IITM BS Qualifier Application Fee for Every Category

The IITM BS qualifier application fee is Rs 4,000 for general category applicants, for both Data Science and Electronic Systems. SC, ST and PwD applicants pay less. The fee is not refunded. One section of the ES handbook says Rs 6,000 instead, so check the official ES website before you pay.

Data Science qualifier fee

The Data Science handbook says:

• The fee is Rs 4,000 for general category applicants, from the January 2026 term onwards.
• SC, ST and PwD (40% disability or more) applicants get a waiver on this fee.
• No other group gets a waiver. So OBC-NCL and EWS applicants also pay Rs 4,000.
• The fee is not refunded once paid. This includes applicants who miss the exam and applicants who do not pass.

The DS handbook does not state the reduced amount for SC, ST and PwD applicants. Check the application form on the official DS website for the exact figure.

Electronic Systems qualifier fee

The ES handbook has a clear fee table:

The ES fee is not refunded once the last date for cancellation has passed. It is also not refunded if you are absent for the exam or do not pass.

The Rs 4,000 or Rs 6,000 problem

The ES handbook gives two different general category fees:

• The fee section, the eligibility section and the fee table all say Rs 4,000.
• The regular entry section says Rs 6,000.

There is a second small mismatch. The text says EWS applicants get a waiver, but the table puts EWS in the Rs 4,000 row with general category. The handbook does not explain either point. Check the application page on the official ES website, and pay what it shows.

Re-attempt fee in the same term

Each term has two qualifier exams: one at the end of week 4 and one at the end of week 8. You can apply for the second one if you got a hall ticket but were absent, or if you failed the first attempt. You do not have to redo the assignments. The re-attempt form opens right after the results come out.

Both handbooks list the same re-attempt fee. The ES handbook says these amounts apply from the January 2026 term.

Read more about the second qualifier attempt.

If you did not get a hall ticket

The re-attempt is only for people who became eligible for a hall ticket. If your assignment scores never made you eligible in that term, you apply again in a later term as a fresh applicant. You pay the full fee for your category again and redo the 4 weeks of coursework and graded assignments. There is no limit on how many times you can go through the qualifier process.

Direct entry to the DS diploma level

Data Science also has a separate qualifier for direct entry to the diploma level, called the DAD qualifier. It has its own fee:

See direct entry to the diploma level for who can apply.

Writing the qualifier outside India

If you choose an exam centre outside India, an exam facilitation fee is added on top of the application fee. The handbook does not give a separate figure for the qualifier. See applying from outside India.

Common questions

Will I get the qualifier fee back if I miss the exam?

No. Both handbooks say the fee is not refunded if you are absent or if you do not pass. The ES handbook adds that the fee cannot be refunded once the last date for cancellation has passed.

Do OBC-NCL or EWS applicants pay less?

Not by the fee tables. The DS handbook says only SC, ST and PwD applicants get a waiver. The ES table puts OBC-NCL and EWS at Rs 4,000, the same as general category.

Is the qualifier fee adjusted against my foundation course fees?

The handbooks list it as a separate entry fee. They do not say it is adjusted against course fees. The foundation fees are listed in the Data Science fee breakdown.

Is the fee income-based like the course fee waiver?

No. In the fee tables, the lower qualifier fees depend on SC, ST and PwD status, not on family income. The 50% and 75% income-based waivers are for course fees, as explained in the IITM BS fee waiver guide.