How Much Each Level of IITM BS Costs (Foundation to BS)

In Data Science (for students joining from January 2026), the foundation level costs Rs 48,000, each diploma Rs 81,000, the BSc level Rs 76,000 to Rs 1,00,000 and the BS level Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,40,000. In Electronic Systems (also for students joining from January 2026), the foundation costs Rs 82,000, the diploma Rs 1,62,000 and the BS level Rs 3,36,000. These are full fees for general category students, before any waiver.

You pay level by level. So if you stop after a level, you have only paid up to that point, and you leave with the certificate for that level.

Data Science: cost of each level

These are the revised fees for students who join the foundation level from the January 2026 term.

After the BS, the fee table goes on to a PG Diploma in AI and ML (running total Rs 4,86,000 to Rs 5,90,000) and an MTech in AI and ML (Rs 6,86,000 to Rs 7,90,000).

What you leave with in Data Science

If you joined in the September 2025 term or earlier, your fees are lower. The foundation was Rs 32,000. The full BS was Rs 3,25,000 to Rs 3,87,000 in the handbook table, or Rs 3,15,000 to Rs 3,51,000 in the official fee document on the DS website. See the old Data Science fee structure.

Why the BSc and BS levels have a range

At these two levels you choose some of your courses. Level 3 courses cost Rs 3,000 per credit, Level 4 and 5 courses cost Rs 5,000 per credit, and NPTEL credits cost Rs 1,000 per credit. A cheaper mix puts you at the lower end. The full option tables are in the Data Science fee breakdown.

Electronic Systems: cost of each level

These are the revised fees for students who join the foundation level from the January 2026 term.

The ES handbook states the total as Rs 5,82,000. But its three level totals add up to Rs 5,80,000, and the ES academics page and the revised fee document also give Rs 5,80,000. The handbook does not explain the gap, so confirm the figure with support.

If you joined ES in the September 2025 term or earlier, the old fees apply: Rs 78,000 for the foundation, Rs 1,60,000 for the diploma and Rs 3,36,000 for the BS level. That is Rs 5,74,000 in all.

What you leave with in Electronic Systems

ES has no separate BSc exit. The lab kit is also extra and is not part of these fees. See the Electronic Systems fee breakdown for the per-credit rates.

DS and ES side by side

The ES diploma costs the same as both DS diplomas together. The biggest gap is at the last stage. ES has one 56 credit BS level at Rs 6,000 per credit. DS splits its last 56 credits into a BSc level and a BS level, and many of those credits cost Rs 3,000 or less.

Costs outside the level fees

The level fees are not the only money you may spend:

• Qualifier fee: Rs 4,000 for general category, paid before you join. See the qualifier application fee.
• Fee waivers: SC, ST and PwD students, and students with family income up to Rs 5 lakh a year, can get 50% or 75% off. See the fee waiver rules.
• Repeats: repeating a failed course costs the normal course fee again. Repeating a course to improve your grade costs twice the course fee.
• ES lab kit: bought separately from IIT Madras.

Common questions

Can I pay only for the foundation and then decide?

Yes. You register and pay for courses term by term. If you finish the foundation and stop, you have spent the foundation fee and you get the foundation certificate.

Can I stop after just one Data Science diploma?

Yes. You can stop after one diploma and leave with that diploma. The Rs 2,10,000 running total is for foundation plus both diplomas. Foundation plus one diploma is Rs 1,29,000.

Which programme is cheaper for a full BS degree?

By the handbook figures, Data Science is cheaper. Its full BS is Rs 3,86,000 to Rs 4,50,000 for students joining from January 2026. The ES total is Rs 5,80,000 by the level totals.

Do these totals include NPTEL exam fees?

No. In Data Science, the Rs 1,000 per NPTEL credit is the fee you pay to the BS programme to transfer the credit. NPTEL's own exam fee is paid separately.