BSc Degree in Programming & Data Science by IIT Madras(IITM)

Course Name:	BSc Degree in Programming & Data Science
Course Institution:	IIT Madras
Course Department:	NA
Course Duration:	36 month(s)
Course Fee:	INR 100000
Course Mode:	Completely Online
Course Location(country):	India
Course Location(city):	Madras
Course Level:	Bachelors

BSc Degree program in Programming & Data Science by IITM is a 36 month(s) completely online program, aimed at working professionals.

IIT Madras has introduced the first online BSc Degree program in Programming & Data Science. The degree allows the learners to work towards an undergraduate diploma/degree from an IIT regardless of the age/location, and with a wide range of academic backgrounds.

Why IIT Madras?

IIT Madras is a pioneer in introducing a completely online BSc Degree program to produce industry-ready graduates in the Programming and Data Science sector. The program uses a combination of in-person assessment and online learning. Additionally, it is affordable & flexible. The program will be a gamechanger in Indian education in the coming years. Moreover, other top-ranking institutions may follow suit.

The reason behind the Online Degree Initiative:

IIT Madras wishes to reach out to a lot of aspirants across the country. An online degree serves this purpose, as it is not limited by on-campus physical infrastructure.

Overall Program Structure

There are three levels in IITM’s Online Degree program. If an applicant wants to get a BSc Degree in Programming and Data Science from IITM, he has to clear all three levels. Moreover, the learner can exit at any level.

Additionally, IITM is currently formulating a “Diploma Only Entry” option for applicants looking to pursue only Diploma Level courses and exiting with one/both Diploma(s) from IIT Madras. 

Term Structure

IITM has divided each year into three terms – January, May, and September.

• If a candidate has already completed the prerequisites for a course, only then he may a learner may register for that course.
• Based on the applicant’s performance in the previous exam, he can register for up to 4 courses in a term.
• The candidate has to clear all the courses at the current level before progressing to the next level. That is, only if a candidate has cleared all Foundational level courses successfully, can he register for any Diploma Level courses. Similarly, clearing the Diploma Level courses is mandatory before registering for any Degree Level courses.

Course Structure

• The core courses in Foundational, Diploma & Degree Level carry four credits each, and the duration is 12 weeks. The credits and duration of Skill Enhancement courses and Electives in Degree Level may vary.
• The fee depends on the total credits one registers for in the term.
• The students will receive 15 to 30 minutes recorded videos, which means a total of 2-3hours of content every week in each course. These videos would comprise a series of lectures, sample problems & step by step solutions. 
• The students will also get a weekly assignment(s), along with the videos. The students have to complete and submit these online according to the deadline mentioned.
• The curriculum includes three quizzes, one each at the end of weeks 4, 7, and 10 for each course. There is also an End Term Exam for each course. 

You can check out the detailed curriculum here.

Exam Cities

• IITM conducts the Invigilated Quizzes & End Term exams in a limited number of cities throughout India. Students can select three cities and have to attend the exam in the City/Centre allotted to them from the three chosen options.
• The list of exam cities where invigilated exams will be scheduled may change later, depending on the location of the majority of learners. See the list of cities here.

Duration

The BSc Degree program in Programming & Data Science by IITM is a 3year(s) or 36 month(s) completely online program.

Center

The IITM offers its BSc Degree program in Programming & Data Science at the Madras Center.

Fee 

The course allows the candidates to pay only for the courses you register for each term! The fee per credit for Foundational Level courses is INR 1000. The fee per credit for Diploma / Degree Level courses is INR 2500.

Important Dates

Application Process

• The candidates who successfully meet the eligibility criteria may apply for the course by filling in the application form, uploading required documents, and paying the application fee. Check out the Application Process section on IITM’s website for the latest updates and to start applying.
• Application fee – ₹3,000 (For applicants belonging to PwD (>= 40% disability) / SC / ST category – ₹1,500; For applicants belonging to PwD (>= 40% disability) and also SC / ST category – ₹750)

*Required documents:

1. Passport size photograph
2. Signature
3. Photo ID Card Scan – Aadhar Card / PAN Card / Passport / Voter ID / Driving License / 12th Admit card with photo / other Government ID with photo
 4. Category Certificate – only for applicants who select SC / ST / OBC-NCL / EWS
 5. PwD Certificate – only for applicants with 40% or more disability

Mandatory Requirements

• Candidates must have access to a laptop/desktop device and a good internet connection.
• They should be able to reach the assigned exam centers for exams and quizzes, each term.

Admissions

Regular Entry

• The candidate will join at the Foundational Level. The Foundational Level courses allow for interested applicants with a variety of educational backgrounds to learn the basics (Maths, Statistics, Computational Thinking, Python programming, and English), which help them take up the Diploma Level and then the Degree Level courses.

Eligibility for Regular Entry:

• The applicant must have studied Mathematics and English in class 10.
• They should have cleared 12the standard or equivalent.

Qualifying Criterion(Mandatory): The applicant should be: 

(i) currently/previously enrolled in any Bachelor’s Degree program in campus mode, OR
 (ii) any Bachelor’s Degree program(completed) in any mode(campus/online/distance), OR 
 (iii) 1/2/3-year Diploma(completed)(campus mode only) after having completed 12th/equivalent, OR
 (iv) CA Inter(completed), OR
 (v) AMIE(completed.) 

Diploma Only Entry

• Through this, IITM aims at learners who have already cleared the Foundational Level courses and wish to exit with one or two Diplomas from IIT Madras or working professionals.
• The candidates entering via Diploma Only Entry cannot proceed to the Degree Level courses, but can only pursue diploma courses.
• IITM plans to open applications for Diploma Only Entry later in 2021 and will reveal the details of Eligibility and Qualifier Exam soon.

How to Apply?

Students interested in pursuing the BSc Data Science program by IITM can click here, sign in with their Gmail id, and register for the qualifier exam. Doing this will generate your application number, save it, and continue with the application process.

Certificate of Completion

The candidates will receive Foundational Certificate from IIT Madras’ Centre for Continuing Education or Diploma(s) from IIT Madras, depending on the courses completed.

Career Opportunities

IITM has set up a separate Industry Interaction Cell as part of the online degree program. The Cell functions to ensure interactions of the learners in the program with the industry to encourage collaborations for recruitment/internship for learners in Diploma or Degree Level only.

You may have a look at our extensive coverage on other analytics courses. If you want to find out about more such courses, connect with us on telegram. Disclaimer: This information is based on the research carried out by AI Monks. The information in this article should be used only for indicative purposes. AI Monks is not responsible for any information that may be different from the actual scenario.