IIT Madras opens 17 courses for Classes 9 to 12, including AI and Cybersecurity

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has opened applications for the October 2026 cohort of its School Connect Programme, giving students from Classes 9 to 12 an opportunity to explore subjects beyond their regular school curriculum.

The programme has been expanded to include Class 9 students for the first time, alongside students in Classes 10, 11 and 12. IIT Madras said the early exposure is intended to help students understand different fields before making important academic and career choices.

Applications for the October 2026 cohort are open until 30 September 2026, while the courses will begin on 5 October 2026. The programme is open to students from Classes IX to XII whose schools are partnered with the School Connect initiative.

The School Connect Programme offers 17 future-focused disciplines. These include Data Science and AI, Aerospace, Cybersecurity, Electronic Systems, Chemical Engineering, Molecular Engineering, Architecture and Design, Product Design, Law, Economics and Finance, Humanities, Ecology, Game Technology, Mathematics and Computing, and Engineering Biological Systems.

The courses are designed as eight-week online learning programmes. Students learn through pre-recorded lectures, live sessions, assignments and computer-based assessments. Students who complete the prescribed requirements can receive an official e-certificate from the IIT Madras Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE).

The Data Science and AI course, for example, introduces students to topics such as data collection, feature engineering, supervised and unsupervised learning, decision trees, neural networks and basic applications of machine learning. Weekly live interactive sessions are also part of the course.

IIT Madras said the courses are offered in English and Hindi, with development under way to make the modules available in seven additional regional languages. The move is aimed at making the programme accessible to a wider group of school students.

The initiative has already reached a significant number of students. According to IIT Madras, School Connect has partnered with more than 4,900 schools, including over 60 schools outside India, and has benefited more than 1.75 lakh students since its launch. The institute now aims to expand the programme to 25,000 schools across India in the coming years.

Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, Chair of the Centre for Outreach and Digital Education at IIT Madras, said the programme was created to help students explore different fields before making important academic decisions. He said bringing Class 9 students into the programme would give them more time to understand their interests and make informed choices about their Class 11 and 12 streams.

For Class 12 students, the programme also offers an opportunity to explore IIT Madras’ non-campus BS degree programmes while they are still in school.

The programme reflects a wider shift in school education towards early exposure to emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aerospace and data science. Instead of waiting until college to encounter these subjects, students can now get an introduction while still at school.

For parents and students, the initiative could provide an opportunity to explore potential career interests before making decisions about higher education. However, participation depends on the student’s school being partnered with the programme.