Comprehensive Exam Courses in IITM BS: 2 Credits for a GATE Rank

A comprehensive exam course gives you 2 elective credits in the IITM BS for a strong GATE result. You write the GATE paper that matches the course. If your rank is in the top 1 percent of everyone who took that paper that year, you submit proof of your rank and the course is credited. Data Science (DS) has 2 such courses and Electronic Systems (ES) has 3.

What a comprehensive exam course is

• Each one is a 2 credit course at Level 4.
• It counts as an elective at the degree level.
• Each course is tied to one GATE paper.
• The credit comes from your GATE rank. The handbooks describe no separate lectures, quizzes or end term exam for these courses.
• Your GATE score stays valid for 2 years for this purpose.

Data Science courses

In DS, these courses can be credited at both the BSc level and the BS level. They sit alongside the other options in Data Science electives.

Electronic Systems courses

In ES, these courses are credited at the BS level. For the rest of the ES degree level, see ES degree level courses.

How to claim the credit

1. Write the GATE paper that matches the course you want.
2. Check your rank. It must be in the top 1 percent of all candidates who wrote that paper in that year.
3. Submit proof of your rank to the programme.
4. The 2 credits are added as a degree level elective.

The handbooks do not describe the form, the deadline or the exact documents for step 3. Raise a support ticket before your registration window to ask how to submit.

What the handbooks do not say

A few things are left open, so ask the support team before you count on them:

• Fee. No fee is stated for these courses. Other credit transfers have fees (Rs 1,000 per credit for NPTEL and Rs 2,500 per credit for campus courses), but do not assume the same applies here.
• Grade and CGPA. The handbooks do not say what grade appears on the transcript or whether the course affects your CGPA.
• Earning more than one. Each course names a different GATE paper, so you would need a top 1 percent rank in each matching paper. The handbooks do not say more than that.

Where this fits in your GATE plans

The same GATE score can do more than earn 2 credits. The DS handbook calls GATE its most recommended route for students who want a masters at IIT Madras or elsewhere. Read the GATE route into IIT Madras MTech or MS to see how that works.

Common questions

What if my rank is in the top 2 percent?

The rule in both handbooks is the top 1 percent of all candidates who wrote that paper in that year. The handbooks give no partial credit for lower ranks.

I wrote GATE last year. Can I still use that rank?

The handbooks say the GATE score is valid for 2 years for these courses. A result from the previous year should still count if it is inside that window. Confirm the exact cut off date with support.

Can an ES student use a GATE-CS or GATE-DA rank?

The ES handbook lists only the EC, EI and EE courses. The CS and DA courses appear only in the DS handbook. Nothing says students of one programme can take the other programme's comprehensive exam course.

Do these credits replace an elective I would otherwise take?

Yes. They are 2 credit electives at the degree level, so they fill part of the elective credits you need. You still need other electives to make up the rest of the level.