IITM BS Transcripts, Bonafide Certificate and Other Documents

IITM BS gives you two academic documents automatically: a term wise progress card and a grade card. An official transcript or a bonafide certificate is issued only when you ask for it, and only on Thursdays. You also need to have submitted your medical certificate, or the programme office will not issue a bonafide certificate. The handbook does not mention any fee for these documents. A 2024 letter from the Dean (Academic Courses) adds that only cumulative grade cards are issued, with no term-wise grade cards and no backlog certificates.

Documents you get automatically

So if you repeated a course, the progress card shows both attempts. The grade card shows only the better one.

How GPA and CGPA are worked out

• GPA is for one term. Multiply each course's grade point by its credits. Add these up. Divide by the total credits of all courses that term. Courses with a U or W grade are included in the total credits.
• CGPA covers all the unique courses you have completed so far. If you took a course more than once, only the best grade is used.

The ES handbook's mark transcript section also includes I grades in the GPA total. Its later section on documents lists only U and W. For how grades are given, see the grading system.

What the Dean's letter of 14 June 2024 says

A letter from the Dean (Academic Courses), dated 14 June 2024, sets these policies for all IIT Madras BS programmes, so DS and ES alike:

• Only cumulative grade cards are issued. They list the courses you registered for and completed.
• Term-wise grade cards are not issued, as a matter of policy.
• There is no provision for backlog certificates.
• No class, division or rank is awarded. For a percentage, the Senate formula is CGPA x 10.

The letter also confirms that English is the medium of instruction. IIT Madras does not issue a personalised copy. You download the letter from the DS or ES important documents page and use it as it is.

Progress card or no term-wise grade card?

The handbooks list a term wise progress card, which shows your courses term by term. The letter says term-wise grade cards are not issued, and it does not mention the progress card. Both statements are in official sources.

In practice, when a college, employer or exam form asks for semester marksheets, a backlog certificate, a class or a percentage, students submit their cumulative grade card with the letter. If a form insists on term details, you can add the progress card. See what to submit instead of a backlog certificate and how to convert CGPA to percentage.

How to get an official transcript or bonafide certificate

Both handbooks say these are issued every Thursday, so plan ahead. Both also link to a separate document that sets the criteria for official documents. Read it first.

The ES handbook gives the steps:

1. E-mail support-es@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab) and ask for the Google form link.
2. Fill the Google form.
3. Forms received by 12:00 PM IST on a Thursday are processed that week, and the certificate is issued.
4. Forms received after 12:00 PM IST are processed the next Thursday.

The DS handbook lines do not list these steps. DS students should raise a support ticket to ask how to request the document.

Medical certificate first

Since the September 2025 term, every student must submit a medical certificate in the programme's format. Without it, you get no bonafide certificate, letters of support, placement support or other official letters. Read the medical certificate rule.

Credit completion letter

From the January 2026 term, when you complete the credits of a level, you get a credit completion letter. It states that you have completed the required credits for that level. The programme coordinators sign it. This replaced the old provisional certificate format, which was valid up to the September 2025 term. The handbook says the letter is accepted by companies and academic institutions.

Provisional certificate after exit

If you have filled the exit form and are waiting for your original certificate, you can ask for a provisional certificate. It is signed by an officer of the Academic section of IIT Madras. To get it, write to academic.documents@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab).

The original certificate format has not changed. It is the same design shown on the official website. See exiting and getting the original certificate.

Common questions

How long does a bonafide certificate take?

The handbooks say these are issued every Thursday. For ES, a form sent before 12:00 PM IST on Thursday is handled that week. After that, it waits for the next Thursday.

Is there a fee for a transcript or bonafide certificate?

The handbook lines on this do not mention a fee. Check the criteria document linked in the handbook, or ask support.

Does my grade card show my failed attempts?

No. The grade card shows each course once, with your best score. The term wise progress card is the one that shows every attempt.

My support ticket about a document got no reply. What next?

Wait 24 hours, follow up on the same ticket, and then escalate if needed. See support tickets and the escalation matrix.