IIT Hyderabad Adds Goodness Course to Student Curriculum

IIT Hyderabad introduces a one-credit Goodness elective for undergraduates alongside mandatory Mental Well-being & Resilience training for first-year students, strengthening its focus on character, social responsibility and holistic education.

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) has introduced a one-credit undergraduate elective titled “Goodness: Character, Responsibility and Human Flourishing” to encourage students to reflect on ethics, personal growth and social responsibility. The initiative complements the institute’s mandatory Mental Well-being & Resilience course for first-year undergraduate students, reinforcing its focus on holistic education.

The Goodness course, designated LA2270, is open to undergraduate students across disciplines, including BTech students from the first to fourth years and Bachelor of Design (BDes) students. It has attracted more than 140 students, with no prerequisites required for enrolment.

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The elective encourages students to examine the meaning of a fulfilling life and consider measures of success beyond income, professional status and personal achievement. Its  curriculum spans seven sessions covering the Goodness Index framework, human flourishing across physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions, Character Infrastructure, the Character Dividend and Personal Social Responsibility.

The course also explores the relationship between individual responsibility and the vision of Viksit Bharat. Rather than prescribing a single definition of goodness, it invites students to critically evaluate their choices and understand how everyday actions can influence society.

The concept originates from the Institute of Goodness and is adopted and approved by IIT Hyderabad as an academic credit course. Ravi Sharma, founder of the Institute of Goodness and an IIT Roorkee alumnus, teaches the programme.

Alongside the elective, IIT Hyderabad has introduced a mandatory one-credit course titled “Mental Well-being & Resilience” for all first-year undergraduate students. Conducted in collaboration with the institute’s Sunshine Counseling Cell, the course aims to equip students with practical skills to manage academic pressure and personal challenges.

Its curriculum covers stress and time management, emotional intelligence, healthy relationships, resilience, digital well-being, addiction management and suicide prevention training. Students are also connected with awareness programmes, peer-support groups and other activities organised by the counselling cell.

The initiative is designed to help students recognise challenges, develop coping strategies and seek support when necessary. It also emphasises the importance of building supportive relationships and promoting a healthy campus environment.

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IIT Hyderabad Director B. S. Murty highlights the importance of education that extends beyond academic knowledge and professional competence to include character, responsibility and contributions to society. The institute views the two courses as complementary efforts to support students’ personal development alongside their academic progress.

Through the combination of ethical reflection and practical well-being education, IIT Hyderabad aims to encourage responsible decision-making, resilience and a broader understanding of success among its undergraduate students.