIT-Guwahati’s online Data Science-AI programme, with flexible exit options, sees rising demand | Education News
The four-year online Bachelor of Science programme in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence offered by IIT-Guwahati is witnessing strong enrolment growth, with its flexible exit options emerging as a key driver. In an interview to PTI the institute’s director, Prof Devendra Jalihal, said, “Launched in 2023 as a four-year programme with flexible exit options from the second year onwards, the online course had 700 students in its first batch, 1,000 in the second and 1,400 in the third. At this pace, enrolment is expected to reach 5,000 in the next five years.” The flexible structure, implemented under the Multiple Entry and Exit System (MEES) for undergraduate programs, implemented across Indian higher education institutions under the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, allows students to leave the programme after specified stages with recognised qualifications, making it accessible to learners who may not be able to commit to four full years. Introduced as part of the IIT Guwahati’s efforts to widen participation in AI and Data Science education, the system has drawn increasing interest from students …








