The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has its priorities set with a focus on the academic quality imparted to its students than its position in any ranking system across the globe, V. Kamakoti, director, IIT Madras told FE Education Online while launching India’s first offshore IIT campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania. “However, IIT Madras is making consistent efforts to improve its research output and citation to perform better and keep its academic offerings top-notch,” he added while responding to the institute’s performance in the latest QS World University Rankings that kept it out of the top 200. 

Even though IIT Madras enjoys a reputable status in the domestic ranking being a five-time topper in the overall category in the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023, its global standing has come under question after it slipped 70 positions down to 285 in the QS World Rankings 2024. “Our academic agenda has always been to provide the best of technology and innovation to our students. While we constantly aim to become better, no ranking can deter our focus on quality over quantity,” Kamakoti said. 

Meanwhile, the launch is seen as a significant step for IIT Madras to work on its international presence. The IIT Madras Zanzibar campus will be the first ever IIT set up abroad and headed by a female director-in-charge Preeti Aghalayam, an alumnus and dean of School of Science and Engineering. 

The new campus is fully funded by the Tanzanian government and is open to students of all nationalities. In the initial phase, the campus will offer two full-time academic programmes which includes a four-year Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and a two-year Master of Technology in the same field starting October 2023. Faculty from IIT Madras or recruited from India will teach in the offshore campus.  

However, the fees structure of these courses are kept at par with private universities at an annual cost of $12,000 and $4,000, respectively, keeping in mind the Tanzanian government’s investment in the project. Nevertheless, the institute has announced upto 80% scholarships for meritorious candidates. 

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Interestingly, to apply for the BSc programme in IIT Madras Zanzibar campus, one does not need Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Advanced qualification. The programme is open to students who have cleared grade 12th or have an equivalent qualification. The IIT Madras Zanzibar campus will conduct its own entrance test which will consist of a screening exam followed by an interview by the faculty.