IITM BS: Joining the MS Programme as Project Staff

Say you are hired as project staff on a project run by an IIT Madras faculty member. You may then be able to join the MS programme through project admission. First you complete two approved campus courses with a CGPA of 7.5 or more and at least a C grade in each. You need no GATE score and no minimum CGPA in the IITM BS. The institute does not pay a stipend on this route; your pay comes from the project.

Who this route suits

This route is for students who are already working on a project with IIT Madras faculty. It is useful if your BS CGPA is below 8, since the CFTI route and the MS upgrade both need 8. It is also useful if you have not written GATE. The handbook does not explain how to find or apply for project staff jobs. It only covers what happens once you have one.

The conditions

• You are appointed as project staff on a project with an IIT Madras faculty member.
• While working, you register for courses on campus that your project faculty approves.
• You complete two approved courses at IIT Madras with a CGPA of 7.5 or more.
• You get at least a C grade in each of those two courses.
• You go through the department's admission process, which can include a test, an interview or both.

What you do not need:

• A GATE score.
• Any minimum CGPA in the IITM BS programme.

Step by step

1. Get appointed as project staff on a project led by IIT Madras faculty.
2. Ask your project faculty which campus courses they will approve.
3. Register for those courses on campus while you work on the project.
4. Finish two approved courses with a CGPA of at least 7.5 and no grade below C.
5. Apply for MS admission and take the department's test or interview.

Money: project pay, not a stipend

On the CFTI and GATE routes, the institute pays the MS stipend. Here it does not. You are supported through the project instead. The amount is fixed by the PI, the faculty member who runs the project. The handbook gives no figure.

How it compares with the CFTI route

Read more about the other option in applying for MS with CGPA 8.

What you can do after the MS

The handbook lists three outcomes for this route:

• Finish the MS and apply for jobs.
• Finish the MS and apply for a PhD at IIT Madras or elsewhere.
• Upgrade and convert the MS into a PhD at IIT Madras.

For how this route sits next to GATE, the upgrade and the online MTech, see all routes from IITM BS to MS, MTech or PhD.

Common questions

Do I need to finish the IITM BS before I apply?

The handbook does not say. It ties this route to being project staff and passing two campus courses. The MS admission rules of your department will decide the degree you need, so check them early.

What if I get a grade below C in one of the two courses?

As written, you need at least a C in each course and a CGPA of 7.5 across the two. A lower grade in either course would not meet that condition. The handbook does not say whether you can take a third course to make up for it, so ask your department.

Can I choose any campus course?

No. The courses must be approved by your project faculty. Talk to them before you register. For how grades turn into CGPA, see the IITM BS grading system.

Does the BS programme arrange project staff jobs?

The handbook does not describe any such scheme. It says only that if you are appointed as project staff, you may be eligible for project admission.