IITM BS Orientation Sessions: Which Ones to Watch and When
Editorial Team
IITM BS has three kinds of orientation. There is a course and programme orientation for qualifier applicants, a level orientation when you start the Foundation, Diploma or degree level, and course-wise orientations for the courses you register for. The official links are in sheets linked from the student handbooks, and recordings are kept, so you can watch later if you miss the live session. At the very least, watch the one for your level and the one for each course you take this term.
The three kinds of orientation
| Orientation | Who it is for | When | Where the official link is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course and programme orientation | Qualifier applicants | Before qualifier week 1. For the September 2026 cycle: 14 to 18 September 2026 | The academic calendar lists the dates |
| Level orientation | Students starting the Foundation, Diploma or degree level | Each term | DS handbook section 26.5, ES handbook section 29.4 |
| Course-wise orientation | Students registered for a course | Around the start of each term | DS handbook section 26.6, and the ES handbook sheet |
For the May 2026 qualifier cycle, the calendar listed the course and programme orientation from 16 to 18 May 2026.
What the DS sheets list
The DS handbook links one sheet with two tabs.
Level-wise orientation. It has YouTube links for the May 2025 term (Foundation, Diploma and degree levels) and the January 2026 term (Foundation and Diploma, with the degree level marked "Yet to be updated"). The September 2025 row is empty. When we checked on 25 September 2026, it had no entries for May 2026 or September 2026.
Course-wise orientation. It covers the September 2025 and January 2026 terms. Courses are grouped into shared sessions:
| Session | Courses covered |
|---|---|
| Foundation level | English 1 and 2, Maths 1 and 2, Computational Thinking and Python, Statistics 1 and 2 |
| Diploma in Programming | DBMS, Java, PDSA, App Development 1 and 2, System Commands |
| Diploma in Data Science | MLF, MLT, MLP, BDM, BA and TDS, plus a separate session for Deep Learning and Generative AI |
| Degree core | Software Engineering, Software Testing, AI: Search Methods, Deep Learning, and a separate one for Strategies for Professional Growth |
| Degree electives | Several sessions, each covering a group of electives |
Some rows say "Yet to update", so not every session has a recording.
What the ES and AE sheet lists
The ES handbook links its own sheet, which also has an Aeronautics tab.
- Level orientation, May 2026: YouTube links for the qualifier, Foundation, Diploma and degree levels.
- ES course orientation, September 2026: degree courses on 18 September, Diploma courses on 19 September and Foundation courses on 20 September, each from 7 pm to 9 pm on Google Meet. Recordings are linked for each.
- AE course orientation, September 2026: three sessions on 18, 19 and 20 September, split by level, with recordings.
Which ones should you watch?
Our suggestions, based on where you are:
| Where you are | Watch this |
|---|---|
| Applying or in the qualifier | The course and programme orientation for your cycle |
| Starting your first term | The Foundation level orientation, then the course orientation for your courses |
| Moving up to the Diploma or degree level | The orientation for your new level |
| Repeating a course | Its course orientation again, since grading can change between terms |
The last point matters. The handbook says each course is graded as set out in that term's grading document, and the rules have changed before, such as in the January 2026 grading change.
What to note while you watch
We do not summarise sessions here, because they change each term. Our tip is to note these for each course:
- How the final score is worked out, and the weight of each part.
- The rule for end term eligibility.
- Whether the course has a programming exam (OPPE) or a project.
- Where to ask doubts. The FAQ says each course page has a discussion forum.
- Assignment due days.
Official links versus other videos
Many YouTube channels post videos with "orientation" in the title. Only the sessions linked from the handbook sheets, the academic calendar or programme emails are official. The regular lecture videos are official too: the handbook says they are on YouTube as public playlists. We list them by course and week on our lectures page.
Common questions
Is watching the orientation compulsory?
The official pages we checked do not call it compulsory. But recordings exist, and they explain the rules for your courses, so watch them before your first assignment is due.
I missed the live session. Where is the recording?
Look in the sheet linked from your handbook. The ES and AE sheet links a recording for each session. The DS sheet links YouTube videos, though some newer terms were missing when we checked.
The DS sheet has nothing for my term. What now?
Check your student email and the dashboard announcements for this term's links. If you still cannot find one, raise a support ticket. See what happens after you pass the qualifier for the other first-term steps.
Where do I find the handbook that links these sheets?
Official sources
- IIT Madras BS academic calendarIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science student handbook (sections 26.5 and 26.6)docs.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Electronic Systems student handbook (section 29.4)docs.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- DS level-wise and course-wise orientation links (sheet linked from the DS handbook)docs.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- ES and AE orientation links (sheet linked from the ES handbook)docs.google.com (opens in a new tab)
- IIT Madras BS Data Science admissions pageIIT Madras · study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab)