Why Students Quit IITM BS and What Happens When You Leave

People leave the IITM BS for ordinary reasons: the load next to college or a job, trouble with maths or programming, the progress checkpoints, money, or a better option somewhere else. If you leave, you keep the award for any level you fully completed. But the "I quit the programme" option cannot be reversed, and the application fee is never refunded. Before you quit, check whether pausing, or finishing your current level first, fits you better.

Why students leave

IIT Madras does not publish reasons for leaving. On student forums, the same few come up again and again:

• Too much with college or work. The DS academics page expects about 10 hours per course per week at Foundation and 15 at higher levels.
• Maths or programming. Students without recent maths, or new to coding, often find some Foundation and diploma courses slow going.
• The checkpoints. Some students are removed, or see they cannot meet a checkpoint in time.
• Cost. Fees are paid course by course and rise at higher levels.
• A better path. A seat in a campus college, a job, or a different field.

The official numbers say little about quitting directly. The DS Program Report of September 2025 (updated 31 October 2025) lists 47,319 active students, 83% of those who started. The report does not break down the other 17%. It likely includes people who quit, were removed, were struck off, were skipping terms or left with a certificate. So no single dropout rate can be read from it.

Four ways out of the programme

What you keep

• Awards for completed levels. Foundation certificate, a diploma, both diplomas, BSc or BS. You get nothing for a level you have only partly done.
• One exception for DS diplomas. If you passed all 6 theory courses of a diploma but one or both projects are pending, you get an Advanced Certificate by default on your dashboard.
• A status label. If you leave after Foundation or Diploma, your status becomes "FL certified" or "DP certified", "DS certified" or "Both diplomas certified" in DS, and "FL certified" or "Diploma certified" in ES. Alumnus status comes only with a BSc or BS in DS, and a BS in ES.
• Dashboard access. After you quit, you log in with your personal email to see your dashboard.

What you get back

• Application fee: never refunded.
• Quitting within 4 weeks of the term start: the handbook says your course fee is refunded minus admin charges of Rs 2,000 per Foundation course and Rs 4,000 per Diploma or Degree course. The same section says drop refunds go to your student wallet, not your bank account. Ask support how a quitter receives the money.
• After the first 4 weeks: the handbook allows no drops, so do not expect a refund for that term. More in IITM BS refunds.

Before you quit, look at these options

1. Take fewer courses. At Foundation, the course limit (CCC) is now only advice. One or two courses a term can still meet the checkpoints if you pass them.
2. Skip a term. You can skip up to 2 terms in a row on academic probation. You pay an RKA fee of Rs 1,000 per term, or 10% extra if you pay it later. Skipped terms still count towards checkpoints and time limits.
3. Finish the level you are in. A Foundation certificate or a diploma is worth more on paper than half a level. In DS, you can later rejoin at the next level by taking readmission final exams, at Rs 5,000 per sitting, with a 50% waiver for SC, ST and PwD students. The time between exit and re-entry does not count towards the programme's time limit.
4. Talk to support first. Raise a ticket about your situation. There is an escalation matrix if you get no answer.

Our view: leaving is a normal decision, not a failure. If you are close to finishing a level, finishing it usually gives you more to show. If you are in your first term and the programme is clearly wrong for you, leaving early costs you the least.

Common questions

Do I have to pay RKA before I fill the exit form?

No. The DS handbook's FAQ says you do not need to pay the RKA fee for the coming term if you plan to exit.

Can I apply again as a new student after quitting?

The handbook only says a quit account cannot be reactivated. It does not say whether you can apply fresh through the qualifier. Ask support before you quit if this matters to you.

What happens to files in my student email?

When a student is removed for missing a checkpoint, the email is deactivated one month after the notice, and the handbook tells students to back up their data. Do the same before you quit.

Is skipping terms the same as quitting?

No. Skipping keeps you in the programme on probation. Quitting ends it. More in student status and RKA, how to pause IITM BS, exit options and re-entry after exit.