IITM BS Qualifier: How to Become Eligible for the Exam

You get a hall ticket for the IITM BS qualifier exam only if your average weekly assignment score reaches the cutoff in every one of the four qualifier courses. The cutoff is 40% for General, 35% for OBC-NCL and EWS, and 30% for SC, ST and PwD candidates. In Data Science (DS) the average of weeks 1 and 2 is checked first, then the best 2 of the first 3 weeks. In Electronic Systems (ES) it is simply the best 2 of the first 3 weeks.

The cutoff by category

This table is the same in both handbooks.

Two points matter here:

• The cutoff applies to each course separately. A great score in three courses does not cover a low score in the fourth.
• Every assignment is marked out of 100. An assignment you do not attempt is marked 0.

The Data Science rule: two chances within the term

DS uses a two-step check.

1. After week 2: your average of the week 1 and week 2 assignments is worked out for each course. If it is at or above your category cutoff in all four courses, you are eligible for the first qualifier exam of the term (at the end of week 4).
2. After week 3: if you did not make it in step 1, the average of your best 2 out of the first 3 weeks is used instead. If that clears the cutoff in all four courses, you are eligible for the second qualifier exam of the term (at the end of week 8).

The handbook also says re-attempts within the term will be given "suitably", without more detail.

DS example (General category)

Say your Maths 1 scores are 20 in week 1 and 50 in week 2. The average is 35, which is below 40. This one course is enough to keep you out of the first exam, because all four courses must clear the cutoff. In week 3 you score 70. Your best two are 50 and 70, an average of 60. If your other three courses also clear 40 this way, you get a hall ticket for the second exam.

The Electronic Systems rule: best 2 of the first 3

ES has one check. In each course, the average of your best two out of the first three weekly assignments is calculated. You need the cutoff in all four courses. The qualifier exam then takes place at the end of the first four weeks.

ES example (General category)

Your Introduction to C Programming scores are 0 in week 1 (missed), 55 in week 2 and 45 in week 3. The best two are 55 and 45, so the average is 50. That clears 40. The missed week is dropped, but only because the other two were strong enough.

Try your own scores in the graded assignment calculator.

After you become eligible

Hall tickets are released only to eligible candidates. The exam is in person and proctored. The passing marks for the exam itself are a separate rule, with a minimum per course and a minimum average, as explained in the qualifier passing marks.

The lower cutoffs for OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST and PwD candidates apply only during the qualifier. After you join the programme, the same grades and pass rules apply to everyone.

If you do not become eligible

You cannot write the exam that term, and the re-attempt option does not apply to you, because it is only for people who already had a hall ticket. You can apply again in a later term as a fresh applicant. Read what to do if you are not eligible.

To avoid this, start each week's assignment early and do not skip any. The preparation guide has more on planning your weeks.

Common questions

Does the week 4 assignment count for the hall ticket?

The eligibility rules in both handbooks only use weeks 1 to 3. But week 4 still matters. If you join in the term right after the qualifier, your qualifier assignment scores are used as your first 4 assignment scores in the courses you register for.

Is exactly 40 enough, or do I need more than 40?

The DS rule is written as 40 out of 100 or more. So an average of exactly 40 in a course is enough for a General candidate.

I am a DS student and missed week 1. Is my term over?

Not always. A missed week 1 gives you 0, so as a General candidate you would need 80 or more in week 2 to reach a 40 average. But in the second check, your best 2 of the first 3 weeks are used. Strong scores in weeks 2 and 3 can still get you a hall ticket for the second exam.

Are the cutoffs different for DS and ES?

No. The category cutoffs are the same in both programmes. Only the weeks used to calculate your average are different.