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Edtech unicorn Physics Wallah (PW) on Friday unveiled PW Institute of Innovation (PW IOI), offering a four-year fully residential programme in computer science and AI.

PW IOI’s campus in Bengaluru will offer the four-year programme, with the inaugural batch comprising 150 learners, set to begin on September 27.

During an interview with YourStory, Sudhanshu Kumar, CEO of PW Skills, highlighted that the company recognised a core issue: despite completing degrees like BTech, BSc, MCA, or pursuing higher education for four to five years, many individuals still faced challenges as they sought to acquire the relevant skills necessary to secure jobs in the tech industry.

“This is why we decided to expand our offerings to create a skill-building programme from scratch to bridge the gap between academia and industry, empowering individuals to enter the job market with confidence and efficiency,” Kumar noted.

He explained that the main issue lies in the lack of relevant experience within colleges due to outdated infrastructure, ecosystem, and education systems.

“Rote learning prevails as colleges follow the same syllabus from decades ago, while industries have evolved significantly, especially in recent years with the rise of data science and AI. Despite these changes, many institutions continue to teach outdated concepts, lagging behind industry demands,” he added.

The PW Skills chief said that PW IOI was established with a vision to overcome rote learning and conventional approaches.

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PW Institute of Innovation. | Image credit: PW

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PW’s four-year programme offers a curriculum covering foundational topics, software engineering, AI applications, and real-world internships. Students will learn programming languages, data science, and cloud computing, and specialise in areas like deep learning and big data analytics.

The programme also emphasises practical skills and culminates with a capstone project for hands-on experience and industry readiness.

“During the four-year journey at PW IOI, learners will be immersed in the industry environment, equipping them to seamlessly transition into a job without requiring additional upskilling,” Kumar remarked.

Moreover, the programme will provide personalised 1:1 mentorship from tech leaders like Kumar, Vishwa Mohan, and other PW leaders, such as Krish Naik, Souranshu Paul, Anurag Tiwari, and many others, who bring industry experience from firms like LinkedIn, Walmart, PayPal, and Oracle.

Students will also get the chance to engage with industry experts from companies like Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google, and Microsoft, through quarterly sessions.

The programme would offer an optional degree, similar to a Bachelor (Hons) in Data Science and AI from a premium institute like IIT. The specific details regarding the degree are currently being finalised by the company, says Vishwa Mohan, CIO at PW, and President of PW IOI.

The total fee for the four-year programme at PW IOI amounts to about Rs 15 lakh, including components like fees for admission, tuition, hostel and mess, and the degree. The fee structure for the BS Hons degree is Rs 3.5 lakh.

Mohan said the company will provide scholarships to about 25% of the total students. The institute will offer scholarships ranging from 20% to 100% of the tuition fee based on specific criteria, including JEE Main percentile, class 12th and 10th percentages, and family income.

He did not reveal the precise investment made in the institute, which can accommodate approximately 500 learners.

PW IOI, which comes under the umbrella of PW Skills, aims to empower professionals with employable and effective skills for the rapidly evolving job market, according to Mohan.

Last December, PW acquired iNeuron Intelligence Private Limited, an upskilling platform focusing on artificial intelligence and data sciences. By integrating iNeuron’s team into its upskilling unit, PW Skills, the edtech unicorn has expanded its range of tech-based upskilling offerings.

PW Skills provides a range of tech and non-tech courses to cater to college graduates and working professionals seeking to make career shifts or acquire new skills in the tech industry. In May, the company said it plans to invest Rs 120 crore in the next two-three years to provide upskilling courses at competitive prices.