Is IITM BS Taught in Hindi? How Much English You Need
Editorial Team
No. The IITM BS is taught only in English, in all four programmes: Data Science, Electronic Systems, Aeronautics and Space Technology, and Management and Data Science. There are no Hindi, Tamil or Telugu versions of the courses. The Hindi and other language buttons on study.iitm.ac.in change the website text, not the lectures or exams.
You do not need perfect English. But you do need enough to follow English lectures, read English questions and write English answers. The programme itself teaches English in its first level.
What the official sources say
- All four FAQs: every programme FAQ says all courses are taught in English, and that a minimum proficiency in English is expected.
- The Dean's letter, 14 June 2024: English is the medium of instruction in all IIT Madras BS programmes.
- The original 2020 rulebook: the medium of instruction, assignments, examinations and reports will be in English.
- Eligibility: DS and Management expect you to have studied Maths and English in Class 10.
The DS website offers Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali. The ES and Management sites offer Hindi, and the Aeronautics site offers Hindi and Bengali. These are handy for reading the rules in your language. The course language does not change: the same FAQ says the courses are taught in English.
Where English shows up
| Part of the programme | Language |
|---|---|
| Lecture videos and transcripts | English |
| Weekly assignments | English |
| Qualifier exam | English, and English I is one of the 4 qualifier courses |
| Quizzes and end term exams | English |
| English courses | English I in all four programmes. English II too in DS, ES and Aeronautics |
The qualifier matters most. You need the minimum score in each of the 4 courses, and English I is one of them. A weak English score alone can stop you, even if your Maths is strong.
How much English is "enough"?
The FAQs only say "minimum proficiency". There is no English test or score to submit. The practical test is simple: try the real lectures before you pay.
- The DS FAQ says Week 1 content of the four qualifier courses is open to try.
- The handbook says lecture videos are on YouTube as public playlists. We list them by course and week on our official lectures page.
Our rule of thumb: watch one Maths lecture and one English lecture with the transcript open. If you can follow most of it, you can manage. If you are lost in most sentences, give yourself a month of English practice first.
Tips if you studied in Hindi medium
This is our advice, not an official rule.
- Keep a glossary. Write each new subject word in English with its Hindi meaning. "Function", "mean", "variance" and "probability" come up again and again.
- Use the transcripts. Each week comes with text transcripts. Read along while you watch, and pause often.
- Think in any language, answer in English. Your notes can be in Hindi. Your answers cannot, so practise writing short answers in English.
- Take English I seriously. It covers grammar, sounds, reading and writing. Our guide to English 1 and English 2 and the qualifier English tips show where marks slip.
- Ask early. Each course has a discussion forum, and courses hold live sessions where you can ask instructors and the support team.
You will not be the only one. The DS Program Report of September 2025 counted 6,928 active students from Uttar Pradesh, 3,304 from Bihar, 1,834 from Madhya Pradesh and 2,134 from Rajasthan. The report does not record anyone's school medium, but many students come from states where Hindi is widely spoken.
For the whole programme explained in simple Hindi, read IIT Madras BS degree kya hai.
Common questions
Can I write my exam answers in Hindi?
No. The 2020 rulebook says examinations and reports are in English, and the FAQs say all courses are taught in English. Plan to answer every quiz and exam in English.
Will IITM BS lectures come in Hindi later?
We found no official plan for Hindi or regional-language lectures. Every current FAQ says the courses are in English. Treat any video claiming otherwise as unofficial.
Do I need IELTS or another English test to apply?
No separate English test is listed. The qualifier includes English I, and DS and Management expect English studied in Class 10. For MS applications abroad later, see our post on the medium of instruction letter.
I am from Tamil Nadu. Is there a Tamil option?
Only for the website. The courses, assignments and exams are in English for everyone.
Official sources
- IIT Madras BS Data Science FAQIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Electronic Systems FAQIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Aeronautics and Space Technology FAQIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Management and Data Science FAQIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras Dean (Academic Courses) letter on BS academic policies, 14 June 2024drive.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Electronic Systems important documents page (Ordinances and Regulations, 2020)IIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science admissions pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science academics pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Electronic Systems academics pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Aeronautics and Space Technology academics pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Management and Data Science academics pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science student handbookdocs.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science Program Report, September 2025docs.google.com (opens in a new tab)