The Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi (IIT-Delhi) plans to become a comprehensive university and the institute is aiming to even admit students from outside the joint entrance exam (JEE) system in some new streams of education.

“Now, we have a very strong and very active Humanities and Social Sciences Department. We also have a brand-new School of Public Policy. And we have also created a department of design. And in fact, next year, or this year, if everything goes well, we should be admitting undergraduate students from outside the JEE Advanced examination," IIT Delhi director V. Ramgopal Rao said during a foundation day program on Wednesday.

The director said IIT Delhi has some 3,300 PhD candidates and over 60% of the 11,000 students it caters to now are in the level of masters and above

He said the institution has taken many steps to become more international or increase its global footprint. He said a joint PhD program with the University of Queensland, is getting a good response and some 65 students have joined this year for the joint program. The director said IIT Delhi has some 3,300 PhD candidates and over 60% of the 11,000 students it caters to now are in the level of masters and above. It means, the focus has gradually shifted to becoming a research oriented, multi-disciplinary institution.

“And we have also now significantly increased our interdisciplinary activities on the campus, whether it is between the departments and schools or with other institutions in Delhi. We have an active collaboration with the National Institute of Immunology (NII), with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and various other institutions in in Delhi, including the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)," the director said.

He also said a comprehensive research part is coming up in IIT Delhi to increase industry connect and promote innovation, and reiterated the value its bio-medical research and studies will bring to the fore. He said the upcoming satellite campus of IIT Delhi in Jhajjar (Haryana) will be a life sciences campus and the institute will work closely with the biotech industry.

Besides, IIT Delhi is working on expanding its work and education in artificial intelligence and block-chain, biological and health-care systems, energy and environment, smart and sustainable infrastructure and habitat. IIT Delhi is one of the best ranked institutions from India in the global rankings. According to QS World University Ranking (WUR), the institution was raked 193 in the world and 47th in WUR for engineering and technology in 2020.