8^th Convocation

Academic and Research Programmes

Our academic programmes have grown. We currently offer 6 B.Tech programmes, 14 M.Tech programmes, 4 MSc programmes and the MPP programme. The Institute further expanded its academic offerings during the academic year 2025–26 by introducing a cross-disciplinary M.Tech. programme in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence in both Regular and Self-Sponsored modes, an M.Sc. programme in Mathematics, and an Industry-Sponsored M.Tech. programme (hybrid mode) in Advanced Energy Storage Technology. The Institute has introduced an interdisciplinary Dual Degree programme in Data Science, enabling B.Tech. students from any branch to earn both a B.Tech. degree in their parent discipline and a M.Tech. degree in Data Science within five years.

To provide multidisciplinary learning opportunities to undergraduate students, the Institute expanded its Minors to 15, encompassing emerging and nationally relevant areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, Intelligent System Automation, Space Science and Engineering, Green and Renewable Energy, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Environmental Management, Public Policy etc. Many students graduating in the 8th Convocation have successfully completed these minors.

Our faculty and students have published in leading national and international journals, and our incubation cell has supported a growing number of student and faculty start-ups working on real-world problems in areas ranging from clean energy and water management to AI and advanced materials.

In recognition of their academic achievements, our faculty, staff and students have been bestowed several academic distinctions, honours and awards, and memberships on editorial boards of journals.

IIT Tirupati has successfully completed faculty recruitment in the area of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, appointing five Assistant Professors and one Associate Professor during the last year. This recruitment drive was undertaken to strengthen the teaching and research capabilities of these two departments.

In May 2026, the Institute released a faculty recruitment advertisement to recruit young and dynamic faculty members across all academic departments and selected emerging disciplines. The Institute expects to appoint an additional 30–35 faculty members by September 2026. This initiative is aimed at addressing the growing academic requirements of students and further strengthening the Institute's teaching and research ecosystem in line with its vision of excellence in education, research, and innovation.

To strengthen and expand the academic and research initiatives of the Institute, we are proposing to start four new departments during the next year in the areas of Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Applied AI & Autonomous Systems, and Space Science & Technologies.

Conferences, Continuing Education and Outreach Programmes

IIT Tirupati envisions setting up an ecosystem of academic excellence and transform classrooms into global avenues of learning. Towards this vision, a new Dean’s Office of Competency Development and Outreach (CDO) has been established. Spanned by three verticals — Competency Development Programs, Outreach Programs and Institutional Communication & Analytics, the CDO Office will be the nodal point for all external academic offerings (micro degrees, certifications, degrees), conferences / symposia / open house, and data capture for institutional advancement & media outreach.

The Institute takes pride in reporting the launch of its first industry-sponsored M. Tech. program in the cutting-edge area of Advanced Energy Storage Technology with an assured subscription by JSW and Amara Raja. Aimed at upskilling engineers / scientists in energy, materials and manufacturing industries at the convenience of their workplace, this multi-disciplinary program involving five departments (CH, CY, ME, EE, HS), is being conducted in a hybrid (online & campus immersion) mode. In similar lines the institute is launching a new executive M.Tech in the area of Intelligent Manufacturing Systems.

IIT Tirupati actively contributed to the growth of SWAYAM PRABHA, as a National Coordinating partner of this Ministry of Education, GoI, initiative for creating open-access educational content.

IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF)

The Technology Innovation Hub on Positioning and Precision Technologies, IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF), has made very good progress during the last year. IITTNiF has established advanced labs in GNSS, GIS & Remote Sensing, Computer Vision, LiDAR, Quantum Navigation, and Geospatial Intelligence to support translational R&D, industry services and hands-on skill development. The hub is supporting 26 projects—including 19 product developments and 7 technology innovations—with a total funding of around ₹12 crores, helping researchers convert ideas into market-ready solutions.

IITTNIF actively supports startups in the PNT sector through funding, mentorship, and business connections, having funded nearly 10 startups with over ₹2 crores. Its VIKAS initiative links startups directly to industries and government users. Additionally, IITTNIF leads the ₹14 crore Operation Dronagiri program of DST, which supports startups solving sectoral problems in agriculture, infrastructure, and livelihoods.

International, Academic and Research Collaborations

During the academic year 2025–26, the Institute significantly expanded its national and international collaborations by entering into many Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). IIT Tirupati is nurturing strong relations with research labs, educational institutions and Industries to foster collaborative academic and research initiatives through strategic partnerships. The Institute has inked more than ninety Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with varied educational and research institutions, Government Research and Development agencies, Public Sector Undertakings, and Industry associates.

In 2025, we continued to expand IIT Tirupati’s global footprint through strategic partnerships across Europe and North America. We signed and renewed agreements with the University of Agder, University of Stuttgart, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Clemson University and Arizona State University, opening new avenues for student and faculty mobility, joint research, internships and doctoral collaboration.

The key milestone of the year was our landmark tripartite MoU with Dalhousie University and IISER Tirupati. Together, we are working toward Tirupati-Dalhousie Innovation Campus in Tirupati connecting India and Canada through industry-aligned graduate education, applied research, innovation and commercialization. We also established a Cotutelle Doctoral Programme with the University of Agder, enabling jointly supervised doctoral research and dual PhD degrees.

In addition, the Institute has established strategic partnerships through MoUs with several academic institutions, Central Government ministries, Andhra Pradesh State Government departments, and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to promote research, innovation, and development activities.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Corporate Relations is a new and exciting addition under the Dean-IAC office. The team has made concerted efforts to engage industry partners in alignment with the Institute’s goals of student support and institutional growth. We are particularly proud of the CSR-supported scholarships initiated this year, which have directly benefited our students. Many companies and organizations like SEIL, GBCI, HCAL Capital Advisors, Corel Technologies, State Bank of India, TCS Foundation, Shraman Foundation etc have come forward to support various scholarships, infrastructure development and research projects in the Institute.

