Does a Failed or Repeated Course Show on Your IITM BS Transcript?

It depends on which document you look at. Your term-wise progress card lists every course attempt and its grade, so a U, WA, WQ or I from an earlier term stays on it. Your grade card lists each course once, with your best result, so a course you failed and later passed shows only the pass. Your CGPA also uses only the best grade. The handbooks do not describe the layout of the official transcript itself, so check yours before you send it anywhere.

Two records, two answers

The DS and ES handbooks say two academic documents are made available to you automatically:

Your grades also feed two averages:

• Term GPA counts every course of that term, including those with U or W grades. So a fail pulls down the GPA of the term in which it happened, and that term's figure does not change later.
• CGPA counts all unique courses you have completed, using your best grade. Once you pass a failed course, only the pass counts.

What the rules say about the "transcript"

The handbooks use the word loosely. In the documents section, under the progress card, they say the transcript will show all attempts and the grade from each attempt. In the section on repeating a course for improvement, they say the highest grade will be recorded in the transcript.

The original 2020 rulebook (the Ordinances) matches the grade card rule. It says a U grade is deleted from the grade card once you complete the course. The new grade is shown in the term in which you earned it. W grades work the same way. That rulebook is older than the current handbook, and many details have changed since, but this rule is consistent with it.

The official transcript is a separate request. The criteria document says it is made available on your student dashboard after you fill a Google form and pay Rs 2,000. It does not describe what the transcript lists. Before you send a transcript to an employer or a university, download it and read it, or ask the support team.

Cases that leave a mark

• Malpractice. Several penalties in the malpractice rules are U grades, sometimes in every course of the term. They sit on your progress card like any other fail. Any malpractice case also rules you out of the Certificate of Merit and Distinction.
• Improvement after moving up. From January 2026, you can only improve grades within the level you are in. Once you move up, that level's CGPA is frozen, so an old D or E stays on your grade card for good.
• Re-entry after exit. If you exit with an original certificate and later rejoin, your new progress and grade cards list only courses taken after readmission. Both cards also show the status "Lateral Entry".

Minors do not change your transcript. The handbooks say a separate document is issued for a minor.

What to send when someone asks

• "Marksheet" or "grade card". Send your cumulative grade card. A 2024 letter from the Dean (Academic Courses) says term-wise grade cards and backlog certificates are not issued. See grade cards and backlog certificates.
• "Number of backlogs" or "attempts". Answer honestly from your progress card, which holds the full record.
• A letter about your record. After at least one diploma, while you are active, you can ask for a Letter of Support. It lists your CGPA and your grade in each course.
• WES for study abroad. The criteria document says this goes through the IIT Madras DR Courses Section, with a Rs 2,000 fee. It asks for your degree certificate and grade card.

More on each document in transcripts, bonafide certificates and other documents.

Common questions

Will one U grade lower my CGPA forever?

No. Once you pass the course, only your best grade counts in the CGPA. The GPA of the term in which you failed stays lower, because it counts the U. See how to calculate your CGPA.

Can I get an old fail removed from my progress card?

The handbooks describe no way to remove an attempt from the progress card. It is meant to be the full record. The grade card is the document that shows only your best results.

Does an I grade look like a fail?

No. I means Incomplete: you missed the end term, or did not clear the OPPE, in an otherwise complete course. The handbook's grade table lists it as incomplete, not as a fail. It does stay on your progress card for that term, next to the grade you earn later. See repeating a course.

How much does an official transcript cost?

Rs 2,000, according to the criteria document for official documents. After you graduate, the handbook says you also need the IITM alumni card to apply for a transcript.

I failed two courses. Should I worry about jobs?

Your grade card and CGPA show only your best results. Focus on passing well on the repeat, and be ready to explain if someone asks for your full record. Our guide to recovering after a failed course has a plan.