The Bhupat & Jyoti Mehta Family Foundation (MFF) established the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG). Nestled on the northern banks of the Brahmaputra, IITG is often considered the most beautiful campus in India. The institute houses 11 academic departments and 5 interdisciplinary centers, covering all major humanities, engineering, and science disciplines.

The School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, to be housed in a new dedicated facility on IITG’s main campus, will offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. IITG professor R. Bhattacharjee will lead the school, which is expected to be completed in 2024 and graduate more than 1,200 students over a 10-year period. The first group of students will begin coursework in 2021.

The school’s curriculum combines state-of-the-art teaching, research, and technology development in the frontier areas of data science (DS) and artificial intelligence (AI), providing students with a strong theoretical foundation and emphasizing areas of interdisciplinary application. Faculty and students of the school will explore the uses of DS and AI in solving societal problems, including those of regional importance relating to water quality and usage, healthcare, and agriculture.

Professors Ananth Grama, Shankar Subramaniam, and Rajesh Gupta, all members of MFF CARE and experts in the fields of DS and AI, serve as international advisors, offering guidance on the school’s program design, curriculum development, and research activities. This arrangement represents MFF’s unique approach to building 21st-century talent in India, particularly in emerging scientific and technological fields.

Currently, more than 7,000 undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students attend IITG. By 2027, the institute anticipates that undergraduate enrollment in the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence will increase by 200 percent, graduate enrollment by 50 percent, and doctoral enrollment by 75 percent.

Dr. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, has recognized the need for more data science professionals who will “convert big data into effective knowledge and understanding to serve society in a better way,” and IITG director T.G. Sitharam has noted that the school will help “bridge the gap of highly skilled personnel that exists in these emerging fields.”

Students who would like to learn more about the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and the enrollment/ placement requirements may contact IITG. International faculty interested in partnering with IITG may contact MFF.