What Certificate Do You Get at Each Level of IITM BS?

You get a separate award for each level you finish. In Data Science (DS) you can earn a Foundation certificate, the Diploma in Programming, the Diploma in Data Science, a BSc and finally the BS. The BSc is in Programming and Data Science, and the BS is in Data Science and Applications. In Electronic Systems (ES) it is a Foundation certificate, the Diploma in Electronic Systems and the BS in Electronic Systems.

Since the January 2026 term, you first get a credit completion letter when you finish a level. The original certificate comes later, after you fill the exit form and the IIT Madras Senate approves it.

Awards in Data Science

The DS handbook's heading talks about certificates for "6 levels". But the text below it says designs were finalised for 4 levels, and it does not list them by name. The names above come from the list of what you can earn at each stage.

Advanced Certificate for diploma students (DS)

If you finish all 6 theory courses of a DS diploma but have one or both projects still pending, you get an Advanced Certificate by default. It shows up in your Student Dashboard.

• Diploma in Programming theory done: Advanced Certificate in Programming and Application Development
• Diploma in Data Science theory done: Advanced Certificate in Machine Learning and Data Science

Read the Advanced Certificate guide for who qualifies.

Awards in Electronic Systems

The ES handbook says the designs for all three certificates are final and shown on the programme website. ES has no BSc award.

Credit completion letter, provisional and original certificate

These three documents are easy to mix up.

The credit completion letter replaced the old provisional certificate format, which was valid until the September 2025 term. The handbooks say the letter is accepted by companies and academic institutions. To ask for a provisional certificate, write to academic.documents@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab).

The format of the original certificates has not changed. Timelines for originals depend on Senate dates, so see the exit and certificate guide and the overview of IITM BS exit options.

Grade card and progress card

Two academic documents are made available to you automatically:

• Term-wise progress card: every course you took, term by term, with course code, course name, level and grade. It shows every attempt and the grade in each attempt.
• Grade card: each course appears once per level, with your best score across all attempts.

Your GPA is worked out for each term. It uses the grade points and credits of all courses in that term, including courses with U or W grades. Your CGPA covers all unique courses you have completed, using your best grade when you took a course more than once.

What the Dean's letter adds

A letter from the Dean (Academic Courses), dated 14 June 2024, covers all IIT Madras BS programmes. It says:

• Only cumulative grade cards are issued. 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 at the end of the programme.
• To convert CGPA to a percentage, multiply it by 10.

So the handbooks list a term-wise progress card, while the letter says no term-wise grade cards are issued. Both are in official sources, and the letter does not mention the progress card. When a form asks for semester marksheets, a backlog certificate or a division, students submit the cumulative grade card with the letter, which is on the DS and ES important documents pages. See grade cards and backlog certificates and CGPA to percentage.

Official transcript and bonafide certificate

You can apply for an official transcript or a bonafide certificate. These are issued every Thursday, so plan ahead. For ES, email support-es@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab) to get a Google form link. Forms received by 12:00 PM IST on a Thursday are handled that week. Later ones move to the next Thursday. The academic documents guide covers the full steps.

Common questions

Is the credit completion letter the same as a certificate?

No. It is a letter from the programme saying you have finished the credits for a level. The original certificate is issued only after the exit form and Senate approval.

Does a minor appear on my BS certificate?

No. A minor is shown in a separate document from IIT Madras. Your transcript and degree certificate stay the same.

Will my grade card show that I failed a course once?

The grade card shows only your best score for each course. The term-wise progress card, however, lists every attempt with its grade.

Do I get an original Foundation certificate if I continue to the diploma?

When you finish the Foundation credits, you get a credit completion letter. The handbooks tie the original certificate to the exit form and Senate approval. If you need an original for a level while you keep studying, ask the support team first.