IITM BS Fee Waiver Income Verification: ITR and Form 26AS

From the January 2026 term, IITM BS checks income papers more closely before giving an income-based fee waiver. If you are at the diploma or degree level and claim a waiver because your family income is below Rs 5 lakh a year, you must submit an Income Tax Return (ITR) and/or Form 26AS. If the papers are approved, you keep the waiver. If they are rejected, you lose it.

Why this check was added

The BS committee asked for it. The handbook says many students had claimed waivers based on family income without giving enough proper income documents. So the programme added a second, stricter check on top of the usual documents.

The notice was updated on 18 February 2026 and applies from the January 2026 term. The Data Science handbook lists it under mandatory submissions by students. The Electronic Systems handbook puts it right after the fee waiver table.

Who has to go through it

The check is for students who meet all of these:

• You are at the diploma level or the degree level.
• Your total family income is below Rs 5 lakh a year.
• You want a fee waiver based on economic criteria, that is, based on income.

Foundation level students are not part of it. Both handbooks say the check is for diploma and degree level students only.

Which waivers depend on income

The waiver table shows which waivers need family income proof. These are the ones the check is aimed at.

The 50% waiver for SC, ST or PwD students and the 75% waiver for SC or ST students who are also PwD do not depend on income. The handbook does not say directly whether these students must still send ITR or Form 26AS. If you are in one of these groups, ask the support team. The full table is in the IITM BS fee waiver guide.

What you need to submit

• Your Income Tax Return (ITR) and/or Form 26AS.
• The same for your parents and/or your spouse, as applicable.
• The programme collects these separately from your other documents.

The handbook does not say which financial year to use, how to upload the files, or what to send if someone in your family does not file a tax return. For these details, follow the instructions you get from the programme, or raise a ticket through the IITM BS support system.

Is there a fee for the check?

The two handbooks differ here.

• The Electronic Systems handbook says a fee of Rs 1,000 is collected with the documents. It is not refunded, whatever the result.
• The Data Science handbook has the same notice, but the line with the Rs 1,000 amount is missing. It still says "this fee" applies to diploma and degree students, without giving a number.

So if you are a Data Science student, expect that a fee may apply, and confirm the amount with support.

What happens after the check

A rejection can raise your fees by a lot. For example, one Data Science diploma costs Rs 81,000 at the full rate for students joining from January 2026. With a 50% waiver it would be about Rs 40,500. See the Data Science fee breakdown and the Electronic Systems fee breakdown for the full fees.

How to get ready

• Collect the ITR or Form 26AS for each earning member of your family before you reach the diploma level.
• Make sure the income in these papers matches the income you declared for the waiver.
• Keep copies of your EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST or PwD certificate ready too, since the waiver table still asks for them.

Common questions

Does the check apply if my family income is above Rs 5 lakh?

No. The check is for students with family income below Rs 5 lakh a year who claim an income-based waiver. Above Rs 5 lakh, General and OBC students pay the full fee anyway, and SC, ST and PwD students get their waiver on category alone.

My parents do not file income tax returns. What should I send?

The handbook asks for ITR and/or Form 26AS but does not cover this case. Raise a support ticket and ask what is accepted in your situation. Do this early, before the fee deadline.

If my documents are approved, do I get the Rs 1,000 back?

Not according to the ES handbook. It says the Rs 1,000 is non-refundable, whatever the result of the check.

Does this check apply to both DS and ES?

Yes. The same notice appears in both handbooks, with the same rules for approval and rejection. Only the Rs 1,000 fee line is missing from the DS version.