Repeating a Course in IITM BS: WA, WQ, U and I Grades

If you get a WA, WQ or U grade in an IITM BS course, you have to repeat the whole course. That means all assignments, both quizzes and the end term again, and the fee is the same as the normal course fee. If you get an I grade (you missed only the end term), you can take a make-up exam instead. A full repeat counts toward your CCC, and all repeats must fit inside the programme's time limit.

The rules are the same in the Data Science (DS) and Electronic Systems (ES) handbooks.

What WA, WQ, U and I mean

The handbook lists WA and WQ together as one row for students who were not allowed to write the end term. Going by the letters, WA points to assignments and WQ to quizzes.

WA, WQ and U are fails. The I grades mean the course is not finished yet. For how passing grades are given, see how IITM BS grading works and the pass criteria.

Repeating after a WA, WQ or U grade

• Everything starts again. You submit all weekly assignments, write all quizzes and write the end term.
• Fee: the same as the normal course fee.
• CCC: the repeated course counts as one of the courses your Credit Clearing Capability allows in that term.
• Timing: you can repeat failed courses all in one term or spread them over several terms.
• New courses too: you can register for new courses in the same term, as long as new plus repeated courses stay within your CCC.

There is also a cap of 4 final exams per term. It counts full courses and make-up exams together. Our CCC guide explains how your course limit is set.

Your options after an I grade

An I grade gives you two choices.

Option 1: make-up exam. You write only the end term in the next term.

• It costs Rs 1,000 for each foundation course and Rs 2,000 for each diploma or degree course.
• If you take it in the very next term, your quiz score carries over. You do not redo assignments or quizzes.
• If you skip the next term, you lose this option and must repeat the whole course.
• You get only one make-up. If you miss it, you repeat the full course in the term after, at full fee.
• A make-up does not count toward CCC, but it uses one of your 4 final exam slots.

Option 2: repeat the full course. You pay the normal course fee and do all assignments, quizzes and the end term again. This counts toward your CCC.

Courses with OPPE have extra cases and different fees, and the ES handbook states one foundation fee two ways. Our make-up exam guide has the full tables.

Time limits for repeats

Every repeat must fit within the time limits of the programme. Both handbooks say the whole programme must be finished within 96 months, which is 8 years or 24 terms. The ES handbook's note here also says each level must be finished within 36 months (3 years, 9 terms). Other sections give different limits for some levels, so check the current rule for your level.

Failing and repeating the same course several times uses up terms quickly. See the maximum time allowed to finish IITM BS for the limits at each level.

A simple example

Say you took 4 courses last term. You passed 2, got a U in 1 and an I in 1. In the next term you could:

1. Take the make-up exam for the I course (Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 by level, no CCC used, 1 final exam slot).
2. Repeat the U course in full (normal fee, 1 CCC used, 1 final exam slot).
3. Add new courses with the CCC and exam slots you have left.

With 4 final exam slots, at most 2 new courses would fit after these two. Your CCC may allow fewer.

Common questions

Do I keep my old assignment marks when I repeat after a U?

No. For WA, WQ and U, you repeat the entire course, including submitting assignments and writing the quizzes and end term again. Only the I grade path carries marks over.

Is repeating a failed course more expensive than taking it the first time?

No. The handbook says the fee for repeating after WA, WQ or U is the same as the normal course fee. Only repeats for improvement cost double. See improving your grade.

Can I repeat a course and take new courses in the same term?

Yes. The total of new and repeated full courses must stay within your CCC. Make-up exams do not count toward CCC, but every course and make-up counts toward the 4 final exam limit.