IIT Kanpur to start UG programme in cybersecurity from this session

THe amerind bring of Technology (IIT) Kanpur testament set in motion a dedicated undergrad programme, Bachelor of Cybersecurity (B Cyber), from the current 2026-27 academic session beginning July, with admissions based on Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main screening, prior cybersecurity work and an on-campus hackathon rather than traditional JEE Advanced scores, officials said on Thursday.Officials said the course — a first for the IIT system — which will have 60 seats, aims to create a pipeline of high-quality cyber-security experts for the country.Students enrolled in the programme will spend the first two years at IIT Kanpur undergoing “rigorous coursework” aimed at building a strong theoretical foundation in cybersecurity, along with laboratory training to gain practical experience in controlled environments. This will be followed by a two-year internship phase in various government security organisations, where students will work on “real-world cybersecurity challenges,” the institute said in a statement.IIT Kanpur director Prof Manindra Agrawal said future conflicts will be fought as much in cyberspace as in the physical world. “Critical national infrastructure will require strong protection against cyberattacks. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a cadre of highly trained experts capable of safeguarding national digital systems. Keeping this objective in mind, IIT Kanpur is launching this program with a unique structure,” he said.Explaining the rationale behind the new programme, Agrawal told HT that many youngsters are “very excited” about cybersecurity and often immerse themselves in the field to such an extent that their performance in conventional academics suffers, despite them being exceptionally talented.“A unique UG program at @IITKanpur! Meant especially for young ethical hackers. Admission through a hackathon. Specialized coursework with two year long internship at security agencies. We aim to produce cyber warriors of the future,” Agrawal said in a post on X.The institute plans to hold the hackathon in the first week of July to identify such talent. According to Agrawal, the idea behind the new course is to tap students who may not clear JEE Advanced and “don’t get admission in good places despite being very talented”. “Through this course, we are aiming to provide high-quality cyber-security experts to the country,” he added.The programme comes at a time when IIT Kanpur has been increasingly tapping unconventional cybersecurity talent. Earlier this week, the institute appointed 19-year-old Nisarga Adhikary—who had authored a blog post detailing vulnerabilities in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s on-screen marking (OSM) portal—as an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and threat intelligence engineer at its technology innovation hub, C3iHub.The program will be offered by the Wadhwani School of AI and Intelligent Systems at the institute.Prof Nitin Saxena, dean of the school, said: “This program is designed to develop highly skilled professionals through a unique combination of a strong academic foundation and real-world experience.”The institute said that it is in the process of launching a dedicated webpage for the program, which is expected to go live next week. The webpage will feature detailed information regarding the program and application process.