Paid Qualifier Guarantees and Fake IITM BS Offers: Scams to Avoid

No one can sell you an IITM BS qualifier pass. You qualify only by meeting fixed cutoffs in your own weekly assignments and then in an invigilated exam at the centre named on your hall ticket. So any paid "guarantee", any "leaked" assignment answers, and any internship that asks for money outside the official portal should be treated as a scam.

Here is how the real process works, the warning signs to look for, and how to check anything you are unsure about.

Why a paid guarantee cannot be real

• The cutoffs are fixed. The handbook sets minimum marks for each category. There is no quota to buy into and no rank to fix.
• Hall tickets depend on your own work. You get one only if your weekly assignment average meets the cutoff in all four courses.
• The exam is invigilated and in person. Students in India write at an assigned centre, and must go only to the centre on their hall ticket. Remote proctoring is only for students outside India, and misdeclaring your location counts as malpractice.
• Results come to you directly. The handbook says qualifier marks appear in your own portal login, with email and WhatsApp alerts.
• Fees go through the official site. You apply on study.iitm.ac.in, and course fees are paid online for the credits you register for.

Warning signs

Leaked answers: the cost of getting caught

The programme's Non Academic and Academic Guidelines say you must not post answers to graded problems in course forums or on any other website, must not let anyone else use your login, and must keep only one account. Listed penalties include a zero for the work, a certificate being withheld or revoked, and being unenrolled from a course or the programme.

The handbook also links published malpractice data, updated 4 January 2026. For copied assignments, it lists zero marks for that assignment and 10% deducted from the other assignments of the course. For impersonation in an exam, it lists a U grade in all courses of the term and being debarred for the next two terms. Read more in the malpractice rules.

Fake internships and job offers

The real placement cell (IIC) works through placements.study.iitm.ac.in. It supports internships only after at least one diploma, and jobs only after at least a BSc. It does have a paid plan you can subscribe to on its own portal, so the question is not "is money involved" but "is it on the official portal".

An email that promises an "IIT Madras internship" for a fee paid elsewhere does not match how the IIC works. If unsure, write to iic@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab), the address the handbook gives for placement questions. See how the placement cell works and fake internship emails.

How to check anything

1. Look at the domain. Official programme pages are on study.iitm.ac.in, and the institute site is iitm.ac.in. Your student email ends in study.iitm.ac.in, and the handbook lists support@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab) as the support address.
2. Find the claim on an official page. Any real rule, fee or offer will appear on the programme website, in the handbook or in your dashboard.
3. Raise a support ticket. It is the official first step for any question. If you get no answer, follow the escalation matrix. See support and escalation.
4. Never share OTPs or passwords, even with someone who says they are from IIT Madras.

If you already paid or shared details

• Change your portal and email passwords at once.
• Raise a support ticket and describe what happened, with screenshots.
• If you lost money, contact your bank and report it to your local police cyber crime cell quickly.
• Warn others in your study group, without sharing personal details of anyone involved.

Common questions

Are paid coaching classes for the qualifier a scam?

Coaching is not the same as a guarantee. The official content for the 4 weeks is given to every applicant, and week 1 can be sampled on the official website before you apply. Be wary of anyone who promises a result rather than teaching.

Is it safe to join student groups on WhatsApp or Telegram?

Groups run by students can help with study, but they are not official. Never pay money or share login details in them. Our guide to staying safe in student groups has more.

Someone offered to write my OPPE or quiz for me. What happens if I agree?

That is impersonation or malpractice. The published data lists heavy penalties, including U grades in all courses of the term and being debarred for two terms.

Is the IITM BS itself a scam?

No. It is a degree awarded by IIT Madras. Whether it is worth it for you is a separate question, answered in is IITM BS a scam.