IITM BS Exit Options: Foundation, Diploma, BSc or BS

Yes, you can leave the IIT Madras BS programme after any level and keep what you have earned. In Data Science (DS) there are four exit points: Foundation certificate, diploma, BSc and BS. In Electronic Systems (ES) there are three: Foundation certificate, diploma and BS.

You get the award for a level only after you complete all the credits it needs. Being admitted to a level is not enough.

Exit points in Data Science

Each DS diploma is 27 credits: 6 courses worth 23 credits and 2 projects worth 4 credits. That is why one diploma takes you from 32 to 59 credits, and both take you to 86. To reach the BSc you need both diplomas plus 28 BSc level credits. The both diplomas guide explains how the two diplomas fit together.

Exit points in Electronic Systems

ES has no BSc exit. The Diploma level adds 43 credits and the BS level adds 56.

Finishing a level is not the same as being admitted to it

Both handbooks stress this. When you clear the qualifier, you are admitted only to the Foundation courses, not to a degree. Each diploma or degree comes only when you have earned its credits by passing the required courses, and met any other compulsory condition. So "I am in the diploma level" does not mean "I have a diploma".

How exiting works, in short

1. You finish the credits. From the January 2026 term, when you complete the credits for a level, you get a credit completion letter signed by the programme coordinators.
2. You fill the exit form. You upload a professional photo with a white or blue background and your class 10 or class 12 certificate. No other documents are accepted.
3. The Senate approves. The IIT Madras Senate must approve before an original certificate is made. The Senate meets three to four times a year, and each meeting has its own exit form window.
4. You get the original certificate. While you wait, you can ask for a provisional certificate by writing to academic.documents@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab). The names of each award are listed in certificates at each level.

The DS handbook's latest table shows one example. For the Senate meeting on 23 October 2026, the exit form was open from 15 August to 15 September 2026, and certificates are expected around 28 January 2027 (tentative). The full timeline is in the exit and certificate guide.

Extra conditions for a BSc or BS exit

• All compulsory degree level courses must be done along with the required credits.
• You must have spent a minimum time in the programme, counted from your first term. It is 3 years (9 terms) for the DS BSc, and 4 years (12 terms) for the BS in both programmes.
• An IIT Madras alumni card is compulsory, and your original certificates are processed only after you register for it. The fee is Rs 6,000 plus GST, shown as a one-time Rs 7,080 in the alumni section. One part of the handbook says you register after the exit form. The alumni section says the fee is collected in two halves, in your first and second terms at the degree level.

What your status becomes after you exit

If you quit after the Foundation or Diploma level, you do not get Alumnus status. Instead your status is marked as a certified level:

• DS: "FL certified", "DP certified", "DS certified" or "Both diplomas certified"
• ES: "FL certified" or "Diploma certified"

Students who complete the BSc or BS level (DS), or the BS level (ES), and leave are marked "Alumnus". More on this in the alumni status guide.

Common questions

Can I leave DS with just one diploma?

Yes. The handbook lists the Diploma in Programming, the Diploma in Data Science, or both, as one exit point. You need the Foundation level plus all 27 credits of that one diploma, which is 59 credits in total.

Do I pay the alumni card fee if I exit after a diploma?

The handbooks mention the alumni card only for students leaving with a BSc or BS. Foundation and diploma exits get a "certified" status instead of Alumnus, so the card rules are written for degree exits.

How long after the exit form will I get my certificate?

It depends on the next Senate date. In the DS table, forms that closed on 15 September 2026 lead to certificates around 28 January 2027. Plan for a wait of a few months, and ask for a provisional certificate if you need proof earlier.

Can I come back after I exit?

There are separate rules for rejoining after an exit. Read the re-entry after exit guide before you fill the exit form, because leaving mid-level through "I quit the programme" cannot be reversed.