IIT Kharagpur has decided to move away from its long-standing “all or nothing” degree policy, in an effort to bring a significant shift aimed at easing academic pressure and addressing student mental health concerns. Under the new system, undergraduate students who score below the minimum 6 CGPA required for a BTech Honours degree will now be awarded a BTech Pass degree.
The decision was taken recently at a meeting of the institute’s Senate. Until now, only students achieving a minimum CGPA of 6 were eligible for a BTech Honours degree, while those falling short were not awarded any degree at all. The new policy will come into effect from the batch graduating in 2027.
Also Read | Are you a home-tutor alongside your existing teaching job? Surprise, this may just be for you
IIT Kharagpur authorities believe that denying a degree after four years of rigorous academic effort due to a marginal shortfall in marks can severely impact a student’s future. Under the revised system, students scoring between 5.0 and 5.9 CGPA will receive a BTech Pass degree, recognising their academic journey and effort.
Institute Director Suman Chakraborty said the decision was taken with students’ overall mental well-being in mind. He noted that compelling students to remain enrolled for years solely to reach the 6 CGPA threshold often leads to intense stress, anxiety, and depression. According to him, acknowledging students’ four-year academic struggle through a pass degree is a more humane approach.
Also Read | IIMC starts the invitation for applications for the PhD programme 2025-26
At the same time, the institute will continue to provide opportunities for students who wish to upgrade their academic standing. Those aspiring to achieve the Honours degree will be allowed to take additional courses or appear for special examinations to improve their CGPA.
Several professors and educationists have welcomed the move, pointing out that many IIT students are admitted into disciplines outside their first preference. As academic demands increase, some struggle to cope with the complexity of these subjects. In such cases, the pressure of watching peers graduate with Honours degrees while being left without any degree has had severe social and psychological consequences.
Also Read | Bengal students lag behind in Bengali–Mathematics–Social Science, new survey data raises concerns
A senior professor observed that under the earlier system, a student scoring 5.8 or 5.9 CGPA would receive no degree, despite possibly possessing stronger practical skills than graduates from many other engineering colleges. The new policy, he said, addresses this long-standing anomaly.
Students at IIT Kharagpur have reacted positively to the decision, describing it as a much-needed “human touch” in an otherwise high-pressure academic environment. Many believe the move will provide relief in what they often describe as IIT’s academic “pressure cooker,” while still preserving academic standards.
