Question 1

How long is the programme and how much time will it take?

Accepted Answer

The AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme runs for three months. Teaching is delivered through live weekend sessions, supported by self-paced, hands-on labs you complete during the week. Most working professionals spend roughly 6 to 8 hours per week in total, including the live classes, lab work and the capstone project. Because the schedule is concentrated on weekends, you can complete the programme without stepping away from a full-time job.

Question 2

How is the programme delivered?

Accepted Answer

The programme is delivered almost entirely live online, so you can join from anywhere in India. Each weekend you attend faculty-led sessions and hands-on labs in real time, which keeps the learning interactive rather than pre-recorded. There is also an optional in-person campus immersion at IIT Delhi for learners who want face-to-face time with faculty and peers. This online-first format is designed for busy professionals who want IIT Delhi-grade teaching in production AI without relocating.

Question 3

Are the live sessions recorded?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every live session is recorded and the recordings are shared with you afterwards. The classes are run live so you can ask questions, get instant feedback and learn alongside your cohort, while the recordings let you revisit any topic at your own pace. This is especially useful for revising more complex areas such as model deployment, MLOps and agentic systems before your assessments and capstone.

Question 4

What if I miss a live session?

Accepted Answer

If you miss a live session, you can catch up using the recording, which is shared after every class. You can then bring any questions to the dedicated office hours, your mentors, or the cohort community, so you are never left behind. The format is built around working professionals, where an occasional schedule clash is expected, so missing one class will not derail your progress through the programme.

Question 5

Is the campus immersion mandatory?

Accepted Answer

No, the campus immersion is completely optional. The core AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme is fully completable online, including all live sessions, hands-on labs, assessments and the capstone. The immersion is an in-person add-on at the IIT Delhi campus for learners who want to meet faculty and peers face to face, and choosing not to attend does not affect your certificate or your completion of the programme.

Question 6

What happens during the campus immersion?

Accepted Answer

During the optional campus immersion you spend time on the IIT Delhi campus in Hauz Khas, New Delhi. It typically includes in-person sessions and labs inside IIT Delhi facilities, direct interaction with faculty and mentors, and time to network with your cohort face to face. It is designed to deepen the relationships and hands-on learning you build online, and to give you a genuine on-campus experience at one of India's top engineering institutes.

Question 7

When are the live sessions held?

Accepted Answer

Live sessions are held on weekends, in India-friendly time slots chosen so they fit comfortably around a full-time job. The exact days and timings are confirmed before each cohort begins and shared in your joining details. Concentrating classes on weekends is a deliberate choice, so working software engineers, data engineers and technical leads can upskill in production AI without taking a career break.

Question 8

What language is the programme taught in?

Accepted Answer

The programme is taught entirely in English. All live sessions, hands-on labs, slides, reading materials and assessments are delivered in English, which is the standard medium of instruction for IIT Delhi CEP programmes. Using English throughout also keeps the content aligned with the documentation, tools and industry standards you will work with day to day as a professional AI engineer.

Question 9

How is the programme structured?

Accepted Answer

The programme is structured into four progressive build blocks followed by a capstone. You move from applied AI and ML foundations, to data and model pipelines, to large language models and agentic systems, and finally to deployment, scaling and MLOps. Each block layers on the last, and the programme finishes with a forward-deployed capstone where you ship and present a complete, production-grade AI system end to end.

Question 10

Will I work on a real, deployable project?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The programme is built around shipping real, working software rather than toy exercises. Throughout the modules you build in hands-on labs, and the capstone is a genuine AI system that you scope, build, deploy, monitor and present end to end. It is reviewed by IIT Delhi faculty and industry practitioners, and you finish with a portfolio-ready project you can show to employers and hiring managers.

Question 11

How much of the programme is hands-on?

Accepted Answer

A large share of the programme is hands-on. The teaching philosophy is applied-first: every concept is paired with a lab, so you build alongside the explanation rather than studying theory in isolation. You work directly with the modern AI engineering toolchain, including Python, containers, model-serving and MLOps tooling, and the capstone ties all of that practice together into one deployed system.

Question 12

Can I balance this with a full-time job?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the programme is specifically designed for working professionals. Live sessions are held on weekends and the typical weekly effort is around 6 to 8 hours, including classes, labs and capstone work. Because it is delivered live online with recordings available, you can upskill into production AI and MLOps while continuing in your current role, with no need to relocate or take a break from work.

Question 13

Can I defer to a later cohort?

