PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 23 -- The Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A) has introduced a BTech (Honours) degree option for its undergraduate students, marking a first for the institute's UG programmes. The proposal was approved by the institute's senate, the highest academic decision-making body, enabling students admitted in the current academic session to opt for the new programme, officials said. Under the new framework, students will be eligible for the BTech (Honours with Research) degree only if they have filed at least one patent during their undergraduate studies and have no backlogs in any semester. The honours programme requires the completion of an additional 12 credits over and above the standard 160-credit BTech curriculum. This includes a dedicated three-credit research course each semester, beginning from the third semester. The initiative aims to promote innovation and strengthen the research culture among undergraduate students, encouraging them to contribute to knowledge creation alongside their technical education. Confirming the development, IIIT-A dean (academic) Prof Pawan Chakravarti said the institute has introduced two pathways-an "Honours Basket" and "Honours through Research." From 2025-26, students can earn an honours degree by completing 12 extra credits from the third to seventh semester, with at least 8 CGPA and no backlogs after semester two....