IITM BS CGPA to Percentage: The Official Formula (CGPA x 10)

To turn your IITM BS CGPA into a percentage, multiply it by 10. A CGPA of 7.4 becomes 74%, and 8.25 becomes 82.5%. This is the formula approved by the IIT Madras Senate, and it is written in a letter from the Dean (Academic Courses) dated 14 June 2024. The letter covers all IIT Madras BS degree programmes, so the rule is the same for Data Science (DS) and Electronic Systems (ES).

The official letter behind the formula

The letter is signed by Prof. Prathap Haridoss, Dean (Academic Courses), IIT Madras. Its file number is F.No.Acad/Cert./2024, and it is addressed to whomsoever it may concern. It makes four points:

1. English is the medium of instruction in all IIT Madras BS degree programmes.
2. Only cumulative grade cards are issued. Term-wise grade cards are not given, as a matter of policy.
3. No class, division or rank is given at the end of the programme. To convert CGPA into a percentage, the Senate has approved one formula: percentage = CGPA x 10.
4. There is no provision for backlog certificates.

A note at the bottom says IIT Madras does not issue personalised certificates. You download this letter and use it as it is. The note points to the DS important documents page (study.iitm.ac.in/ds/archive.html). The same letter is also listed on the ES important documents page.

Worked examples

Use the CGPA printed on your latest grade card. To check the number yourself, see how the IITM BS CGPA is calculated.

The letter does not say how to round. The simplest choice is to write the exact result, so 6.83 becomes 68.3%. If a form asks for a whole number or two decimal places, follow the form.

What the letter does not say

• It gives no class or division. There is no first class or second class label on the IITM BS. So 74% is simply 74%. The handbooks do give prize certificates, such as the Certificate of Merit for a CGPA of 9.00 to 9.50, but those are awards, not a division. See prizes and medals.
• It sets no cutoff. Whether 74% meets a job, exam or university rule is decided by that organisation.
• It does not turn single course grades into marks. The formula is for your CGPA only.
• It does not replace a form's own method. If an application portal gives its own conversion rule, the portal's instructions decide what you type in that box.

How to fill forms with your CGPA

Most forms have some of these fields. Here is what to enter.

Then upload the 14 June 2024 letter wherever the form lets you add a supporting document. If there is only one upload slot, merge the letter and your grade card into one PDF. The letter is your proof that the formula is official and that no division exists, so you do not have to explain it in your own words.

If a recruiter or admissions office asks for a percentage certificate with your name on it, reply that IIT Madras does not issue personalised certificates for this. Send them the letter and the link to the official important documents page.

The same formula in the 2020 rulebook

The formula is not new. The original Ordinances and Regulations, which applied from the 2020 batch, gave the same rule: percentage equals 10 times the CGPA. That older text also said the formula can be used the other way for admission purposes, so a percentage divided by 10 gives a CGPA. The 2024 letter mentions only CGPA to percentage.

For other records, read why there are no term-wise marksheets or backlog certificates and academic documents for IITM BS students.

Common questions

Is a CGPA of 6 a first class in IITM BS?

The IITM BS does not award any class or division, so there is no first class line to cross. A CGPA of 6 converts to 60%. If an employer uses its own class rule based on percentage, ask them how they treat 60%.

Can IIT Madras give me a percentage certificate with my name on it?

No. The note on the letter says there is no provision for personalised certificates. Use the downloadable letter along with your own grade card.

Does the formula change at the foundation or diploma level?

The letter gives one formula for the BS programmes and does not set a different rule for any level. Take the CGPA on your current grade card and multiply it by 10.

Is the formula different for Electronic Systems?

No. The letter covers all IIT Madras BS degree programmes, which includes both DS and ES.