Accepted Answer

Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with the IIT Delhi CEP notification for your intake. If your circumstances change before the programme begins, the best step is to speak to your programme counsellor early, so they can explain the available options and any conditions that apply. Policies can vary by cohort, so confirm the current terms before you confirm and pay for your seat.

Question 14

What certificate do I get?

Accepted Answer

On meeting the completion criteria, you receive an e-certificate from the Continuing Education Programme (CEP), IIT Delhi. It recognises that you completed the AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme to the required standard, covering attendance, assessments and the capstone. If you do not meet the full completion criteria, a participation certificate is issued instead. The certificate is digital, which makes it straightforward to verify, download and share with employers.

Question 15

Whose name is on the certificate?

Accepted Answer

The certificate is issued by the Continuing Education Programme (CEP), IIT Delhi. The programme is offered through CEP, IIT Delhi. This means your certificate carries the credibility of one of India's foremost engineering institutes, with the exact wording and format following the official IIT Delhi CEP notification for your cohort.

Question 16

Can I share it on LinkedIn and my CV?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The certificate is a digital e-certificate, so it is easy to add to your LinkedIn profile, your CV and your professional portfolio. Many learners showcase it alongside their deployed capstone project to demonstrate hands-on, production-grade AI engineering skills to recruiters and hiring managers. Sharing a recognised IIT Delhi CEP credential can help your profile stand out in a competitive AI and machine-learning job market.

Question 17

What are the completion criteria?

Accepted Answer

To earn the completion e-certificate you need to meet the attendance threshold and pass the assessments and the capstone project, as defined in the IIT Delhi CEP notification for your cohort. The criteria are designed to confirm that you can genuinely build and deploy AI systems, not just attend classes. The precise thresholds are shared with you in writing before the programme begins, so you know exactly what is expected from the start.

Question 18

Is a job or placement guaranteed?

Accepted Answer

No. The programme does not guarantee any job, placement or specific salary outcome. What it provides is rigorous, production-focused AI engineering skills, a deployed and portfolio-ready capstone, mentorship, and career support to help you pursue roles more effectively. Your results ultimately depend on your own effort, background and prevailing market conditions, and we are deliberately transparent about this rather than making placement promises.

Question 19

Do I get IIT Delhi alumni status?

Accepted Answer

No. Continuing Education Programme (CEP) offerings do not confer IIT Delhi alumni status or any degree-equivalent standing. On completion you receive a CEP e-certificate that recognises the skills you have built. This is standard for executive and continuing-education programmes, and the certificate still carries the weight of IIT Delhi's CEP, which is widely recognised by employers across the technology industry.

Question 20

When will I receive the certificate?

Accepted Answer

The CEP e-certificate is issued after the cohort concludes and once your completion criteria, namely attendance, assessments and the capstone, have been verified. There is a short processing period while results are finalised, after which the digital certificate is shared with you. Because it is an e-certificate, you can download, store and share it as soon as it is issued, without waiting for anything to be posted.

Question 21

Is the certificate digital or physical?

Accepted Answer

It is a digital e-certificate issued by CEP, IIT Delhi. A digital format means it is easy to store securely, verify online, and share directly to LinkedIn, your CV or an employer's records. This is the standard certificate type for IIT Delhi CEP programmes, and it is well suited to a modern, online-first hiring process where credentials are increasingly checked and validated digitally.

Question 22

What if I do not meet the completion criteria?

Accepted Answer

If you do not meet the full completion criteria, a participation certificate is issued instead of the completion e-certificate. This recognises your engagement with the programme even where the attendance, assessment or capstone thresholds were not fully met. The exact requirements are shared upfront in the CEP notification, and mentors and office hours are available throughout to help you stay on track to qualify for the completion certificate.

Question 23

Will this help me move into an AI role?

Accepted Answer

The programme is built to strengthen your profile for production AI and machine-learning roles. You finish with hands-on skills across large language models, agentic systems, deployment and MLOps, a deployed and portfolio-ready capstone, and an IIT Delhi CEP certificate. Together these can make you a stronger candidate, though outcomes depend on your own effort and the job market, and no specific role or placement is guaranteed.

Question 24

Whose name is on the certificate?

Accepted Answer

The certificate itself is issued by the Continuing Education Programme (CEP), IIT Delhi. The precise wording, branding and format of the certificate follow the official IIT Delhi CEP notification for your cohort, which is shared with you during the admissions process.

Question 25

What is the fee, and are instalments available?

