FAQ on M.Tech. (Online)
What is the M.Tech. (Online) Programme?
In keeping with India’s recent National Education Policy (NEP 2020), the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, designed the Master of Technology (Online) degree programme, a fully online programme, for practicing engineers and scientists. The degree programme is for professionals who are sponsored by organisations, who already have a BE/BTech/Equivalent degree, and wish to upskill or re-skill themselves. The first batch of students were admitted in August 2021 for the academic year 2021-22.
What are the streams in which the programme is offered?
The following streams are being offered in August 2022
1. Artificial Intelligence
2. Data Science and Business Analytics
3. Electronics and Communication Engineering
When will the syllabus and the sample paper for the written test and interview (for DSBA) be available?
Please see these links:
1. Artificial Intelligence
2. Data Science and Business Analytics
3. Electronics and Communication Engineering
Are these programmes available for any qualified working professional?
This programme will be available only in sponsored mode to sponsoring organisations. IISc will enter into an MoA with the sponsoring institution. The professionals can be employed full time in their organisations while pursuing this programme. Admission will be under the MoA with the sponsoring institution which will first shortlist the candidates; a final selection will be based on a further written test and/or an online interview conducted by IISc.
Will there be any in-person engagement for the students in the IISc campus?
The programmes are designed to be completely in online mode. Classes and content will all be delivered online. Assessment will be based on a mix of online and proctored examinations, as determined by the Institute.
What is the duration of the programme?
The nominal duration of the programme is two-to-three years. Under genuine circumstances such as maternity leave, medical leave, etc., extension beyond three years will be considered. The request for the extension has to come through the sponsoring organisation.
What are the deadlines for applying through portal, shortlisting, written test, interview and admission notification?
| MoA signing deadline: | 28 February 2022 |
| Application portal open: | 15 March 2022 |
| Applications deadline: | 15 April 2022 |
| Written test and interview: | 9 – 13 May 2022 |
| Offer of admission to selected candidates by IISc: | 2 June 2022 |
| Payment of fees and deposit by selected candidates: | 1 July 2022 |
| Academic year starts: | 1 August 2022 |
Do I need to get the approval form signed by my organisation before I can apply?
Yes. Please see the proforma here. Please have a signed soft copy ready (electronic signatures are sufficient) for upload on the M.Tech. (Online) application portal. The certificate is individual specific.
My organisation has not yet signed the MoA. Can I still apply?
No. The application form will have a drop-down menu of the sponsoring institutions which have signed an MoA with us.
If my organisation does not sign the MoA, will you refund the application fee?
No
What is the deadline for signing of the MoA?
We would like to complete this at the earliest. The deadline for MoA signing is given in the deadlines FAQ above.
What are the minimum qualifications for applying to these programmes?
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- BE, BTech or equivalent. The specific streams have further requirements. See the link below.
- Minimum CGPA/percentage/class in all degrees as specified by the stream requirements.
- The employees should have a minimum number two years of industry experience at the time of joining.
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For more information on this, please look up: here. Please note that the eligibility criteria are strict. The number of days of employment should be at least 365 x 2.
What are the equivalent disciplines eligible to apply for Artificial Intelligence Stream?
The equivalent disciplines that are eligible for Artificial Intelligence stream are: Information Technology; Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering; Information Science and Engineering; Computer Science and Engineering; Telecommunication Engineering
What are the equivalent disciplines eligible to apply for Electronics and Communication Engineering Stream?
The equivalent disciplines that are eligible for Electronics and Communication Engineering stream are: Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering; Telecommunication Engineering
How are these programmes different from IISc’s flagship residential M.Tech. Programmes?
The M.Tech. (Online) degree is equivalent to the flagship residential Master of Technology (M.Tech.) degree of IISc in all respects (number of credits, project work, rigour, and technical depth of the courses). The term “Online” in the name of the degree refers to the mode by the lectures and assessment processes are delivered. There is a flexibility to carry out the project component completely within the organisation.
Can a graduate of this programme apply for Ph.D.?
Certainly yes. The graduates of this programme will be eligible for every privilege and opportunity that the graduates of IISc’s regular M.Tech. programmes.
