Patiala, July 11th, 2025: The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET), Patiala, have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster academic collaboration and provide educational opportunities to serving IAF personnel and their wards.
The MoU was signed today at TIET’s Patiala campus by Air Vice Marshal Harjit S Sidana, VSM, Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (Education), and Prof. (Dr.) Padmakumar Nair, Vice Chancellor, TIET. This initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing the educational and professional development of IAF officers, aligning with the Armed Forces’ vision of continuous learning and skill enhancement.
Under the agreement, TIET will offer various academic concessions to serving IAF officers, including:
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100% fee concession for full-time Ph.D. programmes and 50% concession for part-time Ph.D. candidates.
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25% fee concession for up to five IAF officers in each postgraduate program offered in regular mode.
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Provision of scholarships/TA-ships as applicable to other candidates at TIET.
The collaboration aims to facilitate the seamless admission of IAF personnel into TIET’s academic programmes, supported by dedicated nodal officers from both institutions. A Joint Coordination Committee will oversee the smooth implementation and monitoring of the MoU.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Nair said, “This partnership is a matter of pride for TIET. We are committed to contributing to nation-building by empowering our defence personnel through quality education and research.”
AVM Harjit S Sidana added, “This MoU will provide valuable academic avenues for our officers, supporting their aspirations for higher studies while in service. We are delighted to collaborate with a prestigious institute like TIET.” The agreement will remain in effect for an initial period of three years, beginning with the 2025–26 academic session, and may be extended with mutual consent.