I was procrastinating (like 90%) of the time when my phone suddenly buzzed to life. It was a notification from my friend. He was pursuing an online degree as his main degree from one of the most reputed universities in India, The Indian Institute Of Technology Madras, a bachelor's degree in Data Science and Engineering, quite similar to mine, except I was at IISER slogging off in the hostel, while he had the "privilege" of attending from his home.
Unlike other messages—usually random memes or uncertainties about our future—this one had an attached email. An email that felt like it had emerged from the deep recesses of someone's frustrated mind, someone who wanted to draw a dividing line between "us" and "them." It highlighted the problems faced by offline students, calling for a discriminatory stance against online learners. Reading it felt like an echo of the elitist undertones that have long plagued our education system.
The INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY is a three-worded universe in itself. I'd seen people from "inferior" colleges rush to attend their open fests just for the chance to buy a hoodie labelled IIT and flaunt it in public. This exclusivity turned students into waking zombies, memorizing formulae they'd never truly care about, all for a chance at that elusive three-letter tag. In a land where competition often overshadows curiosity, the IIT name became a currency, a ticket to immediate respect, rather than a place to cultivate genuine interest and thought. The difference between "IIT" and so-called "inferior" institutes was so glaring it bordered on absurdity. Yet, overseas, this stark divide seemed to blur. When I spoke with a British exchange student of Oxbridge about how he feels about the students of an "inferior" college in the UK at my uni's cafe, he put down his cup of tea quite firmly and left the cafe, later, he explained that all public units in Britain are more or less the same. However, people are biased slightly towards Oxbridge grads. A similar response was bestowed upon me when I asked "inferior" students who said, other than Oxbridge, all universities are more or less the same. The steep fall between IITs and "inferior" colleges was missing there. The snobbery, the brand-worship, the obsessive hoarding of prestige—it just wasn't there in the same way.
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IITs were established to spread world-class education, not restrict it to a lucky elite. Over time, the brand's exclusivity overshadowed its original mission. Attempts like NPTEL and SWAYAM tried to break down some barriers, bringing quality lectures to a broader audience, but they were often clumsy, poorly managed attempts—still some of the best resources we had, but nowhere near transformative enough.
Then came the IITM Online Degree. For the first time, this madness got a fresh jolt of hope. A full-fledged degree from one of the top universities, accessible to thousands who might never step onto campus grounds but were no less eager to learn. Other IITs followed suit, and so did BITS Pilani. Suddenly, the idea that top-quality education could scale beyond the confines of a traditional classroom took on a life of its own. Sure, skeptics complained of "brand dilution," but they failed to see that this wasn't about mass-producing an IIT stamp. It was about extending the original mandate of these institutes—making high-calibre education available to more than just a chosen few who scored well on a particular day.
And this development isn't some bizarre Indian experiment either. Consider the global stage: Harvard Extension School, the London School of Economics, Johns Hopkins University—prestigious names that need no introduction. They've embraced online degrees for ages, expanding their academic reach far beyond the ivy-covered walls of their campuses. Has their brand lost value because they dared to offer flexibility? Have people stopped revering the LSE's economics department or Johns Hopkins' medical prowess? Hardly. If anything, these global heavyweights have reinforced their standing by acknowledging that genuine learners can emerge anywhere—geography and circumstances be damned.
Instead of devaluing their brand, these international powerhouses have shown how inclusivity can enhance it. They understand that rigour and credibility aren't weakened by scaling access. It's not about turning education into a cheap commodity; it's about recognizing that talent, curiosity, and dedication to learning aren't the monopolies of a privileged few. They've tapped into a broader pool of minds by providing online avenues, ensuring their alumni networks are more prosperous, diverse, and better equipped to tackle global challenges.
Back here, we're still struggling with that concept. For those clinging to the notion that the IIT name must remain locked away behind gates of exclusivity, it may be time to step outside that bubble. If world-famous institutions can maintain (and even elevate) their prestige while inviting more learners, why can't we? After all, if the real pride of an institution lies not just in its name but in the kind of thinkers and doers it produces, then broadening access only strengthens that legacy. And if we can't do that, then what's the point of having a name at all?
As I kept thinking about it, I got another notification from my friend; it said that people who had a high CGPA were eligible to do a Master's in offline mode at IITM and IITR without any entrance exams anymore. I smiled and went back to procrastinating, which I was doing anyway.