B.Tech. (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FAQ 01: Why earn a B.Tech. in DS & AI?
The number of sectors adopting DS as well as AI (in their business model) has seen a dramatic increase in recent years, and this has led to an unprecedented growth in demand for qualified DS & AI professionals. Several international and national surveys forecast a growing demand for DS and AI skilled workforce. Our programme is designed to train the students (in both depth and breadth of DS & AI) and to prepare them for the opportunities emerging from this increasing demand. While the foundational courses will cover the fundamentals of DS and AI, the cross-disciplinary courses will provide domain knowledge in interdisciplinary areas, where DS and AI can be applied. The curriculum structure will help the students in their preparedness for a well-rounded and rewarding career in DS & AI.
FAQ 02: Is there any risk in terms of placement and other opportunities for the students being admitted in DS and AI programme?
We do not anticipate any risk in terms of placement and other opportunities. This is based on the following observations:
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The programme is designed to provide a well-balanced foundational, as well as practical knowledge in Data Science (DS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), relevant to both academia and industry.
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The faculty members have adequate expertise, and they have been undertaking various research activities in different application areas of DS and AI.
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Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) has a proven track record of launching and successfully nurturing new programmes. Some of the faculty members associated with the successful running of the M.Tech. programme in DS, are also associated with this programme.
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IITG undergraduate placement has always been excellent, and this programme will be no exception. Our Centre for Career Development (CCD) works throughout the year to ensure quality placements for our students.
FAQ 03: What are job opportunities in these fields? Who are the potential recruiters? Are these jobs among the best-paid jobs in the industry?
The data science industry is witnessing an unprecedented growth. The analytics market in the country is forecasted to grow steadily, and India is a major exporter of analytics. Data Scientist as a career is very much in demand globally, and the school will be able to contribute qualified professionals for the industry. Potential recruiters are not only limited to Data Engineering, Data Analytics, Machine Learning companies, but also include companies in many sectors of Science and Engineering, who are interested in adopting DS and AI in developments in their respective fields.
Details of past IITG placements can be found at https://www.iitg.ac.in/ccd/
FAQ 04: What is unique about MFSDS&AI at IITG?
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The school is supported by The Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta Family Foundation which has already helped in developing collaborative programmes in some of the other IITs, with a mission to nurture the intellectual talent in India, in emerging fields of technology. The Mehta Family Foundation will provide support for building a world-class infrastructure for research in DS and AI in the MFS DS & AI.
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A panel of Strategic International Academic Advisors (SIAA) and distinguished professors from international institutions are involved with the MFSDS&AI at IITG, and they are providing valuable guidance in planning and executing the School's academic activities.
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IITG has a proven track record of starting and nurturing new departments and centres, which will be of great help in establishing MFS DS & AI.
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The school is formulating Grand Challenge problems, a targeted multi-year research project for the benefit of society at large, to be solved, and these will be reviewed by SIAA.
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The curriculum is designed with the contribution of expert faculty members from various departments, particularly the departments of CSE, EEE and Mathematics at IITG, to cover both breadth and depth of DS and AI.
FAQ 05: What courses will the programme offer?
In addition to the first-year courses, which are common to all B.Tech. programmes, this programme will offer basic courses (such as Introduction to Data Science, Introduction to Optimization, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence) and advanced courses (such as Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Data Mining) on DS and AI. There will be different elective courses as well. In addition, practical laboratory courses (such as Machine Learning Laboratory, Python Programming Laboratory) will also be offered. The courses will have exposure to problems which are interdisciplinary in nature, and can be solved using tools from DS and AI.
Details of the course curriculum can be found at https://www.iitg.ac.in/dsai/btechcurriculam
FAQ 06: In what aspects is the programme different from the B.Tech. programmes in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) or Mathematics and Computing (M&C), being offered at IITG?
The programme may appear to have partial overlap with some of the programmes offered by the other departments, but fundamentally our programme is unique, as it emphasizes the course contents from a data science and artificial intelligence perspective, provides depth through the foundational courses, and also offers breadth through cross-disciplinary courses. The courses will provide hands-on experience relevant to industry, enabling the students to solve real-world problems.
FAQ 07: What are the opportunities for higher studies?
There is tremendous scope for pursuing a Master’s or a Ph.D. degree in DS and AI, since both DS and AI are currently among the main technological focuses worldwide, and consequently there will be a lot of opportunities for higher studies in upcoming years. Since the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (MFS DS & AI) also focuses on practical applications of DS and AI techniques in various Science/Engineering domains, it will help B.Tech. graduates from this School to pursue higher studies in those Science/Engineering domains as well. Apart from this, there will also be internship and student exchange opportunities with leading universities worldwide. Along with B. Tech in DS &AI, MFSDS&AI has also initiated a Ph.D. programme and there is an existing M. Tech programme in Data Science offered jointly by three departments, namely, CSE, Electronics and Electrical Engineering (EEE), and Mathematics at IITG. These programs offer opportunities to pursue higher studies in DS & AI fields within the Institute itself.