What are some important features and guidelines of these programmes?
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- Each stream is designed, structured, and administered by a Programme Curriculum Committee (PCC) comprising expert faculty members of the Institute.
- The number of course credits will be specified by the PCC and can vary between 32 – 48 credits.
- Project credits will constitute the remainder of the credits, so that the total comes to 64 credits for the entire programme.
- Course grading will follow IISc’s 10-point grading system: A+ = 10, A = 9, B+ = 8, B = 7, C = 6, D = 5, F = 0.
- Candidates can have at most two semesters break in studies. The request must come through the sponsoring organisation. Women candidates may avail a maternity leave of up to a year in case of maternity during the programme, in addition to the above.
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For more information on this, please look up:Â here
What is the tentative commitment per week from the candidates?
For each course we anticipate three contact hours per week in an instructor led session and eight hours of self study, assignments, home-works and exercises for a 3:0 course. So registered students should be able to make 11 hours/week/course. A 3:1 course will have substantial additional assignment work, and registered students should be able to make 14-15 hours/week for such a course.Given that the participants will be full time employees at their sponsoring institutions, we recommend not more than two courses per term
What is the maximum number of candidates per organisation which the program can accommodate? Is there a maximum cap?
Sixty per stream. Please note that IISc has a selection procedure (online test and/or interview).
In case the candidate plans to leave the parent organization in-between the program, what will happen?
If fees have been paid for the current term, the enrollment will continue for that term and will terminate at the end of the term. (We presume the organisation and the employee are aware of this when the candidate leaves the organisation.) The credits earned are owned by the candidate.
How is the dissertation project chosen, executed, and assessed? How can a guide be selected if a student cannot find a project guide within the student’s area of interest from their organisation? Who will have rights over IPRs filed, IISc or sponsoring organisation?
Every project will have a faculty mentor from IISc and an organisational guide from within the sponsoring organisation. Both the faculty mentor for the project and the organisational guide must be identified prior to start of the project. The faculty mentor will be responsible for approving the project goals, for regular evaluation (as per schedule indicated by the PCC), for bringing in the needed academic rigour, and for the final evaluation. The organisational guide will monitor internal progress on a regular basis. The organisational guide shall have a Ph.D. or five years’ experience post Masters. One guide (from the sponsoring company) can guide at most 6 students.In general, when the guidance is only from the sponsoring organisation, and IISc’s role is restricted to approval of goals and evaluation, and IPR rests with the sponsoring organisation. If guidance from the IISc faculty mentor is sought by the organisation, a specific IPR agreement for the retainer consultancy will be negotiated and put in place. In this case, the PCC needs to be informed and the agreement must be signed before guidance by the IISc faculty mentor begins.
What are the IISc privileges available during and after the studentship?
During the tenure and while registration fees are paid to keep the registration ongoing, the following will be made available to the students: IISc email id; Library access; and access to all applicable resources from DIGITS (Office of Digital campus and IT Services). Alumni/Alumnae privileges will be available after the award of the degree.
What is the fee structure for the programme?
The fee structure will range from Rs. 8.8 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs (maximum), depending on the stream and credits taken, for the entire duration of the programme. For details, see here .
What is the schedule of payment for the fee? Can the student pay it directly to the Institute?
The fee for each semester is based on the number of credits a student is registered for. The fee is expected to be paid at the start of the semester.
Starting from Summer 2022, we have moved to a student-pays and company-reimburses model to better align the M.Tech.(Online) program with the workflow of our residential degree programs. The student is expected to pay the term fees within 30 days of the start of the semester against a pro-forma invoice generated for the credits registered for. The student may then have the fees reimbursed by their company as per the internal policies of the organisation. Whether the organisation completely sponsors the program for its students and if/how it reimburses the employee will be internal to the organisation.
I have dropped a course after registering for it? Will my course registration fee be refunded?
Students are expected to pay the term fees for courses they register for within 30 days of the start of the term.
If a student drops a course before the drop-without-mention date, then they still need to pay the term fees for the course but it will be adjusted against course or project fees for future terms.
If a student drops a course after the drop-without-mention date, the course fees are used up and it will not be refunded or adjusted.
