IITs reshape engineering education with AI, data science & emerging tech courses. Take a look

India’s premier engineering institutes are rapidly reshaping their academic programmes as artificial intelligence (AI) moves from being a specialised field to becoming a core part of modern engineering education.

A review of the current offerings across India’s 23 IITs shows roughly 50 degree-level programmes featuring Artificial Intelligence, Machine Intelligence or closely related AI and Data Science themes.

The expansion reflects a broader shift in how IITs view AI. It is no longer being treated solely as a computer science specialisation but as a technology that can transform multiple engineering and research disciplines.

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IIT Delhi’s School of Artificial Intelligence, for instance, offers programmes focused on Machine Intelligence and Data Science, with research spanning deep learning, reinforcement learning, computer vision, natural language processing, responsible AI, healthcare, manufacturing and intelligent robotics.

IIT Madras has also expanded its AI offerings. Its B.Tech programme in Artificial Intelligence combines fundamental concepts with practical applications, internships and undergraduate research. The institute introduced a web-enabled postgraduate diploma with an AI specialisation in 2025, giving graduates and working professionals an opportunity to study remotely and potentially progress to a Web-Enabled M.Tech.

AI learning reaches beyond IIT campuses

IIT Madras has also been using its SWAYAM Plus platform to make AI education accessible to a wider audience. In 2025, it introduced beginner-friendly courses covering AI in Physics, AI in Chemistry, AI in Accounting, Cricket Analytics with AI and AI/ML using Python.

The initiative was subsequently expanded with courses such as AI for Educators, AI for Aspiring Engineers, AI for Administrators and Prompt Engineering. SWAYAM Plus has now grown to more than 500 online courses across 15 sectors.

The shift is also visible in the growing demand for computer science and AI-related programmes. The IIT Madras director noted that “99.9% of JEE (Advanced) toppers are choosing computer science”, while stressing that AI should be viewed as an enabler rather than a replacement for traditional engineering disciplines.

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Traditional engineering meets emerging technologies

IITs are increasingly combining conventional engineering with AI and computational technologies. IIT Madras’ 2026-27 programmes include robotics, semiconductor materials technology, sustainable engineering, sports analytics and AI, quantitative finance and computational engineering.

IIT Bombay has similarly introduced programmes covering climate and sustainability, semiconductor materials, computational materials engineering, MEMS and AI and Data Science. It has also launched an 18-month executive postgraduate diploma in AI and Data Science, alongside a four-month online Leadership with AI course for professionals.