A semester load is defined as equivalent of 36 credits. Most courses carry 9 credits, while a few modular courses carry 5 or 11 credits. For a well-merited case, the SPGC may permit a student to register for a maximum of 45 credits or a minimum of 26 credits.

The normal semester load for a part-time student is equivalent of 18 credits. For a well-merited case, the SPGC may permit a student to register for a maximum of 36 credits and a minimum of 17 credits during a regular semester.

A student in the external registration program when registering for thesis research, to be carried out at his/her organization can register for a maximum of 27 credits or a minimum of 9 credits during the regular semester.

In the summer term, a student is required to register for up to a maximum of half of their normal semester load.

Break up of an Academic Year

An academic year is generally divided into three terms, two regular semesters and one summer term. The break-up of the semesters is as shown:

Academic Sessions

Program-wise Minimum CPI Requirement

Graduation Requirements

• pass all the prescribed courses,
• attain the minimum required CPI,
• clear all the financial dues,
• satisfy all the requirements specified by the concerned department, if any,
• satisfy all the requirements specified by the Senate and the Ordinances, have no pending case(s) of indiscipline.

A student can add/drop any course he/she has registered for with the permission of the instructor of the course and the Convener, DPGC. The last dates of applying for adding and dropping of courses are specified in the academic calendar. No adding or dropping of courses is permitted in the summer term.

A student may be required to drop a course at any stage in case of time-table clash or if the student does not fulfil the pre-requisites for that particular course.

A student may withdraw from a maximum of one course, four weeks prior to the end semester exam with consent of the instructor in-charge on the recommendation of the DPGC and approval of the SPGC. However, the reduced load cannot be less than the minimum semester load.

An M.Tech/M.Des student can apply for change of program to Ph.D. in the beginning of the second / third / fourth / fifth semester. The application with the recommendation of DPGC and approval of SPGC has to be submitted at least one month before the start of the semester.

The terminology of the above timeline is:

Comprehensive Examination –The comprehensive examination tests your overall understanding of various courses. It is generally oral and maybe supplemented by a written test. You’re required to pass it after the completion of the course work to become eligible to start your research work. You’ll be judged by a panel of professors which may or may not be from your department.

SOTA – After the completion of your comprehensive exam, you have to do a thorough research over your intended area of study for thesis and present your stipulated targets in SOTA. Note that these targets may get modified over the course of time.

Open Seminar – Before finalizing your thesis, you’ve to give an open seminar to faculty and students. The purpose of this seminar is to get comments and suggestions over your research work which can then be incorporated in your final thesis.

Oral Examination (Defense) - You’re required to give your oral examination to your Oral board which would have your thesis copy in hand. The examination is in the form of a presentation followed by a question answer session.

IIT Kanpur is a residential Institute decorated with various halls of residence, each with its own specification and facilities.

Boys Hostel:

• Hall 4 - http://www.iitk.ac.in/hall4/
• Hall 7 - http://www.iitk.ac.in/hall7/welcome.php
• Hall 8 - http://www.iitk.ac.in/hall8/index.html
• Hall 11

• GH 1 - http://www.iitk.ac.in/gh/
• GH Tower (GH 2) - http://www.iitk.ac.in/gh-2/
• Partial occupancy in RA Tower

• IIT Kanpur is a residential Institute and, therefore, every registered student shall reside in a room assigned to him in one of the Halls of Residences. In exceptional cases, the Director may permit a student to reside with his or her parent/local guardian. Such students shall, however, pay full seat rent and such other dues as may be prescribed from time to time. Part time students are not eligible for accommodation in the Halls of Residences.
• Each Hall of Residence shall have a Hall Executive Committee (HEC). The constitution of the HEC and its functions shall be as decided by the Senate.
• Every resident shall be responsible for his belongings including the items provided by their respective halls and responsible for any damage.
• Every resident must pay the mess bill by the due date, announced by the Warden. Failure to deposit the dues in time may result in fine or such other penalty as the Warden may deem fit. Even the registration of a student may be cancelled
• In case of failure to clear the mess dues within 30 days of the due date.
Residents shall respect the right of each individual to express his/her ideas, pursue his/her interests and follow the style of life most meaningful to him/her. However party based political campaigning is prohibited.
• Visitors of the opposite sex are strictly prohibited to enter the residential blocks of the Halls during 0000 to 0600 hours.
• Use of liquor, drugs, or any other intoxicants in the Hall premises is strictly prohibited.

Mess rebate rules vary from hall to hall plying to fulfillment of the conditions laid by different halls. Students can get rebate in mess bill by filling the mess rebate form and submitting a copy of the leave application form to the mess before going for leave.