What are the steps an organisation should take to sponsor candidates for these programmes?
Sponsoring organisations desirous of participating in this programme are requested to visit the following website and provide an expression of interest in the proforma downloadable from the website
The expression of interest must come from the Head of Human Resources or equivalent authority on the organisation’s letterhead. The form may be filled and a scan copy may be sent to office.iken@iisc.ac.in
Can I travel abroad while Iâm enrolled in the program?
Yes, you may travel internationally or temporarily relocate to an international branch of your company while youâre enrolled in the M.Tech. (Online) program as long as you are able to attend the online classes and assessments from your remote location. However, if you are permanently relocating to a foreign country as part of your role within your organization, that is not be permissible.
Which organisations are eligible to become sponsoring organisations?
Currently, we are looking for organisations with the following profiles:
- Government research and development organisations and public sector units.
- Organisations with an established track record (five years and more) in research and development in the three indicated streams.
How are the organisations selected for participating in these programmes?
A committee constituted by IISc will scrutinise the submitted expressions of interest, and will shortlist organisations for taking further steps. The decision of the committee on the shortlist will be final. The Institute and the shortlisted organisations will work to create and enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). For each stream, a cumulative minimum number of enrolled students (across organisations) is required for the programme to be administered.
When will the selection of students happen?
The Institute will be launching the portal for admissions during March 2022 (see IISc Admissions page). The sponsoring organisations should complete their shortlisting of candidates, and candidates should apply on the portal, before before the application deadline (usually end of March). The online written test and the online interview will be during end of May (dates will be announced later). Admission notifications are expected to be sent by the first week of June 2022. The classes will commence from 01 August 2022. (expected). See one of the above FAQs on deadlines.
Where do I get more information?
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- For more information on the programme and the streams, please visit our website
- For more information on the specific streams:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Data Science and Business Analytics
- Electronics and Communication Engineering
- What is the contact address of the office that administers these programmes?
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IISc Knowledge and E-Learning Network (IKEN),
Centre for Continuing Education (CCE)
Indian Institute of Science
Bengaluru – 560 012
Phone: 080 – 2293 2055/2508
E-mail: office.iken@iisc.ac.in
Can students visit the campus in-person after the COVID-19 situation improves?
Yes, once the COVID-19 restrictions are removed, students are welcome to visit the campus.
Can my internal project guide be from a different business unit or from a foreign location of my organization?
Yes, your internal project guide can be from any business unit or global branch of your company, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements and are able to fulfil the duties of the internal guide.
Will I get an ID card?
Yes, we will start the process for issue of an ID card when you come to get your documents verified.
How do I get VPN access and how do I use IISc VPN?
VPN is enabled by default for all students with an IISc email ID. Please see this link for more details, including connection via VPN for the first time and subsequent usages.
How do I access the library? How do I get access to journals, books, conference papers, research papers subscription?Â
The library’s online content may be accessed using this link. All our online subscriptions to journals and books are available through this link if you are connected via VPN.
Can we audit M.Tech. (Online) courses?
No, M.Tech. (Online) courses are not auditable.
Can we take more than one term to complete a course?
No. All courses must be completed in the terms for which the registration was done. Once a candidate registers for a course, if the candidate has not dropped the course before the “drop-without-mention” date, the candidate will be charged the registration fee for the course. After this date, the candidate can still drop the course before the “drop-with-mention” date, but the ‘drop’ will be mentioned in the grade card (as W grade for withdrawn) and the course registration fees will not be refunded. If the candidate has not dropped the course before the “drop-with-mention” date, the candidate has to go through the course in the same term and a grade will be given. Attendance in the terminal examination is then compulsory. Students who are absent will be given an F grade. F grade handling, etc., will be as per student guidelines.
How much attendance is required for each course?
The candidate must have 75% of attendance (attending live lectures).
How many core courses can a student take, and how many electives can a student opt for in a term?
