In a landmark move to blend technical education with civic awareness, the Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) has mandated the study of the Indian Constitution for its undergraduate engineering students. This significant curriculum overhaul, set to take effect from the July 2025 academic session, aims to ground future technologists in the nation's foundational values and legal framework.
Constitutional Studies for Engineers: The New Mandate
The institute's highest academic body, the Senate, has formally approved the introduction of the Indian Constitution as a minor subject for all BTech students, starting from their third semester. The course will be housed under the Humanities and Social Sciences umbrella. Its primary objective is to familiarise students with constitutional values, fundamental rights, and the duties of citizens, ensuring they graduate not just as skilled engineers but as informed and responsible members of society.
Streamlined Credit System and Enhanced Core Subjects
Alongside this civic addition, the Senate has also greenlit a revision to the minor credit structure to make the academic load more balanced. Previously, students needed to complete five courses of three credits each, totalling 15 credits, to earn a minor. Under the revised framework, this requirement is reduced to four courses amounting to 12 credits. The remaining three credits have been integrated into core BTech subjects, allowing for a deeper focus on essential engineering topics.
This revised structure brings specific benefits to students in key branches. For those in Information Technology (IT) and IT (Business Informatics), the credit weightage for subjects like Probability and Statistics and Computer Graphics or Operations Research has been increased. Similarly, Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) students will see enhanced credits for Probability and Statistics and Electronic Workshop. Credits for Humanities, Social Sciences, and Management courses, which include the new Indian Constitution subject and Universal Human Values, have also been raised.
Expanding Academic Horizons: New Integrated Programs
Looking further ahead, IIIT-A has cleared the launch of three new integrated dual-degree programmes commencing from the 2026 academic session. These programs are designed to provide students with advanced specialisations and management skills alongside their core engineering training. The newly approved programs and their seat allocations are:
- BTech–MTech (IT): 25 seats
- BTech–MTech (ECE): 11 seats
- BTech–MBA: 22 seats
This makes for a total of 58 new seats across these integrated pathways. Admissions to these coveted programs will be conducted through the Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) counselling process, based strictly on merit.
The combined reforms signal IIIT Allahabad's commitment to producing well-rounded graduates who are not only at the forefront of technological innovation but also deeply anchored in the constitutional ethos and societal responsibilities of India.