Accepted Answer

The total amount payable for the programme is Rs. 1,77,000, inclusive of 18% GST. To make this more accessible, no-cost EMI options starting from approximately Rs. 14,750 per month may be available through our NBFC partners, subject to lender approval. A programme counsellor can take you through the full fee breakdown and the available EMI tenures so you can choose a plan that fits your budget. All figures are indicative and confirmed during admissions.

Question 26

How do I apply, and who do I pay?

Accepted Answer

You apply through the official application link for the AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme. Your application is then screened and shortlisted by IIT Delhi as part of the admissions process. Once you are shortlisted and receive your offer letter, the programme fee is paid to the IIT Delhi CEP account to confirm and secure your seat. A programme counsellor guides you through each step, from application to enrolment.

Question 27

Are no-cost EMI options available?

Accepted Answer

Yes. No-cost EMI options are typically available across 3, 6, 9 and 12-month tenures through our NBFC financing partners, subject to lender approval and your eligibility. This lets you spread the programme fee into manageable monthly instalments rather than paying it all upfront. A programme counsellor can walk you through the available tenures, the documents required, and how to apply for financing.

Question 28

Is there an application fee?

Accepted Answer

Whether an application fee applies, and whether it is adjustable against the overall programme fee, is governed by the IIT Delhi CEP notification for your cohort. These details are shared with you in writing during the admissions process, so there are no surprises later. If you are unsure, a programme counsellor can confirm the current application terms before you submit your application.

Question 29

What is the refund policy?

Accepted Answer

The refund and withdrawal policy follows the official IIT Delhi CEP notification, which is shared with you before you confirm your seat. It sets out the conditions and timelines under which any refund may apply. Because these terms can vary by cohort, we recommend reviewing the notification carefully and clarifying any questions with your counsellor before you make payment.

Question 30

Are scholarships or discounts available?

Accepted Answer

Any scholarships, early-application benefits or cohort-specific offers vary from one intake to the next. Availability is not guaranteed and depends on the current admissions cycle. The best way to find out what applies to you is to ask a programme counsellor, who can tell you about any active offers and the eligibility conditions for the cohort you are considering.

Question 31

Can my employer sponsor me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many learners on the programme are sponsored by their employers as part of their professional development or upskilling budgets. We can provide the documentation your organisation typically needs, such as the programme details and an official fee receipt for reimbursement. If you plan to seek sponsorship, a counsellor can help you assemble the information your employer is likely to ask for.

Question 32

Does the fee include GST?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The total payable of Rs. 1,77,000 is inclusive of 18% GST, so there are no hidden taxes added on top of the quoted figure. This is the all-in tuition amount for the programme. Optional extras, such as travel and stay for the campus immersion, are separate, and a counsellor can confirm the complete breakdown during admissions.

Question 33

Are there any costs beyond the programme fee?

Accepted Answer

The programme fee covers your tuition, the hands-on labs, and the cloud and tool access needed to complete them. The main additional costs to budget for are travel and accommodation if you choose to attend the optional campus immersion at IIT Delhi, since these are arranged and paid for by you. Outside of that, there are no mandatory extra charges to complete the programme online.

Question 34

Will I receive an invoice or fee receipt?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An official receipt is issued for the fee paid to the IIT Delhi CEP account. Learners commonly use this receipt to claim employer reimbursement or sponsorship, and to maintain their own financial records. If your organisation needs specific documentation for its finance or reimbursement process, your programme counsellor can help ensure you have everything required.

Question 35

When is the fee due?

Accepted Answer

The programme fee becomes due after you have been shortlisted and have received your offer letter. Payment to the IIT Delhi CEP account confirms and secures your seat, and it must be made within the window stated in your offer. Because seats are limited and allocated on confirmation, paying within the stated timeline is the surest way to hold your place in the cohort.

Question 36

What payment methods are accepted?

Accepted Answer

Standard payment methods are accepted, typically including net banking, debit and credit cards, and no-cost EMI through our NBFC financing partners. This gives you the flexibility to pay upfront or to spread the cost over monthly instalments that suit your budget. The exact methods available for your cohort can be confirmed by a programme counsellor during the admissions process.

Question 37

How competitive is admission?

Accepted Answer

Seats in each cohort are limited, and applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-reviewed basis, so applying early gives you the best chance of a place. Applications are screened and shortlisted by IIT Delhi to ensure each learner meets the experience and background expectations. Because demand for AI engineering programmes is high, we encourage qualified candidates to apply as soon as admissions open.

