VARANASI, June 12 -- Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, has announced significant changes to its BTech curriculum to align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, offering greater flexibility and opportunities to students. These changes will be implemented starting from the academic session 2025-26, aimed at fostering interdisciplinary learning and preparing students for the demands of the industry. From the fourth semester onwards, students will have five academic pathways to choose from, based on merit and their preferences: For instance, a student enrolled in a four-year BTech programme can earn a Minor degree by completing a minimum of four and a maximum of six courses in another engineering disciplines during the fifth, seventh, and eighth semesters. A student who initially pursued a Minor and then completed the 10-semester curriculum in the second discipline will earn a Second Major BTech degree, effectively graduating with degrees in two engineering disciplines. Students who initially opt for a Minor can later switch to the Second Major track based on seat availability and merit. Prof Indrajit Sinha, associate dean (academic), highlighted that students can also earn the Integrated Dual Degree (IDD) programme for BTech and MTech degree in a single discipline within 10 semesters. Architecture (BArch) students in the five-year programme are also eligible for the Minor and Second Major options, with the latter extending the programme to six years. Prof Devendra Singh, dean (academic affairs), elaborated that the traditional branch-change system after the first year has been discontinued....