How to Become a TA or Intern With the IITM BS Team

The IITM BS team picks some of its own students as teaching assistants (TAs) and interns every term. The official "TAs and Interns" page lists 67 TAs and 37 interns for the January 2026 term. But IIT Madras has not published who can apply, how selection works or whether the roles are paid. So the honest plan is to build a strong record in your courses and watch official channels for a call.

What each role involves

The official page describes both roles.

Teaching assistant

• Acts as a mentor for students in one assigned course.
• Leads discussion and answers student questions, in live sessions and in other ways.
• Prepares presentation slides and questions for peer review.
• Stays in regular touch with the course instructor.

Intern

• Works in one of the programme's teams: operations, research projects, or the Industry Interaction Cell (the placement cell).
• Completes the tasks the team assigns.
• Sends regular progress reports to a mentor, who guides the work.

The page says the internships are meant as a learning experience that also helps the programme's goals.

How many are chosen each term

We counted the names on the official lists on 25 September 2026:

The page had no list for the May 2026 term when we checked. The numbers have grown, but they are still small next to the tens of thousands of active students. Each name comes with a BS roll number, so these are students of the programme. The roll numbers start with intake codes from 21f to 25f, so the January 2026 TAs joined anywhere between 2021 and 2025.

What IIT Madras has not published

• Who is eligible, for example a minimum grade, level or CGPA.
• How selection works, or when calls go out.
• Whether TAs or interns are paid, and whether they get a certificate.

We found none of this on the page or in the handbook. Anyone who sells "TA selection help" or charges a fee to get you a role is not official. Be careful, as explained in fake internship scams.

How to get ready (our advice)

1. Master the course you want to TA. A TA explains the course to others. A top grade in that course is your strongest signal.
2. Help on the course forum. Answer questions politely and correctly. It is the same work a TA does, and everyone in the course can see it.
3. Attend live sessions. Learn how they run, what students ask, and where they get stuck.
4. Watch official channels. Read programme emails and announcements every week. If you hear of openings, confirm them with support@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab).
5. Build skills the teams need. Operations work needs clear writing and spreadsheets. Research projects need Python and data skills. Placement cell work needs communication.
6. Protect your own progress. A role adds hours every week. Do not let it push you past a checkpoint.

Other ways to get similar experience

If you are not picked, you still have good options:

• The apprenticeship. At the BS level of Data Science, you can work up to 8 months with a company or an approved research group and earn up to 12 credits. See the apprenticeship rules.
• Research internships. Some students intern with research labs. See research internships.
• Student leadership. Houses elect secretaries and regional coordinators, and societies need organisers. See houses and societies.

Common questions

Can a Foundation student become a TA?

The page does not say what level TAs must be at. The lists show roll numbers, which tell you the intake, not the level. Doing very well in a Foundation course and helping on its forum is still the best preparation.

Will being a TA get me a letter of recommendation?

The support desk says letters of recommendation from BS professors are not possible, because classes are very large. Active students with at least one diploma can get a Letter of Support instead. No official source says a TA role changes this.

Is a TA role the same as the TAs who help me in my course?

Yes, it is the same role. The page describes TAs who run live sessions and answer questions for their assigned course. Watching how your own TAs work is a good way to learn what the role involves.

Can I be a TA and an intern at the same time?

The page has no rule on this. But a few roll numbers appear on both lists in the same term, for example 5 in September 2025 and 4 in January 2026. If you are offered both, check the hours each needs before you accept.