VTU To Introduce Demand Based Exams For Engineering Students From 2027

Engineering students in Karnataka who fail a subject may soon have a way to avoid the long wait for another examination. Visvesvaraya Technological University is preparing to introduce a demand based examination system from the 2027 academic year.

The proposed system is aimed at students who are ready to clear a failed subject but would otherwise have to wait several months for the next supplementary examination. Under the new arrangement, students will be able to request another examination when they feel prepared.

VTU plans to begin the system during the April and May 2027 academic cycle. Students will be able to submit a request for a supplementary examination and indicate a date that is convenient for them. The university is also considering requests for examinations on public holidays and Sundays.

The plan could significantly reduce the waiting period currently faced by students. According to VTU, students who fail examinations have sometimes had to wait six months or even longer before getting another opportunity to appear for the subject.

Another notable part of the proposal is that an examination could be arranged even if only one student requests it. VTU Vice Chancellor Prof S Vidyashankar said the university wants to make the examination process more convenient for students and has completed the preparations needed for the new system.

Students are also expected to have some flexibility in choosing their examination centre. Once a student feels ready to take the examination, a request can be submitted to the university, which will then make arrangements based on the demand.

VTU plans to prepare question papers according to the number of students requesting examinations. The university already has a question bank containing around 500 to 600 sets of questions. Artificial intelligence is also expected to be used in preparing question papers under the proposed system.

The university believes the new approach could make supplementary examinations more student friendly. Instead of waiting for a fixed examination schedule, students would get an opportunity to complete a pending subject when they are ready.

VTU has a large student base across Karnataka. The university has around 220 engineering colleges under its jurisdiction and approximately three lakh students. Around 70,000 students reportedly join these colleges each year, while the university estimates that about 20 percent of students fail at least one examination.

The demand based model could therefore affect a significant number of students every year, particularly those who have failed only one or a small number of subjects and want to complete their degree without unnecessary delays.

The university has also outlined the maximum period within which students must complete their programmes. Under existing VTU rules, students pursuing a four year Bachelor of Engineering programme generally have up to eight years from their admission date to complete the degree.

For lateral entry students, the maximum period is six years, while architecture students have a longer period of up to 10 years. The proposed supplementary examination system could give students greater flexibility within these existing limits.

However, some details are still awaited. VTU has not yet clarified whether there will be a limit on the number of times a student can request a demand based examination. The university is expected to provide further details about applications, fees, centres and examination rules before the system begins.

If implemented as planned, the new system could change how supplementary examinations are handled across VTU affiliated colleges. For students who are otherwise ready to move ahead but are held back by a single failed subject, the shorter waiting period could prove especially useful.