IIT Roorkee Introduces Hybrid Postgraduate Programme in GenAI and Cybersecurity

New Cybersecurity PG Course from IIT Roorkee Tackles AI-Driven Threats

IIT Roorkee, in collaboration with Futurense, has announced the launch of a nine-month hybrid programme commencing on 18 October. This first-of-its-kind postgraduate online course from IIT focuses on cybersecurity education powered by AI and GenAI technologies. Designed to address emerging digital threats, the programme aims to equip professionals with the skills needed to combat deepfakes, AI-driven phishing attacks, and vulnerabilities linked to large language models (LLMs).

These threats represent a new frontier in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. Deepfakes use synthetic media to impersonate individuals and erode digital trust; AI-based phishing creates highly convincing attacks that bypass traditional filters; and LLMs introduce novel risks such as prompt injection and data leakage, which demand specialised safeguards to secure AI-native systems. According to the institute, the curriculum will be role-mapped to prepare learners for careers in Security Operations Centres (SOC), cloud security, and LLM risk governance. Participants will be trained on over 30 GenAI tools, including LangChain, GPT, SOAR, and SIEM and will complete a minimum of four real-world projects to build practical expertise. This reflects IIT Roorkee’s commitment to delivering advanced cybersecurity training in India that integrates cutting-edge technologies with hands-on learning.

The programme is open to early-career professionals, recent graduates, and mid-career technologists seeking to transition into AI-native cybersecurity roles. While prior experience in coding or cybersecurity is advantageous, the curriculum has been designed to accommodate individuals from varied technical backgrounds, making it one of the most inclusive cybersecurity PG courses in India. In addition to its core modules, the programme offers an optional campus immersion at IIT Roorkee and includes preparation support for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) examination. As CISSP is globally recognised and often required for senior roles in enterprise and government cybersecurity, this component is expected to enhance graduates’ professional credibility and international mobility. The inclusion of CISSP preparation also strengthens the programme’s positioning among online professional courses with global relevance.

Faculty members involved in the programme emphasised the growing need for cybersecurity professionals capable of mitigating AI-driven risks. Dr Gaurav Nayak, Assistant Professor at the Mehta Family School of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, noted that cybersecurity now extends beyond network protection to include the safeguarding of algorithms, AI systems, and cloud pipelines. He explained that the programme has been purpose-built to equip professionals for these evolving challenges, reflecting the increasing importance of AI in data security.

Echoing this, Dr Raghavendra Rohit, Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, highlighted the importance of aligning academic training with industry demands. He observed that as GenAI continues to reshape the digital stack, the need for experts who can govern, simulate, and secure AI-native systems has become increasingly critical. Industry reports indicate that AI-powered cybersecurity roles are among the fastest-growing job categories, with demand rising sharply across sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. The programme’s focus on LLM risk governance and GenAI tooling directly responds to this market need and supports the broader goal of data science and cybersecurity integration.

Futurense underscored that the partnership would merge academic instruction with industry mentorship. Founder and CEO Raghav Gupta remarked that AI is already redefining the rules of cybersecurity, and the programme aims to position Indian professionals not merely as responders but as leaders in this transformation. The hybrid format combines live online sessions with optional campus immersion, enabling learners to engage with IIT Roorkee’s faculty, research labs, and peer network. Industry mentors will further support learners through capstone projects that simulate real-world threat scenarios and governance challenges.

This initiative also reflects IIT Roorkee’s strategic commitment to expanding its portfolio of IIT certificate programmes and IIT Roorkee online courses. Having previously launched centres of excellence in data science and AI courses, the institute is now translating its research leadership into workforce-ready training. By bridging academic rigour with industry relevance, the programme seeks to empower a new generation of cybersecurity professionals equipped to secure the future of AI. This AI and cybersecurity course stands as a benchmark in India’s evolving landscape of postgraduate education, combining innovation, mentorship, and global certification to meet the demands of tomorrow’s digital economy.

Editor’s Note:

The launch of IIT Roorkee’s postgraduate certificate in AI/GenAI-powered cybersecurity marks a timely and important step in higher education. As technology evolves, the nature of cyber threats is also changing, with deepfakes, AI-driven phishing, and large language model vulnerabilities presenting risks that traditional systems cannot address. This initiative directly responds to those challenges by preparing professionals with the skills needed to safeguard the digital future. GenAI is not just a passing trend; it is reshaping how businesses, governments, and societies function. While it brings great opportunities for innovation, it also opens new pathways for misuse. Preparing experts who can govern, simulate, and secure AI-native systems is no longer optional; it is essential for protecting critical sectors like healthcare, finance, and public infrastructure. Through this collaboration with Futurense, IIT Roorkee is raising the bar for professional education in India. By combining academic rigour with industry mentorship and by providing exposure to cutting-edge tools and real-world projects, the programme ensures that learners are not only taught but are also made ready for practice. The optional campus immersion and CISSP preparation further add to its global relevance. This initiative shows how IIT Roorkee is moving beyond research and traditional teaching to build workforce-ready professionals. It reflects a clear vision: to equip India’s talent with the expertise to lead in cybersecurity at a time when the world urgently needs such leadership. 

Skoobuzz underlines that by blending innovation, industry relevance, and practical training, the institute is setting a strong example of how higher education can adapt to the demands of the GenAI era.