Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched ‘IITM School Connect’ program to help school students make informed choices about their Higher Education and Careers. Towards this, Two Certificate Course Programs in ‘Data Science and Artificial Intelligence’ and ‘Electronic Systems’ are being offered for School Students.
The courses have been designed by IIT Madras professors, with content specifically tailored for school students. These courses will be taught in the online mode and are aimed at providing hands-on career experience for Class XI and XII students.
These introductory courses are designed to provide students with insight into these fields, helping them make informed decisions about their higher education and career paths.
The next batch will commence on 21st October 2024. Registrations for this batch has already commenced on 16th September 2024. Schools interested in partnering with IIT Madras can register through the following link – https://school-connect.study.iitm.ac.in/
Highlighting the importance of this program to the development of students, Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, Chair, Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), IIT Madras, said, “As India’s top institute, IIT Madras sees it as our social responsibility to help school students explore various career options at an early stage while they are still in school. Currently, we are offering two key courses — Data Science and AI and Electronic Systems; we are planning to introduce more such hands-on programs in the coming months, catering to a wider range of interests.”
The courses will be for a duration of eight weeks. The initiative has already attracted substantial interest, with over 500 schools across India partnering with IIT Madras. As many as 11,000 students across India have already been enrolled in the first batch. These certification programs are open to all Classes XI & XII students of partnered schools.
Speaking about this program, Prof. Prathap Haridoss, Dean (Academic Courses), IIT Madras, said, “It is heartening to see school students independently building remotely-controlled robots. Students pursuing the Data Science course have engaged in hands-on projects, using datasets to extract meaningful insights. Courses such as these, expose the students to the various disciplines and help children identify their interests and strengths.”
Highlighting the benefit for school students, Prof. Vignesh Muthuvijayan, Faculty Coordinator, BS Degree, IIT Madras, said, “The response from schools and students has been overwhelmingly positive. We are thrilled to collaborate with schools nationwide to offer these short programs for school children. Children are naturally inquisitive, and it’s always a pleasure to interact with them as they come with a multitude of questions. Nurturing their curiosity is both fulfilling and essential for shaping their future.”
The Key Highlights of the certificate course programs include:
Ø Recorded lecture videos
Ø Hands-on training
Ø Live Interactions
Ø Assignments
Ø Computer-based assessment for certification
