IITM BS Admission Process Step by Step (DS and ES)

Most students get into IITM BS through the qualifier. You apply online, pay the fee, study 4 weeks of foundation content, submit weekly assignments, reach a cutoff to get a hall ticket, and then pass an in-person qualifier exam. If you qualified to write JEE Advanced, you can skip the qualifier. Data Science (DS) also has a direct route into the diploma level for people with 2 years of any UG degree. Electronic Systems (ES) does not.

The three routes into IITM BS

Regular entry through the qualifier, step by step

1. Check that you can apply. For DS, you must have studied Maths and English in Class 10, and either passed Class 12 or appeared for your Class 11 final exams. For ES, you need Physics and Maths in Class 12 (or passed separately through NIOS or an equivalent), or you must have appeared for Class 11 final exams with those subjects. See who can apply for IITM BS.
2. Fill the application form and pay the fee. The form is on the official website. The fee is Rs 4,000 for the General category. SC, ST and PwD candidates pay less (Rs 2,000, or Rs 1,000 if SC/ST and also PwD). The fee is not refunded. (One line in the ES handbook says Rs 6,000, but its fee table and the admissions page say Rs 4,000.)
3. Study 4 weeks of content. DS students get English 1, Maths 1, Statistics 1 and Computational Thinking. ES students get English 1, Maths for Electronics 1, Electronic Systems Thinking and Circuits, and Introduction to C Programming. Week 1 content is open to sample on the website before you apply.
4. Submit the graded assignment every week in every course. Each one is marked out of 100. If you skip one, it counts as 0.
5. Reach the assignment cutoff in all four courses. The minimum average is 40% for General, 35% for OBC-NCL and EWS, and 30% for SC, ST and PwD. Only then do you get a hall ticket. DS and ES use slightly different weeks for this, explained in how to become eligible for the qualifier exam.
6. Write the qualifier exam in person. A General candidate needs at least 40% in each course and a 50% average. Other categories have lower cutoffs, listed in the qualifier passing marks.
7. Check your result. Marks appear in your portal login, with email and WhatsApp alerts. Qualified candidates get an admission letter.
8. Register for foundation courses. If you passed in the first attempt, you can join the same term or a later term while your score is valid. If you passed in the second attempt, you join from the next term.

For the full picture of the 4 weeks, read how the qualifier process works.

If the qualifier does not go to plan

• Absent or failed in the first exam: each term has two qualifier exams, at the end of week 4 and week 8. If you had a hall ticket, you can take the second one without redoing assignments. The re-attempt fee is Rs 2,000 for General and OBC candidates, and less for SC, ST and PwD.
• No hall ticket: you apply again in a later term as a fresh applicant. You pay the full fee again and redo the 4 weeks of assignments. There is no limit on how many times you can try.
• Fee refund: the fee is not refunded if you miss the exam or do not pass it.

JEE-based entry

If you qualified to appear for JEE Advanced, you can join the foundation level without the qualifier exam. This works for DS and ES.

1. Apply to the qualifier process and answer Yes to the question about JEE Advanced eligibility.
2. Upload a valid proof.
3. If the proof is accepted, you are declared eligible, you get an admission letter, and you can register for up to 4 foundation courses in your first term.
4. If the proof is not accepted, you are treated as a regular applicant and must do the qualifier.

The handbook says this entry is valid for 3 terms after the JEE Advanced eligibility list is released. More in IITM BS through JEE.

Direct entry to the diploma (Data Science only)

If you have completed 2 years of any UG degree, you can apply to enter the DS diploma level directly, with your second year marksheet (or a higher one) as proof. You write a separate Direct Admission to Diploma exam for the Diploma in Programming or the Diploma in Data Science. These exams are held on the DS end term exam dates, three times a year. The fee is Rs 6,000 for General, OBC-NCL and EWS candidates. Details are in direct entry to the diploma level.

ES has no such route. Every ES student starts at the foundation level.

Common questions

Can I apply while I am still in school?

Yes. You can apply once you have appeared for your Class 11 final exams. If you qualify, you can join only after you pass Class 12. For school students, the qualifier score stays valid for 3 terms from when you pass Class 12.

Is the qualifier exam taken online from home?

No. The qualifier exam is written in person at an exam centre. The ES handbook describes it as one 4-hour exam for all four subjects together.

Do I need a JEE rank for the JEE route?

The handbooks only talk about having qualified to appear for JEE Advanced. They do not mention any rank. You need to upload valid proof of that eligibility when you apply.

Can I apply to both DS and ES?

The handbooks describe each programme's admission separately and do not say if you can apply to both in one term. Ask the support team before you pay two fees.