Students may be granted leave by writing an application to the Head of the Department. Leaves are sanctioned by the SPGC on the recommendation of the DPGC. Applications must be submitted well in advance of the date of commencement of the leave requested. Leave for a period longer than that specified in the form will lead to loss of financial assistantship for the extended period.

A PG student can apply for the following forms of leave:

1) Personal Leave and Casual Leave
A total of 30 days of personal leave can be taken, with a maximum of 10 days at stretch. However, this 10 day cap will not be enforced when semesters are not in progress. In addition, a student may be allowed casual leave for up to 6 days per semester during regular semester and 4 days during summer term. Casual leaves cannot be carried over.

2) Medical Leave
Leave on medical ground, duly supported by a medical certificate, may be granted to a student for up to 8 days per semester and 4 days during summer term. Leave days that are not availed may be carried over to the next semester for up to a maximum of 8 days during a regular semester and 4 days during the summer term. However, at a stretch, the medical leave cannot exceed 15 days during a regular semester and 8 days during the summer term.

3) Maternity Leave
A female student may be granted maternity leave for a maximum of 3 months. Leave of up to 6 weeks can also be granted for miscarriage including medical termination of pregnancy, if supported by a proper medical certificate. Such leave can be combined with any other leave and will not entail any loss of financial assistantship.

4) Semester Leave
Semester leave for up to a maximum of two semesters and a summer term for M.Tech. or Ph.D. students may be sanctioned for bonafide reasons. Except for medical reasons, such leave would not normally be sanctioned before a student has completed his/her course work and comprehensive examination (if applicable) and in no case before the student has spent two semesters and a summer term in the programme. However, on medical considerations such leave may be sanctioned after his/her stay of one semester. Leave for more than one semester at a time will not be granted.

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A. You can apply for admission in all the PG programs in/around April-May for the odd semester. In M.Tech./M.Des./Ph.D. programs, you can as well apply for the even semester in/around November/December. Additionally, there is provision of admission throughout the academic year for the Ph.D. program.

A. Yes, you can register on the day of late registration by paying the required late fees.

A. Anybody can request remedial classes for his/her registered course. Even a single student can approach.

A. One can contact any Counselling service PG Core Team Member for remedial classes. Click here for team link.

A. Yes, IITK offers travel support to PG students who present research papers or posters in Indian or International conferences. The travel grant depends upon the continent of visit: upto Rs. 70,000 for North and South American continents, Rs. 60,000 for Europe and Rs. 50,000 for Asia. You can also avail grants of upto Rs. 20,000 from DOSA and the respective departments.
For more details, visit the following link:
http://www.iitk.ac.in/drpg/file/International_Travel_Support_guidelines.pdf

A. A PhD student is provided financial assistantship for a period of upto five years.

A. An M.Tech/M.Des is provided financial assistantship for a period of twenty-two months.

A. Each course has a continuous evaluation system which may include examinations, quizzes, assignments, term projects, presentations, class interaction and attendance.

A. Yes, you can attend the lectures of any course by formally informing the respective course instructor. This is known formally as ‘auditing the course’.

A. Yes, you can repeat a course in which you have received a D grade if your CPI is lower than the prescribed minimum CPI. You can also do so for a maximum of one course, even if your CPI is not below prescribed minimum, if it doesn’t lead to an increment in the semester load. The old grade will appear on the transcript, but will not be used to compute the CPI/SPI.

A. Yes, you can take a maximum of 45 credits and a minimum of 26 credits during the semester.

A. No, adding or dropping of courses is not allowed in the summer term. However, you can withdraw.

A. Yes, there is a provision for selecting a main supervisor along with a co-supervisor. The co-supervisor can be from outside the institute in exceptional cases on the recommendation of the DPGC and the SPGC and approval of the Chairman, Senate..

A. No, you have to finish your course work and meet the minimum prescribed CPI requirement to be able to give your comprehensive exam.

A. Yes, a student can appear for the comprehensive examination for a maximum of two times.

A. The SOTA Seminar must be given within six months of passing the comprehensive examination.

A. Yes, if you wish to discontinue your Ph.D., you can still exit with an M.Tech. degree after completing a minimum of 2.5years in the program. You should have completed all the requirements of the M.Tech. degree (including a thesis).

A. The maximum time duration is six months. In exceptional circumstances, the students may seek an extension up to three months with proper justification.

A. Semester leave for up to a maximum of two semesters and a summer term for M.Tech., Ph.D. students may be sanctioned. You should have completed your course work and comprehensive examination (if applicable). Also you should have at least spent two semesters and a summer term in the programme.

A. Absence without sanctioned leave will entail loss of financial assistantship for the period of absence, and may result in the termination of your programme on the recommendation of the DPGC and approval of SPGC.