Question 38

What are the eligibility requirements?

Accepted Answer

The programme is aimed at graduates with a coding background and around two or more years of professional work experience. It suits people who can already write code and want to move into building and deploying production-grade AI systems. Final eligibility is determined as per the IIT Delhi CEP notification for your cohort, and a programme counsellor can help you check whether your profile fits before you apply.

Question 39

Do I need a strong maths background?

Accepted Answer

You do not need an advanced mathematics background to succeed. Comfort with programming and problem-solving matters far more, because the programme is engineering- and deployment-focused rather than research-heavy. The foundational machine-learning concepts you need are covered and reinforced in the first module, so you start from a shared baseline before moving into LLMs, agentic systems and MLOps.

Question 40

Do I need prior AI or ML experience?

Accepted Answer

No formal AI or machine-learning experience is required to join. The programme is designed to take you from applied foundations all the way to deploying production AI systems. If you can write code and have roughly two or more years of work experience, the first module brings you up to a solid baseline before the programme progresses into data pipelines, LLMs, agentic systems and MLOps.

Question 41

Which roles is this programme best for?

Accepted Answer

It is best suited to software engineers, data engineers and machine-learning practitioners, as well as technical leads and engineering managers who want to own AI delivery in their teams. It is also a strong fit for backend, platform and DevOps engineers looking to add applied AI, LLM and MLOps skills. In short, it is built for technical professionals who want to ship AI into production, not just understand it in theory.

Question 42

Is there an entrance test or interview?

Accepted Answer

There is no entrance exam for the programme. Instead, applications are screened and shortlisted by IIT Delhi as part of the admissions process, based on your background, experience and fit for the programme. This keeps the process straightforward for busy working professionals, while still ensuring each cohort is made up of learners who are genuinely ready for production-focused AI engineering.

Question 43

Can final-year students apply?

Accepted Answer

The programme is primarily designed for working professionals with around two or more years of experience, so it is generally not aimed at students still completing their degree. That said, final eligibility is governed by the IIT Delhi CEP notification for each cohort. If you are early in your career, a counsellor can advise whether this programme or a different starting point is the better fit for your goals.

Question 44

Which programming languages should I know?

Accepted Answer

You should be comfortable writing code in at least one general-purpose programming language. The core AI engineering work in the programme is largely done in Python, which is the standard language across the modern AI and ML toolchain. Python skills are reinforced in the first module, so as long as you can already program, you will be able to follow along and build confidently throughout the programme.

Question 45

Can I apply from a non-computer-science background?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can apply from a non-computer-science background, provided you can write code and meet the experience requirements. Many capable engineers and analysts come from adjacent technical fields. The first module is deliberately designed to bring everyone to a shared technical baseline in programming and ML fundamentals, so learners from different backgrounds can progress together into more advanced production AI topics.

Question 46

Is there an age limit?

Accepted Answer

There is no upper age limit for the programme. Admission is based on your educational background, coding ability and professional experience, as defined in the IIT Delhi CEP notification, rather than on age. Learners on continuing-education programmes like this one range widely in seniority, from early-career engineers to senior technical leaders looking to move into AI delivery roles.

Question 47

What support do I get during the programme?

Accepted Answer

You receive layered support throughout the programme. This includes mentorship from IIT Delhi faculty and industry practitioners, dedicated office hours for doubt-solving, teaching-assistant help on the hands-on labs, and an active cohort community for peer support. The aim is to make sure you are never stuck for long and always have someone to turn to, whether your question is conceptual, technical, or about your capstone project.

Question 48

What do I need to attend, hardware and software?

Accepted Answer

To participate you mainly need a laptop and a stable internet connection, since the programme is delivered live online. The cloud credits, development environments and tool access required for the hands-on labs are arranged as part of the programme, so you do not need to set up expensive infrastructure yourself. This keeps the barrier to entry low while still letting you build on the same kind of tooling used in production.

Question 49

Is there a peer community or network?

Accepted Answer

Yes. As a learner you join a cohort community built for discussion, peer support, collaboration and networking. It is a place to ask questions, share your work, and learn from others who are also moving into production AI roles. The connections you build often continue well beyond the programme, giving you a professional network of fellow engineers and practitioners across India.

Question 50

What career support is included?

