IIT Hyderabad launches credit course on goodness; 140 students already in

By TUF News Desk · Published 22 October 2026 · 3 min read

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More than 140 students at IIT Hyderabad have already signed up for a new elective on goodness. The course, coded LA2270 and titled “Goodness: Character, Responsibility and Human Flourishing”, carries one academic credit and is open to every undergraduate on campus, from first-year BTech students to BDes students, with no prerequisites. The institute describes it as the first academic credit course on goodness in India.

What the course covers

Across seven sessions, students work through the Goodness Index framework and five dimensions of human flourishing: physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual. Other sessions take up Character Infrastructure, the Character Dividend and Personal Social Responsibility, and the final session connects these ideas to the national vision of Viksit Bharat.

The course runs on reflection rather than instruction. It does not hand students a single definition of what a good person is; instead it asks them to examine their own choices and how those choices land on the people and the society around them. Success, in this framing, is measured by more than income or position.

Who is teaching it

The course concept was proposed by the Institute of Goodness and then adopted and approved by IIT Hyderabad as a regular credit course. It is taught by Ravi Sharma, the founder of the Institute of Goodness and an IIT Roorkee alumnus, whose work includes developing the Goodness Index framework that anchors the sessions.

IIT Hyderabad Director Prof. B. S. Murty said the course is meant to get students thinking about the kind of life they want to lead and what they owe the society around them, treating character and responsibility as part of what education should deliver rather than an afterthought to technical training.

An unusual entry on an IIT timetable

Engineering schools in India have been adding humanities and well-being courses for a while, but a graded credit course built entirely around goodness is a first. The early enrolment, more than 140 students from different disciplines and years, suggests the idea is finding an audience beyond the usual humanities electives.

According to the institute’s official news page, LA2270 is not IITH’s only new course this month: the institute has also introduced “Mental Well-being & Resilience” as a mandatory one-credit course for all first-year undergraduates.

For aspirants tracking what different IITs offer beyond their core branches, our IIT Hyderabad profile covers its courses, fees and placements. If you are comparing institutes before the next JEE season, the guide to choosing a university in India walks through what actually matters. The institute’s announcement is listed on IIT Hyderabad’s official news page.

Frequently asked questions

What is the IIT Hyderabad Goodness course?

LA2270, “Goodness: Character, Responsibility and Human Flourishing”, is a one-credit elective open to all undergraduate students at IIT Hyderabad, with no prerequisites. Over 140 students have already opted in.

Who teaches the Goodness course at IIT Hyderabad?

Ravi Sharma, founder of the Institute of Goodness and an IIT Roorkee alumnus, who developed the Goodness Index framework used in the course.

What topics does the Goodness course cover?

Seven sessions covering the Goodness Index framework, five dimensions of human flourishing, Character Infrastructure, the Character Dividend, Personal Social Responsibility and the link between goodness and Viksit Bharat.

Is LA2270 mandatory at IIT Hyderabad?

No. It is an elective, open to BTech students across all four years and BDes students. The institute did separately introduce a mandatory one-credit course on mental well-being and resilience for first-year undergraduates this month, according to its official news page.

Frequently asked questions

Sources: Telangana Today, The Hans India, Deccan Chronicle