Revamping Curriculum - The Need of the Hour

India Inc. repeatedly warns us about increasing skill gaps, pointing those tired fingers that never left the industry academia. The widening gap can be attributed to the dynamic technology landscape, which makes academia always play the game of catch-up. Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTU-H) is endeavoring to change this scenario by hosting a major revamp to its undergraduate engineering curriculum, implementing the new Regulations-25 (R-25) for the academic year 2025–26, aimed at enhancing industry-relevant skills among students, equipping them for direct recruitment after graduation. The augmentation also included a new course titled Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The

new regulations will be applicable to students admitted from the academic year 2025–26 in non autonomous affiliated colleges of JNTU-H.

The revised academic framework emphasizes flexibility, practical skill development, and enhanced career readiness. Students must complete 164 credits, but only the best 160 are considered for CGPA, with the option to drop up to 4 credits from low-grade or failed subjects (excluding labs, seminars, projects, and internships). To boost employability, four 1-credit skill development courses are introduced during the second and third years, offering either domain-specific or interdisciplinary modules evaluated like labs. Students may opt for an early exit after the second year, provided all courses are cleared and two additional credits, including a vocational course or internship, are earned; rejoining in the third year remains possible. MOOCs offer additional flexibility, with a fallback to regular courses upon failure. New offerings like a Mathematics Laboratory and an Innovation and Entrepreneurship course aim to strengthen analytical and entrepreneurial thinking. Students missing one midterm due to valid reasons can now take a comprehensive computer-based test.