IIT Hyderabad Launches India’s First Credit Course on ‘Goodness’ Alongside Mandatory Mental Well-being Curriculum

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) has launched a pioneering one-credit undergraduate elective titled “Goodness: Character, Responsibility and Human Flourishing” (LA2270), marking the first academic credit course on goodness in India. Open to all undergraduate students across BTech and BDes programs without prerequisites, the course has drawn an enthusiastic response with over 140 students enrolled. The seven-session curriculum encourages students to define success beyond income and professional position, exploring frameworks such as the Goodness Index™, human flourishing across physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions, Character Infrastructure, Personal Social Responsibility (PSR), and its connection to Viksit Bharat. The course concept was proposed by the Institute of Goodness and is taught by its founder and IIT Roorkee alumnus, Mr. Ravi Sharma.

Mandatory Mental Well-being & Resilience Curriculum:
Complementing the goodness elective, IITH has introduced a mandatory one-credit Mental Well-being & Resilience course for all first-year undergraduate students, conducted in collaboration with the institute’s Sunshine Counseling Cell. Designed to take a proactive approach to student mental health, the curriculum covers stress and time management, emotional intelligence, healthy interpersonal relationships, resilience building, digital well-being, addiction management, and suicide prevention training, while directly connecting students with peer-support groups and institute awareness programs.

Leadership Perspectives and Institutional Vision:
Sharing his perspective on the initiative, Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, stated that education must go beyond building knowledge and professional competence to encourage reflection on character, responsibilities, and societal contribution. Mr. Ravi Sharma, Founder of the Institute of Goodness, noted that making goodness measurable and teachable helps build India’s Character Infrastructure. Additionally, Dr. Neeraj Kumar, Faculty-in-Charge of the Sunshine Counseling Cell, emphasized that resilience and goodness strengthen each other, supporting students in both their academic journeys and personal well-being.