The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur has approved two new M.Tech programmes in response to the growing needs of the industry and society. The approved programme on Unmanned Aerial Systems Engineering makes IIT Kanpur the first institute in India to offer a dedicated M.Tech programme in drone technology, and the programme on Cognitive Systems is also being launched as the first-of-its-kind in the country. The newly-approved programmes will be effective from the next academic session.

Regarding the launch of the new M.Tech programmes, the Director of IIT Kanpur, Prof. Abhay Karandikar, said, “We are proud to announce the launch of these two new M.Tech programmes at IIT Kanpur, which will provide unique opportunities for our students to pursue cutting-edge research and development in emerging fields. Our new M.Tech programme in Unmanned Aerial Systems Engineering will equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become leaders in the field of drone technology, which has numerous applications in fields such as agriculture, transportation, and defense. This programme is in line with MeitY’s nationwide initiative on capacity building for drone technology with focused interdisciplinary collaboration across various academic institutions, training centres and skilling bodies.”

He further added, “The launch of the M.Tech programme in Cognitive Systems is the first-of-its-kind and will help students acquire a deeper understanding of the human mind and brain and apply cognitive principles in domains such as human-computer interaction, education, and neuroscience. This programme is designed to bridge the gap between basic research and applications, and we are confident that our students will be well-prepared to meet the challenges of the industry and society.”

The interdisciplinary M.Tech programme in Unmanned Aerial Systems Engineering will be hosted by the Department of Aerospace Engineering, in which students would be required to complete 150 credits over a 2-year period comprising of coursework and thesis research work. The course work will consist of 78 credits of course work followed by a thesis work of 72 credits on some cutting edge technical or research topic related to Unmanned Aerial Systems/Drones. The programme will provide the students the opportunity to specialize in areas such as the Design and Aeromechanics of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and the Autonomy of UAV. Faculty members from various departments such as Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, would be coming together to offer this unique interdisciplinary programme.

The M.Tech programme in Cognitive Systems will be hosted by the newly established Department of Cognitive Science. IIT Kanpur is the first IIT to start a full-fledged department of Cognitive Science. The department houses state-of-the-art research tools to study mind and brain. The newly-approved innovative programme will cater to the study and application of cognitive principles in domains such as Human-computer interaction (HCI), Natural language processing (NLP), and Translational Neuroscience, among others. 

The programme is designed to provide students with training on the latest tools and methodologies and help them acquire skills that are highly sought after by the fast-evolving industry. The curriculum would consist of courses introducing students to fundamentals of cognitive science, empirical methodologies, and modelling. They would be trained to design and develop technological solutions based on Cognitive Science to ensure greater societal and industrial impact.

With the approval of these two new M.Tech programmes, IIT Kanpur has added up to its relentless commitment to advancing knowledge and nurturing talent in emerging fields.

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