The convocation ceremonies of Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) have gone virtual this year with the use of Mixed Reality, digital avatars and other tech innovations.

Digital avatars of students received degrees on a virtual stage at the 57th convocation ceremony of IIT-Madras.

“We have used technology where the real and virtual blend to provide an online experience for viewers. The technology being used is not animation or virtual reality,” IIT-Madras director Bhaskar Ramamurthi said.

IIT-Bombay also conducted its convocation using virtual reality and digital avatars of students “This is for the first time in the institute’s 62-year history that medals, awards and degrees were given to virtual avatars of graduates on the day of convocation. The institute did not wish to deprive the students of the sense of achievement and pride of passing out of the premier engineering institute,” an institute official said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted to praise IIT-Bombay’s convocation. “Wonderful mix of tradition and technology! An interesting convocation at @iitbombay. Great effort. Congrats to the Class of 2020! I fondly recall my visit to this brilliant institution for the convocation in August 2018.”

To ensure the safety of the students and to avoid large gatherings on the campus, IIT-Kanpur’s convocation ceremony was also held online.

“A convocation comes as a milestone in the educational journey of every student. It is a memorable occasion for students as it celebrates their achievements. It is also a time when teachers can see the fruits of their labour,” IIT-Kanpur director Abhay Karandikar said.

IIT-Roorkee is also planning its convocation in virtual mode. It is gearing up to make the experience a memorable one for its students.