Accepted Answer

Career support includes coaching, mentorship and access to a mentor network to help you pursue AI and machine-learning roles more effectively. You also finish with a deployed, portfolio-ready capstone that demonstrates real production skills to employers. Importantly, while this support is designed to strengthen your job search, no placement or specific job is guaranteed, and your outcomes depend on your own effort and the market.

Question 51

Who can I talk to before I apply?

Accepted Answer

Before applying, you can request a callback and speak with a programme counsellor. They can answer your questions about programme fit, eligibility, the curriculum, fees, EMI options and the schedule, and help you decide whether the AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme is right for your goals. This is the best way to get clarity on anything specific to your situation before you commit to applying.

Question 52

How do I get help if I am stuck on a lab?

Accepted Answer

If you get stuck on a hands-on lab, there are several layers of help available. You can reach out through teaching-assistant support, raise it during the dedicated office hours, or ask your peers and mentors in the cohort community. Because labs are central to how you learn production AI, the support model is designed to unblock you quickly, so you can keep building rather than losing momentum.

Question 53

Do I need to buy any tool licences?

Accepted Answer

No, you do not need to buy separate tool licences to complete the labs. The cloud credits and tool access required for the programme's hands-on work are arranged for you as part of the programme. This means you can focus on building and deploying AI systems with the modern toolchain, without worrying about sourcing or paying for individual software licences yourself.

Question 54

Will I have access to materials after the programme?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You retain access to the session recordings and core learning materials for revision after the cohort ends. This lets you revisit complex topics, such as model deployment, monitoring, MLOps and agentic systems, whenever you need to apply them in your own work. Having lasting access turns the programme into a reference you can return to well beyond the three months of teaching.

Question 55

How much mentorship will I actually get?

Accepted Answer

You get regular mentorship throughout the programme, not just a one-off session. This comes through faculty-led live classes, practitioner input, dedicated office hours, capstone reviews, and teaching-assistant support on the labs. The combination means you receive both academic depth from IIT Delhi faculty and practical, real-world guidance from engineers who have shipped AI systems at scale in industry.

Question 56

Does the community continue after the programme?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The cohort community is designed to keep going beyond the programme itself, supporting ongoing discussion, peer learning and professional networking. Many learners stay connected with peers they met during the programme, sharing opportunities and advice as they grow into AI engineering roles. It becomes a lasting network of like-minded professionals rather than a temporary class group.

Duration	3 months
Delivery	Live online
Session days	Weekends
Effort	6–8 hours / week
Campus immersion	At IIT Delhi
Start date	July 2026

Tenure	Per month	Total
3 months	₹ 59,000	₹ 1,77,000
6 months	₹ 29,500	₹ 1,77,000
9 months	₹ 19,667	₹ 1,77,000
12 months	₹ 14,750	₹ 1,77,000

What this programme is, and who it is for

AI-first, from applied foundations to a deployed capstone

AI delivery is the skill in shortest supply

What you will be able to do

Design and deploy production-grade AI and ML systems

Build and integrate LLM and agentic AI workflows

Engineer data and model pipelines that scale

Monitor, evaluate and improve models in production

Apply responsible AI and governance practices

Lead AI delivery across cross-functional teams

Concrete outcomes, not vague skills

The modern AI engineering toolchain

Live, applied and mentored

Live online sessions

Hands-on labs

Case studies

Capstone

Mentorship

Office hours

Spend time on the IIT Delhi campus

Programme structure

Is this for you?

Taught by IIT Delhi faculty and AI practitioners

Prof. Arvind Iyer

Dr. Meera Krishnan

Rohan Desai

Trusted by ambitious professionals

Programme fee & EMI

Five simple steps

An IIT Delhi CEP certificate

Questions, answered

What forward-deployed engineers are reading

Emerging AI engineering roles in 2026: from FDE to LLMOps

AI agents are scaling faster than their guardrails

AI agent trends for 2026

Hype Cycle for Agentic AI, 2026

IIT Delhi opens a new batch of its AI, ML & DL programme

170 million new roles by 2030

Ready to become an AI Forward Deployed Engineer?

What is the AI Forward Deployed Engineer programme?

Who should enrol in this AI engineering programme?

Curriculum: from applied foundations to a deployed capstone

Module 01 — Foundations of applied AI and ML

Module 02 — Data and model pipelines

Module 03 — LLMs and agentic systems

Module 04 — Deployment, scaling and MLOps

Capstone — Forward-deployed project

Tools and technologies you will use

How the programme is delivered

Certificate and recognition

Eligibility

Fees, EMI and admissions

Why AI deployment skills matter now

About the programme