Innovative institute

The IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN) is one of eight new IITs launched in 2008. The campus though may be currently under construction, its distinctive undergraduate curriculum was recognised with a World Education Award for innovation in higher education at the World Education Summit 2013. 

Svetlana Brzev, a faculty member, remarked: “The institute stands out from the rest with its innovative features in both its academic curriculum and administration.   A unique five-week Foundation Programme for First Year B Tech students nurtures creativity, ethics, communication skills, teamwork, social engagement and physical fitness.’’  He said, in the first phase, a fully residential campus for 2,400 students will be built and the Master Plan envisages a final student population of 4,800 students. IITGN will be shifting to the permanent campus in December, this year.

This academic year, the institute has around 900 students and 70 permanent faculties. To promote critical thinking and an appreciation of the inter-disciplinary character of knowledge, IITGN students take almost 20 per cent of their coursework in the humanities and social sciences, nearly twice the proportion of other leading engineering institutes in the country. 

 Though it does not have the so called popular branch of computer study, Dean, Strategic Planning & Special Initiatives Achal Mehra said, “Pursuing a popular programme like computer science is an easy call. At IITGN, we are focussed on a broader strategic vision premised on recruiting world class faculty to offer an exceptional educational experience to our students. We do not make distress appointments just to we can offer popular disciplines.

Exceptional faculty in computer sciences are not readily available. However, we are now close to building the necessary faculty strength in this discipline and expect to be able to offer programme soon so that we can confidently say we offer the academic calibre which we aspire.”