

B-TECH in Computer Science Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi


Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
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About the Specialization
What is Computer Science & Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi Mandi?
This Computer Science & Engineering program at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi focuses on providing a robust foundation in theoretical CS principles combined with practical, hands-on experience. It emphasizes cutting-edge areas like AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, and Cybersecurity, aligning with the evolving needs of the Indian and global technology landscape. The program nurtures critical thinking and innovative problem-solving abilities.
Who Should Apply?
This program is ideal for aspiring computer engineers, recent high school graduates with a strong aptitude for mathematics and logical reasoning, and those passionate about leveraging technology for societal impact. It caters to students aiming for roles in software development, data analytics, research, or entrepreneurship within India''''s booming tech sector, especially those eager to contribute to indigenous innovation.
Why Choose This Course?
Graduates of this program can expect to secure high-demand roles in Indian and multinational tech companies in India, with entry-level salaries typically ranging from INR 8-15 LPA, scaling significantly with experience. Career paths include Software Engineer, Data Scientist, AI/ML Engineer, Cybersecurity Analyst, and R&D roles. The strong curriculum prepares students for higher studies or leadership positions in the dynamic Indian IT industry.

Student Success Practices
Foundation Stage
Master Programming Fundamentals- (Semester 1-2)
Dedicate significant time in the first two semesters to thoroughly understand programming logic and data structures. Practice extensively on platforms like HackerRank, LeetCode, and CodeChef. Actively participate in coding competitions to hone problem-solving skills and build a strong competitive programming profile, which is highly valued by top Indian tech companies.
Tools & Resources
CodeChef, HackerRank, LeetCode, GeeksforGeeks, Online IDEs
Career Connection
A strong grasp of fundamentals and competitive programming success directly translates to cracking technical interviews for product-based companies and securing high-package placements.
Build a Strong Mathematical & Scientific Base- (Semester 1-2)
Focus intently on core Mathematics and Physics courses. These subjects form the bedrock for advanced computer science topics like algorithms, AI, and data science. Join study groups, seek help from professors, and solve additional problems from standard textbooks to ensure conceptual clarity and application prowess.
Tools & Resources
Khan Academy, MIT OpenCourseWare, Textbooks like Thomas'''' Calculus, Serway''''s Physics
Career Connection
A solid quantitative foundation is crucial for research roles, advanced AI/ML engineering, and effective problem-solving in complex technical domains.
Develop Effective Study Habits and Network- (Semester 1-2)
Cultivate consistent study routines, time management skills, and active note-taking. Engage with peers through collaborative projects and discussions to foster peer learning. Regularly interact with seniors and professors to gain insights into academic and career pathways, which is vital in the close-knit IIT community.
Tools & Resources
Notion, Google Calendar, Campus study groups, Departmental events
Career Connection
Good academic performance and a strong professional network are essential for internships, research opportunities, and placements within India and abroad.
Intermediate Stage
Engage in Practical Projects and Internships- (Semester 3-5)
Apply theoretical knowledge by undertaking personal projects, contributing to open-source initiatives, or participating in hackathons. Actively seek summer internships after the 2nd and 3rd years in startups or established companies in India to gain industry exposure and practical experience in areas like software development, web development, or data analytics.
Tools & Resources
GitHub, Kaggle, LinkedIn, Internshala, Departmental project opportunities
Career Connection
Practical projects and internships are critical for building a strong resume, gaining relevant skills, and often lead to pre-placement offers (PPOs) in Indian companies.
Specialize and Explore Advanced Topics- (Semester 3-5)
Start exploring specialized areas like Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, or Distributed Systems by taking relevant program electives. Engage in research projects with faculty, participate in advanced workshops, and complete online courses from platforms like Coursera or NPTEL to deepen knowledge in chosen domains.
Tools & Resources
NPTEL, Coursera, edX, IIT Mandi research labs, Departmental seminars
Career Connection
Specialized skills are highly sought after in the Indian tech job market and open doors to niche roles and higher-paying positions in emerging technologies.
Develop Soft Skills and Communication- (Semester 3-5)
Participate in debates, public speaking events, and club activities to enhance communication, teamwork, and leadership skills. These ''''soft skills'''' are as crucial as technical prowess for success in Indian corporate environments, influencing interview performance and career progression. Seek feedback and actively work on improving presentation abilities.
Tools & Resources
Toastmasters International, College clubs and societies, Mock interview sessions
Career Connection
Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for client-facing roles, team leadership, and excelling in the highly collaborative Indian IT services and product industries.
