Not Eligible for the IITM BS Qualifier Exam? What to Do Next

If your weekly assignment scores were too low to get a hall ticket for the IITM BS qualifier exam, you cannot write the exam in that term. You can apply again in any later term, and there is no limit on how many times you try. But it counts as a fresh application. You pay the full qualifier fee again and redo the 4 weeks of content and graded assignments.

Why you did not get a hall ticket

A hall ticket goes only to students whose average assignment score reaches the cutoff in all four qualifier courses. The cutoffs are 40% for General, 35% for OBC-NCL and EWS, and 30% for SC, ST and PwD. Missing it in even one course is enough to lose the hall ticket.

The weeks that count are different in the two programmes:

• Data Science (DS): the week 1 and week 2 average is checked first. If that fails, the best 2 of the first 3 weeks are used, which can still make you eligible for the second exam of the term.
• Electronic Systems (ES): the best 2 of the first 3 weeks are used.

The full rule, with examples, is in how to become eligible for the qualifier exam.

Can you still write the second exam this term?

No, not if you never became eligible. The second attempt within a term is only for people who had a hall ticket and then were absent or failed. In DS, though, there is a second check built into the eligibility rule. A DS student who misses the cutoff after week 2 but clears it on the best 2 of 3 check does get a hall ticket, for the second exam. Check your status on the portal before you give up on the term.

Applying again in a later term

This is what the handbooks say about candidates who did not become eligible:

• You can try again in any later term.
• There is no limit on the number of attempts.
• It is treated as a fresh application.
• You redo all 4 weeks of course work and weekly graded assignments.
• You must become eligible again to get a hall ticket.
• You pay the full fee for your category. If you write exams outside India, an exam facilitation fee is added.

The fee you pay again

These amounts come from the ES handbook fee table and the official admissions page. The DS handbook gives only the Rs 4,000 General fee. One line in the ES handbook mentions Rs 6,000 for General, which does not match its own table. More in the qualifier application fee.

The fee you already paid is not refunded. The DS handbook says it is non-refundable once paid. The ES handbook says it becomes non-refundable once the last date for cancellation has passed.

How to avoid this next time

These are practical habits, not rules from the handbook.

• Never skip an assignment. A missed one is 0 and it drags your average down fast. In DS, weeks 1 and 2 decide whether you can sit the first exam at all.
• Watch your weakest course. Your hall ticket depends on the lowest of the four averages, not your overall average. If you are behind in one course, give it extra time that week.
• Submit early in the week. Do not wait for the last hours before the deadline. Internet or login trouble near a deadline can cost you a full assignment.
• Do the practice assignment first. Use it to find gaps before you attempt the graded one.
• Track your numbers. Put your scores into the graded assignment calculator each week so you know what you need next.
• Sample week 1 before paying. The week 1 content is open on the official website. Use it to judge how much time you need.

The qualifier preparation guide covers weekly planning in more detail.

Common questions

Can my old assignment scores be carried into my next application?

No. The handbooks treat your next try as a fresh application, and you must redo all 4 weeks of weekly graded assignments.

Will a failed attempt count against me in the future?

The handbooks do not mention any penalty for not becoming eligible. They say there is no limit on the number of times you can attempt the qualifier process.

Can I pay the smaller re-attempt fee instead of the full fee?

No. The Rs 2,000 re-attempt fee (for General and OBC) is only for people who had a hall ticket and were absent or failed within the same term. If you did not become eligible, you pay the full application fee for your category.

Is it better to wait a few terms before trying again?

There is no rule forcing a gap. You can apply in the very next term. Use the time to work on the course where your average was lowest.