What Is a Term in IITM BS, and Why ES Says Semester

A term is one of the three study blocks in an IITM BS year: the January term, the May term and the September term. The Data Science and Management academics pages say each term is four months long, with 12 weeks of coursework, two in-person quizzes and an end term exam. So a term is not 3 months. Electronic Systems (ES) pages and the ES FAQ often say "semester" instead, but the ES handbook runs the same three terms, on the same dates, as Data Science. Read "semester" on an ES page as "term", and check with ES support when a number depends on it.

One term in numbers

Why "3 months" is a common mix-up

Twelve weeks of content is about 3 months. But with the exams added, a term runs longer. Here is the September 2026 term from the handbook's date table:

So the "September term" actually starts in October and ends in January. See September 2026 exam dates for the full list.

The short codes

The handbook writes terms as codes. The "f1", "f2" and "f3" endings stand for the January, May and September terms. For example, it says 21f1 students complete 4 years in 24f3, at the end of the September term.

Why ES says semester

The ES FAQ also still talks about a qualifier on 6 August 2023 and joining in September 2023, so parts of it are old text. The ES handbook's calendar is the newer, detailed one.

One real gap to watch: the ES admissions page gives the qualifier result 2 semesters of validity, while the ES handbook says 3 terms. If you plan to join a term or two after qualifying, ask ES support which one applies to you. More in how long the qualifier score is valid.

Why counting terms matters

Terms are the unit for almost every rule in the programme:

• Checkpoints. For Data Science students admitted from May 2024, you must pass 4 Foundation courses within 4 terms, 6 within 6 and all 8 within 9. Terms where you skip or drop every course still count. See the Foundation checkpoints. ES has its own term-based checkpoints in the ES checkpoints guide.
• Time limits. Each level has a term limit, and the whole programme must be finished within 24 terms (8 years).
• Minimum time. A BS certificate needs at least 12 terms (4 years) from your first term, and a Data Science BSc needs 9.
• Skipping. Two terms in a row without courses puts you on probation. A third gets you struck off. See student status and RKA.

The Aeronautics FAQ and the Management FAQ also say there are three terms a year.

Common questions

How many terms does the full BS take?

At least 12 terms, which is 4 years, before the BS certificate is processed. The most you are allowed is 24 terms, or 8 years.

Does a term I skip still count?

Yes. Skipped terms, RKA terms and terms where you dropped every course all count towards the checkpoint term limits.

Do DS and ES students write exams on the same dates?

In the handbooks' 2026 tables, yes. Both list the same term start, quiz and end term dates. That is also why the ES FAQ says you cannot do both programmes together.

Can I join in any of the three terms?

Data Science runs admissions three times a year. For the current ES intake, check the admissions page and the academic calendar.