Applications Open now for January 2025 Batch | Applications Close: January 02, 2025 | Exam: February 23, 2025

Applications Open now for January 2025 Batch | Applications Close: January 02, 2025 | Exam: February 23, 2025

Overall Structure

There are four levels in the IIT Madras Degree program and to get the BS Degree in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras, a learner has to successfully complete all four levels.

There is also the flexibility to exit at any level. Depending on the courses completed and credits earned, the learner can receive a Foundation Certificate from IITM CODE (Centre for Outreach and Digital Education) or Diploma(s) from IIT Madras or BSc Degree in Programming and Data Science from IIT Madras or BS Degree in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras.

Those who are interested in pursuing an exclusive Diploma Program in Programming or Data Science can also check out our Diploma Program website.

Courses and Credits in Each Level:

Foundation Level: 32 credits | 8 courses
Diploma Level:
  - Programming: 27 credits | 6 courses + 2 projects
  - Data Science: 27 credits | 6 courses + 2 projects

BSc Degree Level: 28 credits
BS Degree Level: 28 credits

Total credits to be earned to get:

BSc Degree: 114 credits
BS Degree: 142 credits

Completion time: 4 - 8 years

The time period for this is based on learner’s preferred pace and performance in assessments. Expected learner engagement will be approximately 10hrs/course/week.

Fees: Each term, pay only for courses you register for!

Refer Fee Structure.

Online Courses & Assignments

Duration of each course: 12 weeks - Each week comprising 2-3 hrs of videos, practice questions, text transcripts and online graded assignment(s).

Quizzes and Exams

In-person invigilated quizzes and exams as per the grading pattern defined for each course.

Term Structure

Every year is divided into three terms of four months each - January Term, May Term and September Term.

Each term of four months has 12 weeks of coursework (video lectures and assignments), 2 in-person invigilated Quizzes and End Term Exams. Depending on the course, assessments may include programming exams, mini projects, vivas, take home assignments, etc.

Course Registrations

In each term, a learner may register for upto 4 courses depending on their CCC (Credit Clearing Capability).

A learner’s CCC in the Foundation Level is calculated based on their performance in the Qualifier Exam or the previous term’s End Term Exams. The CCC in the Diploma Level and thereafter is 4.

All 8 courses in Foundation Level need to be successfully completed before registering for any Diploma Level course. Similarly, all Diploma Level courses & projects need to be successfully completed before registering for any Degree Level course.

Assessments

There are 3 types of assessments for each course:
  Weekly Assignments which are online
  monthly in-person Quizzes
  in-person End Term Exam
View More Details

In addition, assessments may include programming exams, mini projects, vivas, take home assignments, etc.

Exam Cities

The Invigilated Quizzes and End Term exams are conducted in a number of cities spread across India. The map shows our current Exam Cities List. View List

Students residing/physically present in India on exam day

All students residing in India or physically present in India on the day of an in-centre exam must write exams at one of the exam centres in india.

Learners based outside India

We also conduct in-person exams in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and UAE.

Learners based out of other countries will be allowed to take up remote proctored exams. On exam day, students writing such internet based exams will be asked to pin the location exam is being taken from.

If any overseas students are planning to be in India on exam day, it is the student's responsibility to notify us ahead of time so that we can arrange for you to write the exam(s) in one of the exam centres in india; hall tickets will also be issued suitably. If any of these norms are violated, it will be considered as malpractice. Exam results may be withheld pending investigation and findings of the exam committee.

Note: Additional Exam Fee applies for all learners opting to write exams outside India.

If you reside outside India and cannot find a centre in your city / country, please write to ge@study.iitm.ac.in for assistance.

Fee Structure 

For details about application fees, check Application Process in Admissions page.

Each term, pay only for the courses you register for in that specific term.

Goal Total Credits Total Fees INR
Foundation Only 32 ₹32,000
Foundation + One Diploma 59 ₹94,500
Foundation + Two Diplomas 86 ₹1,57,000
BSc Degree 114 ₹2,21,000 - ₹2,27,000
BS Degree 142 ₹3,15,000 - ₹3,51,000

The IITM BS program strives to secure scholarships from CSR and Alumni donations for its students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds to cover the full program fees.

