VTU offers minor degrees for skills improvement and business development

It is open to all students who are enrolled in universities under VTU, both affiliated and autonomous. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO

Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has started offering minor degrees to provide more opportunities for skill enhancement and entrepreneurial development to engineering students in the state.

These degrees are offered online as five-semester courses. Those who have registered can start attending these courses from the fourth semester onwards if they have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 5.0, even if they have a backlog. Applicants must complete the course before the start of the eighth semester. The degrees will have 18 credits.

“The minor degree, pursued along with the BE/BTech program, allows for the diversification and enhancement of the skill sets of the students, thereby meeting the demands of contemporary industry. The minor degree in Engineering and Technology is an academic diploma earned in addition to the BE/BTech degree program by completing a prescribed set of supplementary courses in a discipline other than the student’s primary field of study,” the circular said.

Speaking to The Hindu, S. Vidyashankar, Vice-Chancellor of VTU said, “For the benefit and interest of the students, we have introduced the minor program. We have made necessary regulations and guidelines for this. We have informed all affiliated colleges under VTU to follow these guidelines. This initiative will be very beneficial and provide valuable opportunities to the students.”

The minor allows students to bridge disciplinary boundaries and function effectively in multidisciplinary teams. These programs emphasize the fundamental principles of multiple engineering disciplines, critical and analytical thinking, and the ability to develop innovative and integrated solutions to interdisciplinary problems, VTU said.

Minor degrees will be offered in a wide range of subjects, particularly in emerging technologies.

It is open to all students who are enrolled in universities under VTU, both affiliated and autonomous. However, these courses must be taken concurrently with the main degree program. Students cannot earn a minor after they have already earned a bachelor’s degree.

Courses offered for the lower degree will be considered equivalent to regular upper degree courses in terms of attendance, assessment and examination requirements, the university said.

Students who successfully complete the online, offline or combined courses prescribed for the minor before commencement of the eighth semester examinations are eligible for the award of the degree provided they also complete the BE/BTech program after the results of all semesters are declared.

Published – 11 Oct 2026 20:11 IST