Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay will shortly launch an interdisciplinary dual degree program (IIDDP) in quantum technology. BTech applicants are qualified to enroll in the course that will be provided by the Center of Excellence in Quantum Information Computing Science and Technology (QuICST). The course will be provided by the Centre of Excellence in Quantum Information Computing Science and Technology (QuICST), says Suddhasatta Mahapatra, an associate professor of physics at the university and heads the QuICST. The new center will debut in August 2022 and intends “to bring together a diverse set of expertise available at the IIT Bombay towards innovation, education, and entrepreneurship in quantum science and technologies”.
The IIDDP program will be open to students enrolled in any Bachelor of Technology (BTech) subject at the school, he noted. The dual degree program's format is yet to be finalized, said Mahapatra. it is expected to be a two-year program with classes in quantum technology and project work that might be done with a team of researchers connected to the QuICST, he added. This new program will enable students to achieve a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in five years, similar to previous dual degree programs. In the third year of their chosen course, a BTech student can select a program.
“The center 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 program, we are looking forward to supporting in faculty training by preparing faculty development modules. It is still a rough plan in the making”, said Mahapatra.
The center intends to maintain a tailored strategy in its proactive method of educational outreach, meeting particular requirements. “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. He specified they intend to introduce the subject at the secondary school levels.
The National Quantum Mission (NQM) was recently introduced by the Central government in an effort to assist scientific-industrial research and development in quantum technologies. The NQM designated four areas of quantum technology for the QuICST to focus on quantum materials and devices, quantum communications, quantum sensing and metrology, and quantum computing.
