IITM BS C Programming Laboratory (CS1901): Syllabus and Tips

C Programming Laboratory (CS1901) is a 1 credit foundation lab in the IITM BS in Electronic Systems. You design, write, compile, debug and run C programs by hand. It goes with the theory course Introduction to C Programming (CS1101), and you complete it with an in-person visit to IIT Madras.

The credit split 0-0-1-1 means no lectures, no tutorials and 1 practical credit. The syllabus names Prof. Nitin Chandrachoodan of the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras, as faculty.

What you need before the C lab

The handbook course tables list CS1101 as a corequisite, so you could take it in the same term. The newer lab policy (from May 2026) calls the C course a prerequisite and says there is no lab in Term 1. So plan to finish CS1101 first. If you want both in one term, ask support. The theory course is covered on the C Programming course page.

What you learn in CS1901

The syllabus runs over 11 weeks.

• Weeks 1 and 2: how a computer runs code. Memory, the processor, and what loops and branches look like at machine level. Then how integers, negative numbers, decimals and characters are stored in bits, and what the compiler and the operating system do.
• Weeks 3 to 5: core C. A first program, variables, operators, if-else, loops, functions, recursion and scope.
• Weeks 6 to 8: pointers and data. How variables sit in memory (endianness, alignment), pointers, arrays, strings, then structures, typedef, unions and enums.
• Weeks 9 to 11: bigger programs. Stack and heap, dynamic memory, 2D arrays, text and binary files, bit operations, macros, header files and projects split over many files.

The weeks on number formats and memory matter later. In Embedded C you write code for microcontrollers, where bits and memory layout are everyday work.

Campus visit, kit and the single lab rule

• ES labs are hybrid. You practise at home and then show your work in person at IIT Madras. The visit is mandatory. See how ES labs work.
• In both approved foundation tracks, the C lab is part of your first lab visit, together with the ESTC Lab. Option A adds the Linux Systems Lab to that visit.
• You cannot register for only one lab in a term. If you do, you cannot visit campus that term and you get an I grade. Read the single lab rule.
• The Embedded C Programming Lab needs this lab first, so a delay here also delays your second visit.

The syllabus does not describe how this lab is graded.

Who finds it hard and how to prepare

Students who have read C but rarely typed and debugged it find the lab slow at first. Pointers and dynamic memory (weeks 6 to 9) usually need the most practice.

• Type every program yourself. Copying and pasting code does not build the skill.
• Read compiler errors from the top. Fix the first one, then compile again.
• For pointer questions, draw boxes on paper with the address and the value.
• Practise binary and hex conversion by hand before weeks 2 and 6.
• Get a C compiler working on your laptop in week 1, not the night before a deadline.

What to take before and after

Take CS1101 before (or with) this lab. After it comes Embedded C Programming (CS2101) and its lab. All foundation courses are listed in ES foundation courses.

Common questions

Is the C lab the same as the C theory course?

No. CS1101 is a separate 4 credit course. The lab is its own 1 credit course with its own registration and campus visit. Many C topics repeat, but in the lab you practise them hands-on.

Can I take the C lab in my first term?

Not under the May 2026 policy, which says there is no lab in Term 1. In the suggested study plans, the C lab comes in Term 2 on the medium and fastest plans, and Term 3 on the comfortable plan.

Does the C lab use the ES lab kit?

The handbook says a lab kit is needed for lab courses in general and names hardware courses like Digital Systems as the main users. It does not say whether this lab uses the kit. Check your course page after you register.

What if I pass the C course but fail the lab?

The syllabus does not cover this. The lab policy is clear that the Embedded C Lab needs the C Programming Lab first. So a pending C lab blocks your Embedded C Lab until you clear it.