Paradox: The IITM BS Students' Fest on the IIT Madras Campus

Paradox is the annual fest of the IIT Madras BS programmes. It runs for four days on the IIT Madras campus, usually around late May or June. It mixes technical events, cultural events, sports and workshops. Students run it themselves. It is a rare chance for BS students from across India and abroad to meet in person.

What Paradox is

The official student life page calls Paradox the flagship fest of the BS programme. It says the fest is held every June and runs for four days. It covers technology, culture, sports and creativity.

A PIB release from May 2024 describes it as a student-run techno-cultural-sports fest of the BS programmes in Data Science and Electronic Systems. So it is the fest of the BS community.

Past editions in numbers

The first two rows come from an IIT Madras press release and a PIB release. The 2026 figures were a forecast on the programme website, not a final count.

What happens at the fest

Events change every year. The official releases mention things like these:

• Sports: 3 km and 5 km runs, basketball, cricket, badminton, table tennis and football in 2023. The 2024 edition had a 5 km campus road race.
• Technical: workshops by experts and, in 2024, an AI agent hackathon.
• Cultural and social: a themed prom night, student-run stalls and literary events.
• Careers: in 2024, a session led by IIT Madras faculty on choosing between higher studies and jobs.

The 2024 organising team also ran a donation drive with schools in Chennai. It collected uniforms and household items for schools in need.

How students usually attend

The official pages do not publish a fixed process. This is what you can rely on:

1. Watch your programme emails and the student portal in the weeks before the fest.
2. Check the official Paradox website for dates, registration and passes. When we checked in September 2026, the site was not loading, so look again closer to the fest.
3. Plan your own travel to Chennai and your own stay. We found no official source that says the programme provides rooms.
4. Pay only through the registration link the organisers announce. Do not pay people in chat groups who offer passes. Read staying safe in IITM BS groups.

We could not find any official figure for the fest fee or for accommodation, so we do not list one here. Those details are set by the student organisers each year.

Is it worth going?

That depends on your time and budget. The fest is optional, and no official page mentions credits for it. What it gives is a chance to meet classmates, seniors and faculty in person, and to see the campus. For an online programme, that can matter. It is also a good time to meet members of the student houses, clubs and societies.

If you are travelling from far away, keep your term dates in mind. Paradox falls close to the start of the May term. For example, the May 2026 term started on 12 June 2026. Check the academic calendar before you book.

Common questions

When is the next Paradox?

The programme website says Paradox is held every June. Exact dates for the next edition are announced by the organisers. Past fests ran from late May into early June.

Can Electronic Systems students take part?

Yes. The 2024 PIB release describes Paradox as the fest of both the Data Science and Electronic Systems programmes.

Is attending Paradox compulsory?

No official page says it is required or mentions credits for it. It is a student fest you can choose to attend.

Does Paradox give me access to the rest of the campus?

The fest is held on campus, but the FAQ says BS students do not get general use of campus facilities. Read what campus access BS students have.