In each semester in which the candidate registers for credits, the candidates should register for a minimum of 3 course credits and a maximum of 12 course credits (minimum 0 course credits and maximum 8 course credits in summer term). Project credits are not counted for these limits. This is until course requirements are completed. If projects and courses are both being taken in a term, the maximum is 16 credits (project + courses) in a semester and 12 credits (project + courses) in a summer term. If registration is only for project, with no courses, the maximum is 21 project credits in a semester and 12 project credits in a summer term.
The core courses are usually prerequisites for many subsequent courses. Candidates should think about completing the core courses at the earliest. Please consult your faculty adviser and programme curriculum committee.
What is the structure of M.Tech. (Online) programme?
The M.Tech. (Online) the programme comprises core courses, elective courses and projects. See the brochure for more details on the programmes.
How many credits are required to complete a programme successfully?
The credit requirements are different for different streams. Kindly refer to each stream page for more information about credits.
Can a student transfer or upgrade to Ph.D.?
No. It is not possible for an upgrade since admission is in sponsored mode. After obtaining the M.Tech. (Online) degree, the candidates will be M.Tech.-qualified and can apply for a PhD at IISc.
Can we pursue PhD from other universities after completing M.Tech. (Online)?
We believe this will be accorded the same recognition as our regular residential degree programme.
Can class timing and schedule be changed?
Timings for a class are decided by course instructors just before the beginning of the term. Once scheduled, these cannot be changed.
Are Classes to be conducted on holidays?
The class hours are 4-7 pm on Mondays-Fridays and 9 â 5:30 pm on Saturdays.
Will the M.Tech. (Online) have a CGPA system or percentage system?
We will follow the CGPA system for all courses and a pass/fail grade for the project.
Will the final exam be conducted online or offline? What will be the process for each method?
The final exam will be a proctored exam. We will call you to a centre where it will be conducted. For all students in Bengaluru, it will most likely be in IISc. We will share details prior to the examination.
Does a student have to come up with a project idea, or IISc mentor allots a project?
The student and the sponsoring company guide will come up with the project idea. The IISc mentor will be responsible for approving the project goals, for regular evaluation (as per schedule indicated by the PCC), for bringing in the needed academic rigour, and for the final evaluation.
Can a student continue to take additional courses even after they finish the course credit requirements for the degree programme?
IISc does not restrict the total number of courses you can take as part of the M.Tech.(Online) program, as long as you stay within the limits on the credits per term and the total duration of the program. However, since students are sponsored by their parent organizations and the number of credits you take can have a financial implication, you should check with your company whether they will support you in taking additional courses beyond what is required to graduate.
Is it mandatory to have a guide from my organisation? What will be his/her qualifications?
Yes. The sponsoring company internal guide shall have a PhD or five years’ experience post Masters.
What are the minimum requirements to begin a project?
Students should complete all core course credits before commencing on projects. See also maximum credits per term constraints. Additional requirements may be set by the individual PCC.
The capstone project will be a team project or an individual project?
Individual, since the degree is being awarded to the individual.
Is the M.Tech. (Online) project thesis required to be put online for public access?
Yes. The project thesis evaluated by IISc is a public document. The organisation can redact confidential components of the thesis.
What are the evaluation criteria for projects?
The project will be adjudged satisfactory/unsatisfactory and will be given a Pass or Fail grade. The standards are of the highest academic calibre for the award of a Masterâs degree, and are set by the programme curriculum committee.
Can a student collaborate with foreign universities for their project?
There is no involvement of a foreign university entity in the programme. As for foreign collaborators, while collaborations are most welcome, it might be best to resolve how IPR will be shared between the sponsoring organisation, IISc, and the foreign collaboratorsâ institutes before embarking on the collaboration.
During the degree program, can I take more than the required number of course credits needed to graduate?
You may register for more course credits than required to complete your degree, as long as you do not exceed the per-term limits and you complete the course and project requirements within the overall time-limit of the program. However, since this is a sponsored program, there may be limits imposed by your company on the number of credits you may take. Please consult with your company coordinator on this.
What do we mean by a term? How many terms are there in a year? How is this different from the semester system?
IISc follows the semester system. But we also have a summer term. A term is either a semester or the summer term.
Term 1 refers to the August to December semester of an academic year.
Term 2 refers to the January to April semester of an academic year.
Summer term refers to the May to July summer term of an academic year.
