IITs Allow Switching Stream in the middle of the Course

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are being more liberal than ever, allowing students to switch to some other branch of their choice even in midway of the course. The decision came after noticing the increase in the number of students migrating from one branch to another before even the completion of the programme.

The Dean, Academics, of IIT-Madras, K. Ramamurthy informed that 10 % of the entire batch strength in a particular stream is given permission to switch to other branches. The students will only be able to shift branches if their performance in the first year is good enough.

In fact, Linear-ranking system of students based on their performance has raised the competition that now the students have to allotted to their choice of branches in institutes on the basis of their scores.

IIT-Kanpur is still standing out in the trend since the institute not only approves its students to change the branch but also permits them to shift even after two years. The students from this institute if wish can also pursue a second major under which 10 courses for another stream can be picked other than a minor (pick 3 to 4 courses in another stream).

IIT-Kanpur dean (academic affairs) Dheeraj Sangh told that shifting of streams is usually sanctioned as the students may not initially realize their real interest and hence gets stuck with a wrong stream. Furthermore, students might have chosen the stream or branch under family pressure or other circumstances but later many realize their stream of interest hence, majority of students has accepted the new decision with joy.