Advanced Stage
Focus on Industry Readiness and Placements- (Semester 6-8)
In the final years, intensely prepare for placements by practicing aptitude tests, technical interview questions (DSA, OS, DBMS, CN), and mock interviews. Tailor your resume and portfolio to reflect your specialization. Actively participate in the campus placement drives and leverage career services for guidance specific to the Indian job market.
Tools & Resources
Placement Cell resources, Glassdoor, AmbitionBox, LinkedIn Premium, InterviewBit
Career Connection
Directly impacts securing desired full-time job offers from top-tier companies in India and ensures a smooth transition into professional life.
Undertake a Significant Major Project/Thesis- (Semester 7-8)
Commit to a challenging Major Project (CS499) that allows for deep dive into a specific problem, preferably industry-relevant or research-oriented. This showcases advanced problem-solving, independent research capabilities, and technical expertise, which are highly valued by both employers and for higher studies applications.
Tools & Resources
Research papers (Google Scholar), Academic journals, Faculty mentors, Project management tools
Career Connection
A strong major project can differentiate candidates, lead to publications, and is a significant talking point in job interviews or for graduate school admissions.
Explore Entrepreneurship or Higher Studies- (Semester 6-8)
For those inclined towards entrepreneurship, leverage IIT Mandi''''s incubation facilities to develop startup ideas. Alternatively, prepare for competitive exams like GATE (for M.Tech in India) or GRE/TOEFL (for MS/PhD abroad) for advanced academic pursuits. Attend workshops on IPR and startup funding to understand the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Tools & Resources
IIT Mandi Catalyst, GATE coaching centers, Study abroad consultants, Start-up India initiatives
Career Connection
Provides pathways to create job opportunities, innovate in India, or gain deeper academic specialization for research and teaching roles.
Program Structure and Curriculum
Eligibility:
- Admission is based on the rank secured in the JEE Advanced examination. The official curriculum document does not explicitly detail the eligibility criteria.
Duration: 8 semesters / 4 years
Credits: 160 Credits
Assessment: Assessment pattern not specified
Semester-wise Curriculum Table
Semester 1
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS101 | English Professional Communication | Humanities | 3 | Technical communication principles, Report writing and documentation, Presentation and public speaking skills, Grammar and effective language use, Rhetoric and argumentative writing |
| PH101 | Physics I | Core | 4 | Classical mechanics and rigid body dynamics, Oscillations and wave phenomena, Optics and interference, Thermal physics and thermodynamics, Quantum mechanics introduction |
| PH101P | Physics I Lab | Lab | 2 | Experimental design and data collection, Measurement techniques and error analysis, Verification of physical laws, Working with optical and electrical setups, Scientific report writing |
| MA101 | Calculus | Core | 4 | Limits, continuity, and differentiability, Applications of derivatives and integrals, Techniques of integration, Sequences and infinite series, Multivariable calculus introduction |
| BT101 | Biology for Engineers | Core | 3 | Cell structure and function, Genetics and molecular biology, Physiology of human systems, Basic microbiology and immunology, Bioengineering applications and ethics |
| CS101 | Introduction to Programming | Core | 3 | Programming language syntax and semantics, Variables, data types, and operators, Control flow: conditionals and loops, Functions, modules, and recursion, Basic algorithms and problem-solving |
| CS101P | Introduction to Programming Lab | Lab | 2 | Hands-on programming practice, Debugging and error handling, Implementing basic data structures, Developing small programming projects, Version control basics |
| ED101 | Engineering Design: Product Prototyping | Practical | 1 | Design thinking methodology, Conceptualization and ideation, Basic CAD tools and 3D modeling, Rapid prototyping techniques, Material selection and manufacturing basics |
Semester 2
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE101 | Basic Electrical Engineering | Core | 4 | DC and AC circuit analysis, Network theorems (Thevenin, Norton), Single-phase AC systems and power, Transformers and their operation, Basic electrical machines |
| EE101P | Basic Electrical Engineering Lab | Lab | 2 | Circuit building and testing, Measurement of electrical parameters, Verification of circuit laws and theorems, Use of multi-meter, oscilloscope, Troubleshooting basic circuits |
| CH101 | Chemistry | Core | 4 | Atomic structure and quantum mechanics, Chemical bonding and molecular structure, Thermodynamics and chemical kinetics, Coordination chemistry and catalysis, Organic chemistry fundamentals |
| CH101P | Chemistry Lab | Lab | 2 | Quantitative and qualitative analysis, Volumetric and gravimetric analysis, Synthesis of inorganic/organic compounds, Instrumental analysis techniques, Safety protocols in chemical labs |