As intermittent support till such donations are secured, IIT Madras covers part of the fees for the BS program students from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The fraction of IIT Madras' fee support depends on the learner's category and family income and is given below:

Family Income > 5 LPA Family Income > 1 LPA and <= 5 LPA Family Income <= 1 LPA
Fee Support
from IIT Madras
Docs Required Fee Support
from IIT Madras
Docs Required Fee Support
from IIT Madras
Docs Required
General N/A NIL 50% EWS + Family Income 75% EWS + Family Income
OBC N/A NIL 50% OBC-NCL + Family Income 75% OBC-NCL + Family Income
SC / ST 50% SC / ST 50% SC / ST 75% SC / ST + Family Income
PwD 50% PwD 50% PwD 75% PwD + EWS / OBC-NCL + Family Income
SC / ST + PwD 75% SC / ST + PwD 75% SC / ST + PwD 75% SC / ST + PwD

*IITM contribution does not apply to International students.

The term family income for the purpose of availing IITM fee support includes the income of the candidate, the income of his/her parents and spouse, also the income of his/her siblings and children below the age of 18 years.
Family income certificate is not required while applying for the Degree program, but will be required to avail IITM fee support when joining the program. Download Family Income Certificate format

OBC-NCL / EWS certificate, if applicable, need to be obtained in following format while applying:
Download OBC-NCL Certificate format
Download EWS Certificate format

Note: If a learner does not pass a course in the term they registered for, they will need to repeat the entire course in a later term with re-payment of full course fee. If a learner completed all course requirements, but couldn't attend the end term exam alone, they can choose to repeat just the end term exam in the next term with the payment of an end term exam fee (₹1000 for foundation level courses; ₹2000 for diploma / degree level courses).

Foundation Level 

The Foundation Level comprises courses in Mathematics, Statistics, Basics of Programming and Python, and English. These courses have been chosen to ensure that the learner who passes these successfully is well prepared to proceed to the Diploma Level courses.

Requirements for registration

The learner should apply for and clear the Qualifier Process.

Options on successful completion

Learners have the following two options when they successfully complete all 8 Foundational Level courses:

Exit: The learner may exit with a Foundational Certificate from Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), IIT Madras.
Proceed to next level: The learner can join the Diploma Level.

8 courses

32 credits

1 - 3 years

10 hrs/course/week

₹32,000*

*Refer Fee Structure

Course Name Credits Code Prerequisites Corequisites
Mathematics for Data Science I 4 BSMA1001 None None
Statistics for Data Science I 4 BSMA1002 None None
Computational Thinking 4 BSCS1001 None None
English I 4 BSHS1001 None None
Mathematics for Data Science II 4 BSMA1003 BSMA1001 None
Statistics for Data Science II 4 BSMA1004 BSMA1002, BSMA1001 BSMA1003
Programming in Python 4 BSCS1002 BSCS1001 None
English II 4 BSHS1002 BSHS1001 None

Diploma Level 

There are two sections in the Diploma Level with courses for Diploma in Programming and courses for Diploma in Data Science. Each of these diplomas comprises 5 core courses, 2 projects and 1 skill enhancement course.

Requirements for registration

The learner should have cleared all 8 Foundation Level courses.

Options on successful completion

Learners have the following options based on the courses completed in this level:

If a learner has completed all the courses and projects in Foundation Level and both Diplomas, they can proceed to the BSc Degree Level.
OR they may exit with a Diploma in Programming from IIT Madras.
OR they may exit with a Diploma in Data Science from IIT Madras.
OR they may exit with both Diplomas from IIT Madras.

12 courses + 4 projects

54 credits

1 - 3 years

15 hrs/course/week

₹1,25,000*

*Refer Fee Structure

Courses for Diploma in Programming

The Diploma in Programming lays a sturdy foundation in databases and programming concepts with data structures and algorithms. The learner goes on to apply these in the building of a web application by the end of the diploma.

