Next comes a four-week intensive hands-on training programme at the institute’s Biofoundry, launched on Wednesday. (File Photo)Given the rapid pace at which India’s biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sectors are expanding, there is a growing dearth in professionals with practical expertise.And that is precisely what the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) hopes to address with its latest school, UDYOG (Upskilling and Development for Young Graduates).This industry-oriented finishing school will bridge the gap between academic education and industry requirements by equipping students with practical skills and professional competencies required by the biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors.It will follow a three-stage training pathway. The first comprises three months of online learning delivered through Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), supplemented by lectures from industry experts.Next comes a four-week intensive hands-on training programme at the institute’s Biofoundry, launched on Wednesday. Here, students will be introduced to laboratory processes and manufacturing workflows.“Following this training, selected participants may have opportunities to engage with industry partners and participate in interviews for long-term internships, providing a potential pathway from academic learning to workplace experience,” IIT Madras said.Also Read | IIT Madras launches finishing school to train biotechnology graduates“AI also means Academia-Industry. It is becoming an absolute necessity that every discipline of science and engineering must look at AI with care to make themselves relevant to the modern world. UDYOG is yet another effort taken by IIT Madras in this direction,” IIT-M director V Kamakoti said.Story continues below this adThe first batch of UDYOG will start from January next year and the early-bird registration closes on December 15, 2026.Students in pre-final-year and final-year pursuing BTech, MTech and MSc degrees in biotechnology and allied disciplines, across all colleges and institutes in India are eligible to apply, said officials.