| MA102 | Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | Core | 4 | Vector spaces and subspaces, Matrices, determinants, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, Systems of linear equations, First-order ordinary differential equations, Higher-order linear differential equations |
| ES101 | Environmental Studies | Core | 2 | Ecosystems and biodiversity conservation, Environmental pollution and control, Natural resources management, Climate change and global warming, Sustainable development goals |
| CS102 | Data Structures | Core | 3 | Arrays, linked lists, stacks, and queues, Trees: binary, AVL, B-trees, Graphs: representations and traversals, Hashing and hash tables, Introduction to algorithm analysis |
| CS102P | Data Structures Lab | Lab | 2 | Implementation of various data structures, Problem-solving using data structures, Performance analysis of implementations, Using standard library data structures, Debugging and testing code |
Semester 3
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA201 | Probability and Statistics | Core | 4 | Basic probability theory and axioms, Random variables and distributions, Expected value and variance, Hypothesis testing and confidence intervals, Introduction to regression analysis |
| CS201 | Discrete Mathematics | Core | 4 | Mathematical logic and proof techniques, Set theory, relations, and functions, Combinatorics and counting principles, Graph theory fundamentals, Recurrence relations and generating functions |
| CS202 | Object Oriented Programming | Core | 3 | OOP principles: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, Classes, objects, and methods, Abstract classes and interfaces, Exception handling and file I/O, Introduction to design patterns |
| CS202P | Object Oriented Programming Lab | Lab | 2 | Implementation of OOP concepts in C++/Java, Developing multi-class applications, Debugging and testing OOP programs, Using IDEs for development, Small project development with OOP |
| CS203 | Digital Logic Design | Core | 3 | Boolean algebra and logic gates, Combinational circuit design (adders, multiplexers), Sequential circuit design (flip-flops, counters, registers), Finite state machines, Introduction to HDLs (VHDL/Verilog) |
| CS203P | Digital Logic Design Lab | Lab | 2 | Designing and implementing logic circuits on breadboards, Using logic gates and ICs, Simulating digital circuits with tools (e.g., Logisim), Implementing simple FSMs, Introduction to FPGA programming |
| HSXXX | Humanities Elective I | Elective | 2 | Selected from Humanities disciplines, Social sciences perspectives, Cultural studies and ethics, Economic principles, Psychology fundamentals |
| NOE | Non-Open Elective | Elective | 1 | Interdisciplinary subject, Application of engineering principles, Problem-solving approaches, Innovation and creativity, Team-based project work |
Semester 4
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS204 | Algorithms | Core | 4 | Algorithm analysis: complexity, Big O notation, Sorting and searching algorithms, Graph algorithms (DFS, BFS, shortest paths), Dynamic programming and greedy algorithms, Backtracking and branch-and-bound |
| CS205 | Computer Architecture and Organization | Core | 3 | CPU organization and datapath, Memory hierarchy and caching, Instruction set architectures (ISA), Pipelining and parallel processing, Input/Output organization and interfaces |
| CS206 | Operating Systems | Core | 3 | Process management and scheduling, Memory management: paging, segmentation, File systems and I/O management, Concurrency control and deadlocks, Virtualization and distributed systems basics |
| CS206P | Operating Systems Lab | Lab | 2 | Linux system calls and commands, Shell scripting for automation, Process synchronization problems, Memory allocation strategies implementation, File I/O operations and permissions |
| CS207 | Database Management Systems | Core | 3 | Relational data model and algebra, Structured Query Language (SQL), Entity-Relationship (E-R) modeling, Normalization and database design, Transaction management and concurrency control |
| CS207P | Database Management Systems Lab | Lab | 2 | SQL query writing and optimization, Database schema design and implementation, Working with relational database systems (e.g., MySQL), Developing database-driven applications, Data manipulation and administration |
| BSXXX | Basic Science Elective | Elective | 3 | Advanced topics in Physics or Chemistry, Biological sciences for engineering, Material science fundamentals, Environmental science applications, Interdisciplinary science topics |
| OE | Open Elective | Elective | 1 | Diverse topics from other engineering disciplines, Technology and society, Project management basics, Communication skills enhancement, Entrepreneurial thinking |
Semester 5
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS301 | Theory of Computation | Core | 4 | Finite Automata and Regular Expressions, Context-Free Grammars and Pushdown Automata, Turing Machines and computability, Decidability and undecidability, Complexity classes P and NP |
| CS302 | Compiler Design | Core | 3 | Lexical analysis and finite automata, Parsing techniques (LL, LR), Syntax-directed translation and intermediate code generation, Run-time environments and memory management, Code optimization techniques |