Is IISc/IKEN going to provide any infrastructure to attend class?
The programme is online and designed for remote attendance. Any infrastructural requirements (physical space to sit, computer, Internet connection, sufficient bandwidth, computing infrastructure for project, etc.) should be arranged by the sponsoring organisation.
Can we use an organisation laptop for classes or our laptop?
We do not have any restrictions on the device used by the students.
Can students use their respective department systems for high-performance computing?
This will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis when the need arises. Computational usage may be charged and the sponsoring organisation has to pay.
How much credit weightage is given to theory and assignments?
Each course may weight assignments, assessments, etc., differently. This will be indicated up front at the start of the course.
Are the lectures going to be recorded?
Lectures will be recorded, and they will be hosted on either the IISc MS Teams platform or the Moodle platform.
How can students access lectures/assignments/quizzes if they miss them?
Students can access recorded lectures, assignments, quizzes etc., on either Microsoft Teams and Moodle, as chosen by the instructor.
Can a student opt for more electives in the first term?
Given that the participants will be full time employees at their sponsoring institutions, we recommend not more than two courses per term. If termyou have not yet completed the core courses for your stream, focus on the core courses first.
To which email account will communications be sent? IISc email, work mail or personal email?
If you are enrolled in the programme, you are an IISc student. So, we will send communications to the IISc email id.
How is physical document verification carried out?
For admitted students, there is first a process of verification of the soft copies you have uploaded. If there are issues, you will be intimated. Selected students are then offered conditional admission. Subsequently, you will be invited to IISc to show the originals. The time-frame for this will be intimated to you.
What do I do if my name is different across the different documents, e.g., passport and tenth pass certificate?
Kindly get in touch with Assistant Registrar, Academic Section.
If a student has given a work email when filling up the application form, will they be able to change their email?
Please write to us through your organisation.
Who will provide class links?
The course instructor and the teaching assistants will provide the links to classes and other resources on MS Teams/Moodle.
How to access plagiarism tools?
You must contact the project mentor for accessing plagiarism tools as the licence is provided only to the Faculty of the Institute.
Are quizzes auto-graded or manually graded?
It depends on the course and the quiz. The instructor of your course will provide the necessary information.
What if we do not take a core course/elective course in next term?
If you donât take any courses in a term, you have to apply for a break in study through your organisation. You can take a break of two terms, but you must apply through your organisation and before the termâs starting date. Our terms start 01 August, 01 January and 01 May. Your request must be received before these dates.
How are labs conducted?
These are left to the instructors. No physical presence is required.
How do I register for a course through SAP?
IISc has a work flow system which is currently under development for the M.Tech. (Online) programme. Registration through the work flow system will begin only in January. Until then, an ad hoc forms system will be used for registration, course drops without mention, course drops with mention, etc. Once the work flow is implemented, all this information will be ported to the work flow system.
Can students take a minor in the other offered streams?
There is no concept of a minor defined for M.Tech. (Online) programme.
Can students request offer of tailored courses?
Yes, students can make a request for the PCCâs consideration. Any new course has to go through the IISc course approval process before it is offered.
How will a student know which courses are dependent on other courses (pre-requisites)?
Each course will have a syllabus which will also list the prerequisites.
When will all courses/course outline will be available?
At the beginning of each term, we will provide a detailed description of the course with pre-requisites. A list of courses offered in the coming terms is already available on the IKEN website.
Can students use academic software licences given to them for their office work during the project?
No. Licences provided by IISc are only for your use towards earning your degree.
If a student has taken a CCE short term course, and this courses is listed as an elective in the M.Tech. (Online) programme, can those credits be used for the M.Tech. (Online) degree?
No
How many core courses can a student take, and how many electives can a student opt for in a term?
The only restrictions are on the number of credits in a term. That said, the core courses are usually prerequisites for many subsequent courses. Candidates should think about completing the core courses at the earliest. Please consult your faculty adviser and programme curriculum committee on the mix of core courses and elective courses.
Can students take electives not listed in the âlist of electivesâ? Can we take electives offered in other streams?
Yes, any course offered in the M.Tech. (Online) programme can be taken as an elective.