IIT Hyderabad opens 4-week Applied AI certificate, classes start October 24

By TUF News Desk · Published 14 October 2026 · 3 min read

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The October cohort of IIT Hyderabad’s Applied AI Professional Certification Programme begins on October 24, 2026. The four-week programme runs till November 14 and is aimed at working professionals who want to build AI applications rather than only use generative AI tools.

Sessions are instructor-led and hybrid. Participants can attend on the IIT Hyderabad campus or join online. The format mixes classroom instruction with guided learning, hands-on laboratory sessions, project development and mentor support. Applications are open through the official IIT Hyderabad website.

What the four weeks cover

The programme teaches the full path from idea to a working application. The curriculum covers tool use, Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), memory, orchestration, multi-agent systems, observability, evaluation, guardrails and deployment.

Teaching follows a learn, apply and build pattern. Participants first work through a concept in a taught session, then try it in a lab, then fold it into their project. The course works through how AI applications are designed, built, evaluated and operated for real use.

Participants apply each topic to a single connected project. Over the four weeks they develop one production-style AI agent application, refining it as new concepts come in. The programme ends with project demonstrations and feedback.

How the hybrid format works

The hybrid setup is the part that matters most for people with jobs. Instructor-led sessions can be attended on campus or online, so participants do not have to relocate or take a month off work. Guided learning and labs fill the gaps between sessions, and mentor support runs through the project work.

That structure fits the audience the programme is built for. It is a short, intensive course for people already in the workforce, not a full-time degree. The four-week length keeps the commitment bounded, while the single project gives participants something concrete to show at the end.

Who teaches it

The programme is led by four faculty members from IIT Hyderabad’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering: Dr Praveen Tammana, Dr Ashish Mishra, Dr Anupam Sanghi and Dr Abhijit Das. NVSS Koundinya, an industry practitioner and AI Solution Architect, teaches alongside them.

The certificate

Participants who complete the prescribed labs, assessments and other requirements receive an IIT Hyderabad Professional Certificate. The October cohort follows an earlier edition, which drew working professionals from several industries.

For readers weighing institutes and programmes against each other, our guide to choosing a university in India sets out what to look at beyond brand names, including faculty, format and what you build by the end.

Frequently asked questions

When does the IIT Hyderabad Applied AI certificate programme start?

The October cohort runs from October 24 to November 14, 2026, in a hybrid format with sessions on campus or online.

Who is the Applied AI programme for?

Working professionals who want to move from using generative AI tools to designing, building, evaluating and deploying AI applications.

What will participants build during the programme?

One production-style AI agent application, developed over four weeks alongside labs, guided learning and mentor support.

What certificate do participants receive?

Participants who complete the prescribed labs, assessments and other requirements receive an IIT Hyderabad Professional Certificate.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: The Hans India, Careers360, Telangana Today