| CS302P | Compiler Design Lab | Lab | 2 | Implementing lexical analyzers (Lex/Flex), Building parsers (Yacc/Bison/Antlr), Intermediate code generation, Developing a simple compiler/interpreter, Compiler testing and debugging |
| CS303 | Computer Networks | Core | 3 | OSI and TCP/IP reference models, Data link layer: error control, flow control, Network layer: IP addressing, routing protocols, Transport layer: TCP, UDP, congestion control, Application layer protocols: HTTP, DNS, FTP |
| CS303P | Computer Networks Lab | Lab | 2 | Socket programming for network applications, Network configuration and troubleshooting, Protocol analysis using Wireshark, Implementing client-server applications, Network simulation tools |
| PE | Program Elective I | Elective | 3 | Advanced topics in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning, Data Science and Big Data Analytics, Cybersecurity principles, Advanced algorithms and data structures |
| HSXXX | Humanities Elective II | Elective | 2 | Advanced topics in humanities, Societal impacts of technology, Philosophical inquiry, Literature and communication studies, Global issues and policy |
| EP | Entrepreneurship/Practicum | Practical | 1 | Startup ecosystem and ideation, Business model canvas, Market research and analysis, Product development and prototyping, Funding and pitch development |
Semester 6
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CS304 | Software Engineering | Core | 3 | Software development lifecycle models, Requirements engineering and analysis, Software design principles and patterns, Software testing and quality assurance, Project management and agile methodologies |
| CS305 | Artificial Intelligence | Core | 3 | Intelligent agents and search strategies, Knowledge representation and reasoning, Machine learning fundamentals (supervised/unsupervised), Natural Language Processing basics, Expert systems and decision making |
| CS305P | Artificial Intelligence Lab | Lab | 2 | Implementing search algorithms, Working with AI/ML libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, TensorFlow), Developing simple AI applications, Data preprocessing and feature engineering, Model training and evaluation |
| PE | Program Elective II | Elective | 3 | Advanced topics in specific CS domains, Distributed Systems or Cloud Computing, Computer Graphics or Image Processing, Operating System design principles, Advanced database management |
| PE | Program Elective III | Elective | 3 | Cyber-Physical Systems, Blockchain Technology, Robotics and Automation, Game Development, Human-Computer Interaction |
| CS399 | Minor Project | Project | 3 | Problem identification and scope definition, Literature review and research methodology, System design and architecture, Implementation and testing phases, Technical report writing and presentation |
| OE | Open Elective | Elective | 1 | Introduction to financial markets, Creative writing and storytelling, Foreign language basics, Health and wellness, Leadership and teamwork |
Semester 7
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | Program Elective IV | Elective | 3 | Deep Learning and Neural Networks, Big Data Technologies and Analytics, Information Security and Cryptography, Internet of Things (IoT) architecture, Parallel and Distributed Algorithms |
| PE | Program Elective V | Elective | 3 | Quantum Computing principles, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, Formal Methods in Software Engineering, Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing |
| OE | Open Elective | Elective | 3 | Advanced topics in social science, Management principles for engineers, Technology law and intellectual property, Environmental policy and economics, Fine arts and appreciation |
| CS499 | Major Project I | Project | 6 | In-depth problem definition and scope finalization, Comprehensive literature review and gap analysis, Detailed system architecture and design, Initial prototype development and validation, Progress reporting and technical documentation |
| IC | Industrial Course | Industrial | 3 | Industry-specific software tools and platforms, Real-world project development cycle, Professional ethics and teamwork, Quality assurance in industry, Exposure to current industry practices |
Semester 8
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE | Program Elective VI | Elective | 3 | Advanced network security, Embedded systems design, Information Retrieval, Computer Vision applications, Distributed Ledger Technologies |
| OE | Open Elective | Elective | 3 | Entrepreneurial ventures and funding, Advanced humanities topics, Public policy and governance, Interdisciplinary engineering projects, Global trends and challenges |
| CS499 | Major Project II | Project | 6 | Full system implementation and integration, Rigorous testing and performance evaluation, Deployment strategies and maintenance planning, Comprehensive thesis writing and defense, Demonstration of project outcomes |
| IDP | Industrial Internship/Development Project | Internship | 3 | Work experience in an industry setting, Application of theoretical knowledge to real problems, Professional skill development (communication, teamwork), Exposure to corporate culture and practices, Mentorship and career guidance |




