The IITM BS Alumni Card Fee: Why You Pay Before Your Certificate

If you leave IITM BS with a BSc or BS degree, you must register with the IIT Madras Alumni Association (IITMAA) and pay for the alumni card. The fee is Rs 6,000 plus GST, which the handbooks also give as a one-time payment of Rs 7,080. Your original degree certificate is processed only after this step is done. Foundation and diploma exits do not get alumni status, so they do not pay it.

Who has to pay

In Data Science (DS), students who stop after the foundation or diploma level get a status such as "FL certified" or "DS certified", not "Alumnus". Electronic Systems (ES) has no BSc, so there the card is for BS graduates only.

One fee, written three ways

The handbooks mention the fee in three places:

• Certificate timeline note: BSc and BS students who want the original certificate must register with the alumni association, pay "the fees of Rs 6000" and confirm to the BS team.
• Exit section: alumni card registration needs a fee of Rs 6,000 plus GST.
• Alumni section (updated 19 May 2025): a one-time payment of Rs 7,080 goes to IITMAA as a processing fee.

Rs 6,000 plus 18% is exactly Rs 7,080, so these look like the same fee, shown with and without tax. Plan for Rs 7,080.

When you pay: two versions

The handbooks give two different timings.

• Alumni section: the fee is collected when you move up to the degree level. You pay 50% in your first degree level term and 50% in the next term. That works out to Rs 3,540 each time.
• Exit section: after you submit the exit form, the programme checks your details and sends you the alumni registration steps. You must finish them before your original certificates are processed.

The handbooks do not say which one wins. In practice, follow the instructions on your dashboard and in programme emails. If you are unsure, raise a support ticket before your exit form window closes.

Why the certificate waits for it

The handbooks make alumni registration one of the conditions for processing your original certificate. The others are:

• all required credits, including mandatory degree level courses,
• a minimum time from your first term: 9 terms for a BSc and 12 terms for a BS,
• a completed exit form with a professional photo and your Class 10 or 12 certificate.

Original certificates also need Senate approval, and the Senate meets 3 to 4 times a year. For example, the DS handbook (updated 1 June 2026) lists a Senate date of 23 October 2026 for exit forms filled from 15 August to 15 September 2026. The tentative certificate date for that round is 28 January 2027.

While you wait, you can ask for a provisional certificate signed by the academic section. The handbook says to write to academic.documents@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab) after you fill the exit form. It does not say whether the alumni payment must be done first. More on this in how to exit and get your original certificate and credit completion letters vs provisional certificates.

What the fee gets you

The handbooks call the card your official ID as an IIT Madras alumnus. They say you need it for:

• entry to the IIT Madras campus,
• booking the Taramani Guest House,
• applying for your academic transcript,
• library, Gymkhana and swimming pool membership.

Other listed benefits include free programmes such as mentoring in CLIC and YAARI, voting in IITMAA elections, discounts, the IITMAA job portal, reunions, chapter events and group insurance plans. You also keep your Discourse forum account by switching it to your alumnus email. The full list is in IITM BS alumni status.

After you register, allow at least 30 days for the card to reach you. Access to the IITMAA website follows 2 to 3 weeks after that.

What some students say

Some graduates say it feels unfair to pay a mandatory fee before getting a certificate they have already earned. Others ask whether the card gives the same benefits that campus alumni get. These are opinions shared in forums and videos, not official findings. The handbooks list the benefits above and do not compare them with any other group. If the payment is a problem for you, raise it through a support ticket well before your exit form window.

Common questions

Is the Rs 7,080 paid to IIT Madras or to IITMAA?

The alumni section says the one-time Rs 7,080 is paid to IITMAA through its website, iitmaa.org, as a processing fee.

I will exit with a BSc and may come back later for the BS. Do I pay twice?

The handbooks do not say. If you plan to return, ask support before you pay. The rules for coming back are in re-entry after an exit.

Can a diploma holder pay the fee and get the card anyway?

No. Both handbooks say alumni status is only for students who complete the BSc or higher.

Does a fee waiver cover the alumni card?

The handbooks do not link the alumni fee to the fee waiver table. Plan to pay the full Rs 7,080.