Beyond IITs & IIMs: 4 Surprising Courses You Didn’t Know Existed in Indian Universities
Gone are those days when becoming a doctor or an engineer was the only benchmark of ambition. In today’s rapidly evolving world, driven by technology and global challenges, new career paths have emerged, offering students a wide array of specialised and future-ready options. Here are some niche and offbeat courses now offered by Indian universities that reflect this shift.
1. Environmental engineering
What is it: Simply put, this course equips students to make development more sustainable. It aims to build expertise in managing environmental systems through both proactive and reactive approaches. The focus is on minimising pollution at the source and using the best available technologies to control it when it occurs.
Where can you find it: Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani launched a four-semester MTech in Environmental Engineering in 2023.
Graduates in environmental engineering can work as water quality specialists and environmental design engineers. Picture credit: Carroll Engineering Corporation
What can you explore with it: This is ideal for engineers who want to work in the field of sustainability. This course opens doors like:
- Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Manager
- Air Quality Specialist
- Solid Waste Management Engineer
- Environmental Design Engineer
2. BTech in Cyber Physical Systems
What is it: Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) bridge the digital and physical worlds — think self-driving cars or AI-driven factories. This course integrates computer science, electronics, mechanical systems, and data science to build real-time intelligent systems.
A Cyber-Physical Systems course integrates computer science, electronics, mechanical systems, and data science to build real-time intelligent systems. Picture credit: VIT Chennai
Where can you find it: Manipal University, Mangalore, and Vellore Institute of Technology offer a four-year-long BTech in cyber-physical systems.
What can you explore with it: Graduates are equipped to design and build intelligent, real-world systems where computers, sensors, machines, and networks interact seamlessly. Career paths include:
- Cyber Engineer
- Robotics Developer
- Embedded Systems Architect
- AI Researcher
- Automation Engineer
3. Medical coding
What is it: A medical coder translates doctors’ notes, diagnoses, and procedures into standardised universal codes used across healthcare systems globally. This is the first step in the medical billing process, helping track patient history, connect hospitals with insurers, and streamline billing operations.
Medical coders get involved in the business side of healthcare and help to keep the link between hospitals and insurance agencies seamless. Picture Credit: Shutterstock Representational Image
Where can you find it:
- Centre for Health Management and Research in Delhi offers postgraduate and executive diploma courses.
- Imperial Institute of Clinical Research, Ahmedabad, offers one- and three-month certificate programmes.
What can you explore with it: This is perfect for students interested in the business or administrative side of healthcare. Job roles include:
- Medical auditor
- Health information technician
- Compliance officer
4. Musopathy
What is it: Musopathy explores the therapeutic qualities of music by studying sound’s universal properties for healing. It blends health sciences and technology to assess how sound impacts human wellbeing. While it overlaps with music therapy, musopathy is rooted in the scientific application of sound for therapeutic outcomes.
Where can you find it: IIT Mandi introduced this course in 2024. It offers both postgraduate (MS) and PhD programmes.
What can you explore with it: This emerging field prepares graduates for careers such as:
- Music-based therapist (musopathist)
- Healthcare specialist in music medicine
Edited by Khushi Arora
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