The defining milestone was our partnership with Kia India, with a commitment of ₹35 crore over five years. This collaboration goes well beyond financial support — it brings together research, academic infrastructure, scholarships, internships, global exposure, and the creation of the Makers Laboratory, strengthening our connection between the classroom, the laboratory, and industry. On August 7th, 2026 the Mr. Taehyun Kim, the Chief Administrative Officer of Kia India, inaugurated ‘Inspire Works – The Makers Lab’, a state-of-the-art collaborative facility where students can conceptualise, design and develop functional prototypes, bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world applications. We hope that Inspire Works would evolve into a centre for innovation not only for IIT-Tirupati students but also for school students, other college students, start-ups and innovators from the wider community.

Student Activities

Apart from their academic rigour, students at the Institute are active in the overall development of their personalities. Students engage with their peers in social service, club activities, cultural programmes, annual festivals, etc. IIT Tirupati hosts approximately 28 active clubs and 9 councils that oversee a variety of extracurricular activities organised by the students. With an increasing student population, these clubs have expanded their range of activities.

IIT Tirupati successfully co-hosted the inter-IIT games in association with IIT Madras and IIT Hyderabad. Three sports — chess, weight lifting and tennis — were hosted at IIT Tirupati with 22 IITs participating.

The Career Development Centre (CDC), IIT Tirupati continued to facilitate placement and internship opportunities during the Academic Year 2025–26 through sustained industry engagement, corporate outreach, and career guidance. Around 195 companies across Core Engineering, IT & Software, R&D, Analytics, Consulting, Finance, and Public Sector Undertakings participated in the placement process, reflecting strong industry engagement with IIT Tirupati. The Institute recorded an overall placement rate of 81% for AY 2025–26. The CDC continues to strengthen industry partnerships and expand career and internship opportunities for students.

Sarathi, the Guidance and Counselling Unit (GCU) at the Institute, is committed to enhancing students' personal growth and mental well-being while fostering a culture of wellness across the campus. GCU offers counselling sessions and promotes mental health awareness through webinars and other campus initiatives. Additionally, students have access to the YourDOST team, an online platform available 24x7, offering support through text, voice, and video interactions with counsellors.

Campus and Infrastructure Development

The Permanent Campus of IIT Tirupati has been envisioned as a vibrant, sustainable and fully residential academic campus spread over 548.11 acres. A masterplan to cater to 12,000 students has been prepared. During 2017-18 the Transit Campus, now called South Campus, was built enabling the first batch of students to stay on campus during their final year. The Phase A Campus, with built up area of 1,31,500 sq.m., was completed in 2023. The campus project has received 23 awards for exemplary performance, health and safety, and sustainability.

At the request of the Ministry of Education, IIT Tirupati had led the preparation of the DPR for the setting up of the campuses of the six third-generation IITs. IIT Tirupati once again led the preparation of the DPR for the development of Phase B of these campuses. The Union Cabinet approved this DPR in May 2025. Under Phase B expansion it is envisaged to develop approximately 1,53,500 sq.m. of additional built-up area. The designs of the buildings and services are nearing completion. The construction is expected commence in the next few months and completed by 2028.

The proposed development includes two Academic Buildings, a Learning Resource Centre (LRC), an Auditorium, Lecture Hall Complex Annex, Boys' Hostel (700 beds), Girls' Hostel (600 beds), Research Park (17,000 sq.m.), IITT–KIA Makers Lab (2,000 sq.m.), about 200 faculty and staff apartments, and associated engineering and utility infrastructure.

We would like to thank our partners in the planning, design and construction of the campuses including our CPWD (our PMC) and our architects M/s SGA and M/s ADPL.

To the Graduating Class

As you leave these gates today, I want to leave you with three thoughts.

First, stay curious. The engineer or scientist who stops asking “why” and “what if” the day they receive their degree has, in a sense, stopped growing. The problems India and the world need you to solve — in energy, in health, in climate, in technology that serves rather than replaces human dignity — are not problems with textbook answers. They will require you to keep learning for the rest of your working lives.

Second, remember that technology is a means, not an end. The best engineering is invisible — it simply makes people’s lives better. Whatever you go on to build, ask who it serves and who might be left behind by it.

Third, carry IIT Tirupati with you — and give back to it. You are only the eighth batch to walk through these gates as graduates. You are, in a very real sense, still helping to define what this institution stands for. As you go out into industry, research, entrepreneurship, or public service, we hope you will remain connected with your alma mater — as mentors, as collaborators, and as ambassadors of what a young IIT, still writing its own history, can achieve.

Acknowledgements

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for its continued and sustained encouragement and support. The Ministers, officers and staff at MoE have always actively helped and guided us. Generous funding from the Government of India has facilitated the establishment of essential infrastructure, laying a strong foundation for our Institute's ongoing development.

I also thank the Government of Andhra Pradesh for its multifaceted support. The state Government has involved our Institute in various initiatives of this dynamic state including in the establishment of Amaravati Quantum Valley, Centre of Excellence for solar manufacturing, and various other technology and policy initiatives.

Special recognition is due to the Chairman of our Board of Governors, Shri Sajjan Jindal, and all the Board members for their invaluable counsel, constant support and guidance for enabling us to scale new heights.

To our faculty and staff, thank you for another year of dedication to our students. To our Chief Guest, Group Captain Shukla, thank you once again for inspiring our students to look further and reach higher — quite literally. And to our graduating students: go forward with confidence, humility, and purpose. The Institute is proud of you today, and will watch, with great anticipation, all that you go on to achieve.

Thank you, and congratulations once again to the Class of 2026.