are taught degrees. Undergraduate courses The university has 12 undergraduate boards which offer Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) programs and one undergraduate board which offers Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) course: ‡ The Architecture board offers the BArch course. Postgraduate courses The university has 11 postgraduate boards which offer Master of Technology (M.Tech.) programs: Scheme and syllabus Visvesvaraya Technological University accomplished its primary task of setting a common syllabus across the state in 1998. The university regularly revises the syllabus keeping in view technology upgrades around the world. The syllabus has been updated in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2021. VTU adopted a Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) for students admitted to the university from the academic year 2015–2016. The CBCS provides a choice for students to select from the prescribed courses (i.e. core, elective, foundation and mandatory non-credit courses). As part of the new CBCS scheme, VTU also moved to a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) grading system from the previous system of awarding percentage and class to students. VTU has also made an internship of eight weeks mandatory for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students in affiliated colleges. Grading For students matriculating since the academic year 2015–2016, VTU adopts an absolute grading system wherein the marks are converted to grades, and every semester results are declared with a semester grade point average (SGPA) and a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). To obtain a degree, in addition to clearing all the subjects, a student must also obtain a minimum CGPA of five (5.0). Prior to the introduction of the Choice Based Credit System, students were awarded a percentage and a class, as defined: First class with distinction (FCD): Not less than 70% of the aggregate marks in first attempt First class (FC): Less than 70% but not less than 60% of the aggregate marks in first attempt Second class (SC): Less than 60% of the aggregate marks in first attempt Collaborations The university has signed MoUs with multinational corporations like IBM, Intel Asia Electronics Inc., Ingersoll-Rand (India) Ltd., Bangalore, Nokia, Bosch Rexroth and Microsoft to improve the industry interactions for students and teachers. VTU is also a member of Association of Indian Universities and Association of Commonwealth Universities. Organisation and administration Governance VTU is administered by its Executive Council and Academic Senate whose members are selected from the academic community and government officials. The present chancellor is Sri Thawar