Being skilled in analysing and interpreting data is one of the most employable skills right now. But there exists a huge gap in the skills needed to get inside the industry and what is currently being taught in colleges. Indian colleges and universities have realised this too and are trying to bring out courses to cater to these new-age technologies.
2021 saw a range of new educational initiatives coming out to upskill students as well as professionals in data science and AI. Let’s take a look at some of them here.
IIMs
IIM Ahmedabad
IIM Ahmedabad launched the Brij Disa Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (CDSA). It said that this centre would conduct research in data science and artificial intelligence that will contribute to businesses, governance, and policymaking. It will also publish an exhaustive annual report on the data science and AI industry in India that will look at the challenges that exist in the industry and offer solutions to overcome them.
IIM Nagpur
IIM Nagpur launched the Post Graduate Certificate Programme in Data Science for Business Excellence and Innovation. It is aimed towards early and mid-career professionals seeking upskilling opportunities to perform effectively in their careers. It ranges from 9 to 12 months in duration and is scheduled beyond work hours and with flexibility of learning from convenient locations from working professionals.
IIT-I and IIM-I
IIT Indore and IIM Indore have signed an MoU to offer a two-year Master of Science programme in Data Science and Management. The course is targeted at working executives and fresh graduates. The two institutes said that the aim of the course is to equip students with the right skills needed for data scientists roles like data management skills, project management, big data analytics life cycle, and systems thinking.
IITs
IIT Guwahati
IIT Guwahati has launched a Bachelor’s course in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. It said that the first batch of 20 students would be admitted to the institution through the JEE Advanced-2021 counselling process. It is designed to train students holistically, focusing on relevant courses from other disciplines like computer science, electronics and electrical engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, the institute said.
IIT Delhi
The School of Artificial Intelligence (ScAI) at IIT Delhi announced a post-graduate programme in Artificial Intelligence named ‘M.Tech in Machine Intelligence & Data Science (MINDS)’. It is expected to begin in July 2022. M.Tech in MINDS is an industry-sponsored programme and the focus will be to work on industry-relevant AI problems. They will be co-advised by an IIT Delhi professor and a researcher from the sponsoring company. The eligibility to pursue this programme will be an undergraduate degree in science or engineering.
IIT Patna
It has introduced three new courses under the four-year B Tech program for the academic session in early 2021, one of which is for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. Admission to these courses will be through JEE Advanced 2021. It will
IIT Ropar
The Punjab Skill Development Mission and IIT Ropar have teamed up to offer a free course in artificial intelligence and data science. It will be held online with IIT professors and industry leaders participating in it. It is open for Class 12th students with a mathematics background. Students will get a certificate from IIT Ropar after course completion.
