The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay will start an Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Programme (IIDDP) in Quantum Technology soon, The Indian Express has learnt.

Suddhasatta Mahapatra, an assistant professor of Physics at the institute, said the course would be offered by the Centre of Excellence in Quantum Information Computing Science and Technology (QuICST). Inaugurated in August 2022, the Centre aims “to bring together a diverse set of expertise available at the IIT Bombay towards innovation, education and entrepreneurship in quantum science and technologies”. Mahapatra also heads the QuICST.

He added that students enrolled in any Bachelor of Technology (BTech) course at the institute would be able to enrol for the IIDDP programme. While the structure of the dual degree programme is yet to be finalised, Mahapatra said it would be a two-year programme with courses that would focus on quantum technology and project work that could be undertaken with a research group affiliated to the QuICST.

Like other dual degree programmes, this new program will allow students to obtain a Bachelors as well as Masters degree in a span of five years. A BTech student can choose the programme in the third year of their respective course.

Mahapatra said, “The centre is also looking at connecting with other engineering or technology institutions to help them increasingly include quantum technologies in their syllabus. Through our educational outreach programme, we are looking forward to support in faculty training by preparing faculty development modules. It is still a rough plan in the making.”

In the centre’s proactive manner of educational outreach, it plans to keep a custom-made approach, catering to specific needs. “Apart from core faculty development assistance, we are also looking at offering pedagogy and structure of syllabus to other institutes. We can begin with smaller programmes like for over a week to which will be at introductory levels, to even longer period of handholding for an interested institution,” added Prof. Mahapatra added that introducing the subject at school levels is also on the cards.

In a bid to aid scientific-industrial research and development in quantum technology, the Central government recently launched the National Quantum Mission (NQM). The QuICST has been working in the quantum technology verticals identified by the NQM: Quantum Computing, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, Quantum Communications and Quantum Materials and Devices

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