6 courses + 2 projects

27 credits

1 - 2 years

15 hrs/course/week

₹62,500*

*Refer Fee Structure

Course Name Credits Code Prerequisites Corequisites
Database Management Systems 4 BSCS2001 None None
Programming, Data Structures and Algorithms using Python 4 BSCS2002 None None
Modern Application Development I 4 BSCS2003 None BSCS2001
PROJECT Modern Application Development I - Project 2 BSCS2003P None BSCS2003
Programming Concepts using Java 4 BSCS2005 None None
Modern Application Development II 4 BSCS2006 BSCS2003 None
PROJECT Modern Application Development II - Project 2 BSCS2006P BSCS2003P BSCS2006
System Commands 3 BSSE2001 None None

Courses for Diploma in Data Science

The Diploma in Data Science exposes the learner to the holistic approach of gathering, analysing, and interpreting data for a variety of problems. The courses on Business Data lays down the context and the need for the data, while the Machine Learning courses equip the learner to use and analyse this data towards impactful conclusions.

6 courses + 2 projects

27 credits

1 - 2 years

15 hrs/course/week

₹62,500*

*Refer Fee Structure

Course Name Credits Code Prerequisites Corequisites
Machine Learning Foundations 4 BSCS2004 None None
Business Data Management 4 BSMS2001 None None
PROJECT Business Data Management - Project 2 BSMS2001P None BSMS2001
Machine Learning Techniques 4 BSCS2007 None BSCS2004
Machine Learning Practice 4 BSCS2008 BSCS2004, BSCS2007 None
PROJECT Machine Learning Practice - Project 2 BSCS2008P None BSCS2008
Business Analytics 4 BSMS2002 BSMS2001 None
Tools in Data Science 3 BSSE2002 None BSCS2004

BSc Degree Level 

for BSc in Programming and Data Science 

Requirements for registration

The learner should have cleared all 8 courses in Foundation Level and all 12 courses + 4 projects in Diploma Level.

Options on successful completion

Once the learner successfully completes overall 114 credits including credits earned in all previous levels:

they can proceed to the BS Degree Level.
OR they may exit with a BSc Degree in Programming & Data Science from IIT Madras.

BSc Degree Level

28 credits (Total 114 credits)

1 - 3 years

15 hrs/course/week

₹64,000 - ₹70,000*

*Refer Fee Structure

BS Degree Level 

for BS in Data Science and Applications 

Requirements for registration

The learner should have earned 114 credits and completed the BSc Degree Level to enter the BS Degree Level.

Exit

Once the learner successfully completes 142 credits and the course requirements, they can exit with a BS Degree in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras.

BS Degree Level

28 credits (Total 142 credits)

1 - 3 years

15 hrs/course/week

₹94,000 - ₹1,24,000*

*Refer Fee Structure

Degree Level Courses

Core Courses

There are two pairs of core courses in the degree level. It is mandatory for the learner to complete all four core courses.

Core Courses Pair I Core Courses Pair II
Software Engineering AI: Search Methods for Problem Solving
Software Testing Deep Learning

Elective Courses

Here is the list of elective courses offered in the program. In the BSc and BS level, a maximum of 8 credits can be transferred from NPTEL and there is the option to do an apprenticeship and transfer up to a maximum of 12 credits in the BS level.
(Note: List of elective courses may change each term depending on availability.)

1. Software Engineering CORE COURSE
2. Software Testing CORE COURSE
3. AI: Search Methods for Problem Solving CORE COURSE
4. Deep Learning CORE COURSE
5. Strategies for Professional Growth MANDATORY COURSE
6. Algorithmic Thinking in Bioinformatics
7. Big Data and Biological Networks
8. Data Visualization Design
9. Special topics in Machine Learning (Reinforcement Learning)
10. Speech Technology
11. Design Thinking for Data-Driven App Development
12. Industry 4.0
13. Sequential Decision Making
14. Market Research
15. Privacy & Security in Online Social Media
16. Introduction to Big Data
17. Financial Forensics
18. Linear Statistical Models
19. Advanced Algorithms
20. Statistical Computing
21. Computer Systems Design
22. Programming in C
23. Mathematical Thinking
24. Large Language Models
25. Introduction to Natural Language Processing (i-NLP)
26. Deep Learning for Computer Vision
27. Managerial Economics
28. Game Theory and Strategy
29. Corporate Finance
30. Deep Learning Practice
31. Operating Systems

Sample Certificates

BS in Data Science and Applications from IIT Madras

BSc in Programming and Data Science from IIT Madras

Diploma in Programming from IIT Madras

Diploma in Data Science from IIT Madras

Foundational Certificate from CODE, IIT Madras