Name on Your IITM BS Degree Certificate: The Class 10 Rule

The name on your IITM BS degree or diploma certificate will be the name on your Class 10 (SSLC) certificate. The only other option is a name change published in the Gazette. IIT Madras will not use the name from your Aadhaar, PAN or passport, will not expand initials and will not change the order of your names. Once the certificate is generated, the name cannot be changed at all.

These rules come from a letter of the Academic Courses Section, IIT Madras, dated 12 August 2025.

What the letter says

The letter is signed by the Deputy Registrar (Courses), Academic Courses Section, and is addressed to whomsoever it may concern. It says it follows the norms of the institute, and it covers degree and diploma certificates.

A student can choose to have the name printed as it appears in:

1. The Class 10 or Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC), for UG students
2. The UG degree certificate, for PG students
3. A name change published in the Gazette, if there is one

These requests will not be accepted:

• A name as it appears in Aadhaar, PAN, passport or any other document
• Expanding initials into full names
• Changing the order of your names

The last line of the letter is the strictest. After your certificate is generated, a name change will not be considered under any circumstances.

The IITM BS is an undergraduate programme, so for you the choice is your Class 10 name or a Gazette name.

What this looks like in practice

These names are only examples to show the rule. The spelling on your own Class 10 certificate is what counts, letter by letter.

What the letter does not say

• It does not mention the foundation certificate, credit completion letters or grade cards. It speaks only of degree and diploma certificates.
• It does not explain how to get a Gazette name change. That is a government process, not an IIT Madras one, and it takes time.
• It does not say at what stage your name is fixed. It only says no change is allowed after the certificate is generated.
• It is an institute-wide letter and does not name the BS programme, though it is posted on the ES important documents page.

Where the handbook and the letter do not match

The student handbooks give two other rules about names:

• Profile update: to change your name in the dashboard, you upload your Class 12 (or equivalent) marksheet or your highest degree certificate.
• Exit form: when you apply for your original certificate, you upload your Class X or XII certificate. The handbooks say no other documents are accepted.

Both of these allow a Class 12 document, but the letter says the Class 10 name is used. The exit form rule also does not mention a Gazette notice. If your Class 10 and Class 12 names are the same, none of this matters. If they differ, or if you rely on a Gazette change, raise a ticket through the support and escalation process and ask which name will be printed. Do this before you fill the exit form.

Steps to take now

1. Take out your Class 10 certificate and read your name slowly, letter by letter.
2. Compare it with the name in your IITM BS dashboard profile.
3. If the dashboard name is different, correct it in the next profile update window. See how to update your name in IITM BS.
4. If you want a name that is not on your Class 10 certificate, for example after marriage, start the Gazette name change early. It must be published before your certificate is generated.
5. Before exit, confirm with support which document to upload. Then read exiting and getting your original certificate.
6. If your passport name differs from your Class 10 name, keep a copy of this letter. It explains why your degree shows a different name, which helps with applications such as MS abroad after IITM BS.

Common questions

My Aadhaar has my full name but my Class 10 certificate has initials. Which will be printed?

The Class 10 version, with initials. The letter says Aadhaar names are not accepted and initials will not be expanded. If you want the full name, the only route in the letter is a Gazette name change.

I found a spelling mistake on my certificate. Can it be fixed?

The letter says no name change will be considered once the certificate is generated, under any circumstances. That is why you should check your records before exit, not after.

Does this rule apply to Data Science students too?

The letter states the institute's norms for degree and diploma certificates in general. It does not single out any programme. It is posted on the ES important documents page, but nothing in it limits it to ES.

My Class 10 certificate itself has a wrong spelling. What can I do?

The letter does not cover this case. You can ask your school board to correct the certificate, or get a Gazette name change. Then ask IITM support which document they will accept, and start early.