Staying Safe in IITM BS WhatsApp, Discord and Telegram Groups

The IITM BS programme has no official WhatsApp or Telegram groups. The official FAQ says this plainly and adds that questions are answered by support email and calls. So every group you join is run by students or by someone else. Groups are useful for peer help, but keep three rules. Never share your portal password or OTP. Check every "notice" against official sources. Report problems through official channels, not only inside the group.

What is official and what is not

Two points explain the table:

• The DS FAQ says the programme has not created official groups anywhere. The ES FAQ says there are no official WhatsApp or Telegram groups. Neither mentions Discord, so treat Discord servers as unofficial too.
• The handbooks say some messages, such as qualifier results and registration blocks, are also sent by WhatsApp. These are one-way alerts. They are not group chats.

Protect your account

After your documents are approved, you get a student email ID. The handbook says you use it for everything from login to your dashboard and courses. If someone else gets into it, they get into your whole student life.

• Never share your password or an OTP. No real helper needs them. If someone asks, treat it as a warning sign.
• Do not log in through links posted in groups. Type the official address yourself.
• Do not post your hall ticket, ID documents or fee receipts in a group.
• Nobody should sit a quiz or exam for you, and no one can "help" during a proctored exam. That is malpractice. Read the malpractice rules.

Fake notices and paid "internships"

Rules and deadlines come from the handbook, the official website and your student email. A forwarded image in a group is not proof.

• If a message claims a new rule or deadline, look for it in your student email or the handbook first.
• Be careful with emails or messages offering an "IIT Madras internship" or training for a fee. The FAQ says IIT Madras will try to make internship and job openings available and will notify learners when they come up. So real openings reach you through official channels. The handbook gives iic@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab) as the contact for placement support.
• Do not pay for "leaked papers", guaranteed grades or quick admission. These are scams or malpractice.

More on spotting these is in fake IIT Madras internship emails.

Harassment and bad behaviour

Every student must complete the POSH training course, "Becoming Gender Sensitive". The programme says it is part of keeping learning safe and respectful for everyone. See the POSH training rule.

If someone harasses, threatens or bullies you in a group:

1. Take screenshots, with the date and the sender's name or number.
2. Leave the chat or block the person. You do not have to reply.
3. Tell the group admins if the group is student-run.
4. Raise a ticket on the Student Support Portal with the screenshots. Follow the steps in support tickets and escalation if you get no reply.

The handbooks do not list a separate channel for harassment complaints. The support ticket is the official starting point, and support can tell you where to go next. If you feel in danger, go to the police as well. That is outside the programme's rules and you do not need its permission.

Simple privacy habits

• Use your app's privacy settings to control who can add you to groups and who sees your number.
• Share personal details only in private and only with people you know.
• Do not forward someone else's photos, numbers or private chats.
• Leave groups that turn hostile. Your studies do not depend on any unofficial group.

Student houses and clubs may run their own groups too. The same rules apply there. See houses and student societies.

Common questions

Are the big IITM BS WhatsApp or Telegram groups official?

No. The FAQ says the programme has no official WhatsApp or Telegram groups. Big groups are run by students or others, however official their names look.

Someone in a group says they are from support and asks for my login. What should I do?

Do not share it. Support works through tickets, email and calls, according to the FAQ. Raise a ticket yourself and ask whether the request is real.

How do I report a fake notice?

Raise a support ticket and attach a screenshot of the notice. Say where you saw it and when. Ask the team to confirm whether it is genuine.

Should I leave all groups to be safe?

You do not have to. Peer groups can help with doubts and motivation. Just keep your login private, check claims against official sources, and leave any group that makes you uncomfortable.