IIT BHU Launches IoT & Smart Manufacturing Certification Course

Faculty Upskilling at the Core

The program has enrolled 36 faculty members from nine states and union territories, with 25 of them possessing PhD degrees in fields like mechanical, electrical, and electronics engineering. By enrolling highly experienced teachers, IIT BHU is creating a cascading effect in technical education, enabling such faculty members to impart new-age knowledge and hands-on skills to their students and institutions.

Eight faculty members from IIT BHU will conduct the course delivery, involving practical training in an IoT laboratory set up through collaboration with FITAS Robotics and Embedded Systems Pvt. Ltd. In addition to filling the gap between industry and academia, the programme features guest lectures from industry experts so that participants are exposed to real-world applications and recent technological developments.

Programme Highlights:

• 36 Faculty Members Upskilled – Participants represent nine states and union territories, bringing diversity of experience and expertise.

• Expert-Led Training – The program is led by eight IIT BHU faculty members with hands-on lab sessions in IoT-based technologies.

• Industry Participation – Guest lectures by the top industry experts provide practical insights to the theoretical background.

• High-Tech IoT Lab – Training is conducted in a dedicated IoT lab, created in collaboration with FITAS Robotics and Embedded Systems Pvt. Ltd.

Industry-Academia Connect

The programme is being organised by the Precision Engineering Hub (PEH) at IIT BHU, with Dr. GM Karthik serving as the programme coordinator. Faculty leaders such as Santosh Kumar, PEH coordinator, and Sandeep Kumar, head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, are also contributing to the initiative.

The inauguration of the programme was graced by NK Mukhopadhyay, acting director of IIT BHU, as the chief guest, and Tapash Kumar Nandy, director of DRDO Industry Academia-Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE), as the guest of honour. Mukhopadhyay emphasised that practical training for educators is vital for advancing India’s capabilities in smart manufacturing and IoT, describing this programme as a forward-thinking step towards building a robust Industry 4.0 ecosystem. Nandy further encouraged participants to align their teaching methodologies with national priorities in strategic technology development and materials innovation.

Empowering Educators for the Digital Manufacturing Era

This course is significant in the context of the global shift towards IoT and automation-driven industries. By providing educators with both theoretical foundations and practical exposure, IIT BHU is ensuring that technical institutions across India are prepared to produce graduates who can excel in high-demand sectors like robotics, AI-driven manufacturing, and connected devices.

Sessions that combine lab training with expert-led discussions are intended to allow faculty to bring current industrial practices into the classroom. GM Karthik said the challenge will help participants strengthen academic and research contributions of their institutes in emerging technologies.

The inauguration ended with an interactive meeting, which helped the participants and guest faculty form connections. Such contacts will hopefully result in shared knowledge and collaboration long after the class is over. The scheme is also in sync with AICTE's larger perspective of promoting technical education - a vision that will involve interventions in the form of new methodologies of learning which foster innovation, support from the industry, and to provide for research opportunities.

Final Take: Building Future-Ready Educators for a Digital Economy

AICTE Sponsored short term course of IIT (BHU) is more than a training exercise. It is a vision that seeks to create leaders dedicated to discovering innovations. Bridging academia, industry knowhow, and cutting-edge research equipment, the program enables members of faculty to train the new generation of engineers in response to the smart manufacturing and IoT industry requirements. This is a great leap in making the future of Indian education continue to be in sync with global practices in innovation and technology.