Chennai: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has launched the groundbreaking 'Fine Arts and Culture Excellence' (FACE) admission scheme for its undergraduate programs, starting in the 2025-26 academic year. This initiative makes IIT Madras the first IIT to recognize students' achievements in fine arts and culture as a criterion for admission.

Under this scheme, two supernumerary seats per program will be allocated in all B.Tech. and B.S. courses. One seat will be reserved exclusively for female candidates, while the other will be open to all genders. Indian Nationals and OCI/PIO candidates opting for Indian National status during JEE (Advanced) 2025 registration are eligible.

Director of IIT Madras, Prof. V. Kamakoti, stated, “This initiative acknowledges students' excellence in fine arts and culture, enriching diversity on campus.” Applicants must qualify JEE (Advanced) 2025 and meet specific cultural excellence criteria listed on the IITM-FACE portal.

The FACE admission process is distinct from the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) system, with ranking based on achievements in cultural events and scholarships. Eligible candidates can apply through the dedicated FACE portal.

For the 2025-26 academic year, only IIT Madras will offer this scheme, paving the way for broader cultural inclusivity in technical education.

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embedUR Systems along with Synaptics to boost AI edge solutions in India

Chennai: embedUR Systems and Synaptics Inc. have announced a strategic partnership to create cost-effective, AI-powered edge solutions tailored for India's expanding smart device market.

By merging embedUR's expertise in Edge AI with Synaptics' advanced semiconductor technology, the collaboration aims to overcome barriers like affordability and accessibility, fostering technological inclusion across sectors.

The partnership will address areas like smart home devices, medical monitoring, manufacturing automation, and automobile driver assistance systems. Key innovations include image segmentation for advanced vision applications, low-latency facial identification for secure access, and dynamic pose estimation for real-time motion analysis.

embedUR's ModelNova AI platform, combined with Synaptics' low-power MPUs and NPUs, enables energy-efficient, scalable solutions. Tamil Nadu, with its robust R&D ecosystem, plays a pivotal role in driving this innovation.

The collaboration aligns with India's sustainability goals, empowering SMEs, improving efficiency, and enhancing technological accessibility for underserved regions.