Shaharbeen Times takes IIT Madras initiative to schools; DPS Srinagar, Albani International, Salafia Muslim Institution, Oasis Boys and Girls Wings, Islamic International School among institutions enrolled
Sheikh Imtiyaz
SRINAGAR: The recent PIB media tour to Chennai and Puducherry has begun translating into a meaningful educational opportunity for students in Jammu and Kashmir, with the IIT Madras School Connect programme receiving an encouraging response from schools across the region.
During the PIB tour, the School Connect programme was explored in detail through interaction with the leadership of IIT Madras. Following the tour, Shaharbeen Times took the initiative forward in Kashmir by sharing information about the programme with school principals and heads, with the objective of connecting students in the region with new learning and career-oriented opportunities offered by IIT Madras.
The response from educational institutions was highly encouraging. Shaharbeen Times briefed school authorities about the programme, explained the partnership and enrolment process and guided several institutions on how to formally connect their schools with IIT Madras School Connect.
DPS Srinagar, Albani International School, Salafia Muslim Institution, Oasis Educational School—Boys and Girls Wings—and Islamic International School are among the institutions that have enrolled in or completed the process for the programme, while other schools have also shown interest.
The IIT Madras School Connect programme is designed to bridge the gap between school education and higher education by giving students early exposure to different academic disciplines and emerging career pathways. The current programme covers students of Classes IX, X, XI and XII and offers opportunities to explore a range of future-focused disciplines.
The programme offers 17 disciplines, including Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Aerospace, Cybersecurity, Electronic Systems, Architecture and Design, Product Design, Law, Economics and Finance, Mathematics and Computing, Game Technology and other emerging areas. This gives students an opportunity to explore fields beyond conventional academic choices and develop a better understanding of possible future pathways.
The learning experience is conducted online over eight weeks and combines recorded lectures, weekly live interactive sessions, assignments and computer-based assessments. Students who successfully complete the prescribed requirements receive an official e-certificate from IIT Madras CODE.
The programme also provides flexibility for students to pursue the courses alongside their regular school curriculum. Courses are available in English and Hindi, making the initiative accessible to a wider student community.
According to IIT Madras, the School Connect initiative has already reached thousands of students and partnered with schools in India and abroad, reflecting the growing reach of the programme.
For Jammu and Kashmir, participation in School Connect can provide students with exposure to emerging disciplines, interaction with the academic ecosystem of IIT Madras and an opportunity to explore educational and career pathways at an early stage.
The development marks a concrete and practical outcome of the PIB Chennai-Puducherry tour. What began as an interaction with IIT Madras during the media tour has moved beyond the tour itself, with the initiative being taken to schools in Kashmir and institutions being guided towards participation.
The enrolment window for the current School Connect programme closes on September 30. Schools interested in joining the initiative are therefore required to complete the enrolment process before the deadline.
The enthusiastic response from school heads and the participation of multiple institutions make the initiative a notable practical outcome of the PIB tour—one that can potentially create wider educational opportunities for students across Jammu and Kashmir.
For Shaharbeen Times, the initiative represents a meaningful extension of the PIB tour: bringing back not merely stories and experiences from Chennai, but an educational opportunity that can reach classrooms and benefit students in Kashmir.
