Free Resources for IITM BS: What Actually Helps

The most useful free resources for IITM BS are the official ones. Every course gives you lecture videos, self-tests, a weekly practice assignment with solutions, transcripts and notes. The course pages add week-by-week topics, downloadable reference notes and book lists. Use outside videos only to get past a topic you are stuck on, and check that they match your current syllabus.

Official material that comes with every course

The DS and ES handbooks describe the same weekly pattern:

The handbooks also say all the videos are on YouTube as public playlists. That means you can rewatch any lecture on your phone, even after the term ends.

Course pages on the official website

Each course has a public page on study.iitm.ac.in. It lists the course code, credits, prerequisites and the topic for every week. Many pages also offer free downloads. Some examples:

• Maths 1 offers three reference volumes: Sets and Functions, Calculus, and Graph Theory.
• Statistics 1 and 2 each offer two volumes of notes.
• English 1 and 2 offer learning support notes.
• Python suggests Python for Everybody, and its page says a PDF of the book is freely available.

Before a new term, read the week list for each course. It tells you which weeks are heavy before you are in them.

The forum and live sessions

The DS FAQ says each course page has a discussion forum for questions to the course team. The handbook calls it the Discourse forum. The FAQ also says one or two live sessions per course may be held to clear doubts. Post your question with what you tried and where you got stuck. You will get better answers, and writing it out often solves it.

Mock tests and your own performance data

Take every mock test your course offers. Under the January 2026 grading document, a mock test average of 40 or more can add up to 2 bonus marks, but only after you pass. See mock tests and bonus marks.

The DS handbook also describes a student performance leaderboard. It gives subject-wise rankings, level completion rankings and course-wise analytics, and you open it with your student email. See the leaderboard.

Before you join: free samples

The DS FAQ says week 1 content for the first four foundation courses is open to try, along with a sample assignment for each. Use it to test whether the pace suits you before you apply.

Our own free tools

• Short subject overviews for Maths 1 and Statistics 1, plus Computational Thinking and English 1.
• A qualifier GA calculator and a qualifier score calculator to check where you stand during the qualifier.

These sit alongside the official material, not in place of it.

How to judge outside videos and playlists

Outside videos can help when a lecture does not click. Before you spend time on one, check these things:

1. Is it current? Compare its topics with the week list on the official course page. Course content can change between terms.
2. Does it show working? Prefer videos that solve problems step by step over "most important questions" lists.
3. Does it respect the rules? Skip anything that offers graded assignment answers, OPPE questions or "leaked" papers. Using them breaks the honour code.
4. Is it worth paying for? Do not pay for notes or videos that repeat what the portal already gives you.
5. Does it help you practise? Watching someone else solve is not practice. After a video, close it and solve a fresh question yourself.

A good rule: official lecture first, practice assignment second, outside video only for the one topic still unclear.

Common questions

Are previous year question papers available for free?

The handbook and FAQ do not describe an official archive of past papers. The practice assignments, self-tests and mock tests are the official practice material. Be careful with papers shared in groups, as you cannot check where they came from.

Can I watch IITM BS lectures without joining?

Yes. The handbooks say the videos are public on YouTube, and the DS FAQ says week 1 content of the first four foundation courses is open to sample.

Do I need to buy the prescribed books?

The course pages call them suggested books. Start with the free reference notes, lectures and transcripts. Buy a book only if you learn better from one.

Which is better, the forum or a WhatsApp group?

Use the course forum for course questions, because the course team reads it. Informal groups can be friendly, but check facts against official sources and never share your login details.