Professor Andrew Sankaravaraj of IIT Madras has achieved a remarkable feat: building a fully accredited, high-quality undergraduate degree program that costs under ₹5 lakhs — and doesn't require cracking the grueling JEE entrance exam.
The program, designed to democratize access to elite engineering education, is already producing surprising results. By leveraging innovative teaching methods and scalable course design, Professor Sankaravaraj has managed to keep costs low while maintaining the rigorous standards expected of an IIT education.
This initiative challenges the long-held belief that a world-class degree must come with a high price tag or require clearing hyper-competitive exams. Instead, it offers a new pathway for talented students who may have been sidelined by the traditional system. The success of this program could reshape how higher education is delivered in India and beyond.