NIT Karnataka director: In AI era, BTech courses need both core and computers, and a curriculum overhaul

By B Ravi

Which college? Which branch? These questions plague millions of students entering higher education every year. Their parents and teachers are equally clueless – no one can confidently say which professional degrees will provide sure-shot high-value jobs in 2030 and beyond.

During the 1980s, engineering graduates flocked to large-scale public sector units like BHEL, NTPC, ONGC and SAIL as well as private companies like Bajaj, L&T, Mahindra and Tata Motors. However, globalisation and liberalisation led to intense competition. This forced many of these companies to adopt low-cost automation and reduce the intake of engineering graduates, replacing them with diploma engineers.

The rise of IT-enabled services during 2000-2020, promoted by industry bodies like NASSCOM, gave birth to a large number of software service companies. Some of them, like HCL, Infosys, TCS and Wipro, grew rapidly and recruited lakhs of fresh engineering graduates every year, giving wings to middle-class dreams. Several global MNCs set up their R&D offices in India, paving the way for Global Competency Centres (GCCs).

The above two factors – decline of core engineering jobs in the manufacturing sector and rise of software service jobs in the IT sector – resulted in greater demand for computers and related branches of engineering. Most of the colleges reduced the number of seats in core branches, and increased them in computer branches. Many teachers of core engineering branches were either forced to leave, or learn how to teach computer courses.

Also read AI Engineering Courses: Will ‘new-age’ programmes help BTech graduates in testing times?

AI and jobs: The next 5 years

The above trend continued despite the pandemic. The going was good – till AI appeared on the scene.

Generative AI tools are able to perform repetitive mental tasks so far done by humans, and much faster. Global software giants like Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Meta (Facebook) and Microsoft are using AI-based tools for programming, making thousands of their engineers redundant. A similar pattern is appearing in India as well.

Given this context, it is not surprising that students interested in engineering are confused about choosing the right college and the right branch. While no one can reliably predict the future, it is helpful to look at some of the major trends that will influence the nature and number of jobs in the next five years.

AI solutions, jobs: Gen Z career decisions

The geo-political scenario is a key driving factor.

Disruption of global supply chains (due to pandemic and wars) and mistrust in technological inter-dependence (due to reverse engineering) is making countries look inward. India is striving to become self-reliant in all the sectors essential for national development, by investing heavily in public and digital infrastructure, innovative technologies, and indigenous manufacturing.

Secondly, most of the students entering college in the next few years belong to Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012). They are very comfortable with (and dependent on) digital technologies such as smart phones, social media, virtual meetings and cashless transactions. Most of them detest monotonous supervised 9-5 work and are unlikely to stay in the same job for many years. They will prioritise mental health and work-life balance.

Also read AICTE plans AI integration in all engineering courses: Chairman TG Sitharam

The deteriorating environment in mega-cities is another factor. Air, water and noise pollution coupled with unaffordable housing and endless traffic will drive people toward peri-urban areas and smaller towns, which enable healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.

The above combination of AI solutions, geo-political equations, Gen Z aspirations and lifestyle considerations will make many existing jobs redundant and create many new types of jobs.

BTech courses that will survive

The era of traditionally high-priced virtual products and services (such as ERP, consulting and simulation) is likely to end soon. A single knowledgeable engineer with AI tools will be able to do such jobs, which earlier required dozens of engineers.

On the other hand, there will be continued demand for engineers for tangible products and hard skilled services that are critical to survive (such as food, water, clothing and transport). Engineers who can leverage AI tools to improve product design, manufacturing, delivery and maintenance / repair will be valued higher.

Engineering colleges are debating which branches will survive and thrive in the future – core or computer – and how to market them to students and their parents. Clearly, core + computer knowledge will be needed, along with practical experience and professional skills (such as creativity, collaboration and communication). This will require complete overhauling of the curriculum as well as pedagogy. Some of the leading institutes such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras and NITK Surathkal have already started such exercises.

Also read Core engineering placements surge 25% with AL, ML minor degrees

One important question remains. Will artificial intelligence overtake and take over natural intelligence? We can define natural intelligence as a combination of knowledge (gained in classrooms), experience (gained in life), empathy (for fellow humans and other life on planet) and intuition (sub-conscious or super-conscious mind).

A high level of natural intelligence is required to harness AI for benign purposes and to ensure that it does not run amok. This implies weaving humanities and social sciences into the engineering curriculum.

The demography (youth) and digital infrastructure gives India a unique advantage to leverage both natural and artificial intelligence for achieving the sustainable development goals. For this purpose, all stakeholders – academia, industry, government, society and media, need to work together closely to evolve the right policies and implement the best practices.

B Ravi is the director of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Karnataka, Surathkal. Before joining NIT K, he was institute chair professor of mechanical engineering at IIT Bombay. This piece first appeared in the 200th issue of the Careers360 magazine, published in August, 2025.