With schools and colleges shut this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IIT Bhubaneswar has decided to start the first year UG classes for the newly joined students in online mode from November 19. IIT Bhubaneswar Director RV Raja Kumar who informed this during the virtual orientation programme of the institute conducted for newly admitted students of BTech and Dual Degree programmes.

He said the decision has been taken keeping the safety of the students and staff. The orientation programme for the newcomers will continue till Wednesday after which classes for the autumn semester of the new academic session will be started from Thursday, he said.

This year, the institute has 475 seats for six BTech and nine dual degree programmes (BTech - MTech) from 419 seats last year. Seats have been increased by 18 per cent across IITs. "Strict guidelines have been put in place on the institute campus to prevent Covid infection for which we are not able to bring fresh students to the campus at present. Once the situation normalises classes will resume on the campus in normal mode," the IIT Bhubaneswar director said.

Officials said the two-day orientation programme which is being conducted for the freshers is a rejuvenation programme. The institute has adopted yoga, cycling culture and lectures on life skills to students, as a part of the programme. Sessions for a lecture on the introduction of engineering courses, English Diagnostic test and workshops on failure and success will also be carried out for the freshers, they said.