— Passed Class 12 or equivalent can apply irrespective of age or academic background. Those who qualify can join the program immediately.

— School students who have appeared for their Class 11 final exams can apply irrespective of their group, stream, or board. Those who qualify can join the program after passing Class 12.

— Applicants should have studied Mathematics and English in Class 10.

— There is no academic background or age restriction.

IIT Madras application will be considered only when, after payment, the applicant also fills in further details and submits required documents for verification. Applications without details and documents, even if paid, will not be considered valid, read a statement from the press release.

IIT Madras: Fee waiver

The fee is completely waived for all female students with an annual family income of less than Rs 5 lakh per annum (LPA) and male students with an annual family income Rs 1 LPA, thanks to CSR support from companies such as Verizon, Renault Nissan, HSBC, Tata AIA, Sutherland, LTTS, L&T Thales, Dun and Bradstreet and Walmart, among others, besides donations from private individuals and support from various Government scholarship schemes, claimed the press release from the IIT Madras.

Additionally, category-wise waiver for ST, SC, PWD and EWS candidates is also provided. Interested applicants should check the details at the official website, and no fee waiver will be provided to international students.

Currently, over 27,000 students are enrolled in the programme. The curriculum is conducted online with a combination of pre-recorded and live synchronous sessions. Weekly online assignments are included. In-person quizzes and examinations are held at 150 physical centres across India and abroad.

Prof Andrew Thangaraj, professor-in-charge, BS (Data Science and Applications), IIT Madras, said, “It is noteworthy that the inaugural batch of the 4-year BS degree program is yet to complete their 4 years in the program and graduate. However, the remarkable accolades already achieved by these students are quite impressive. From gaining admission into esteemed universities to securing valuable research and internship opportunities with reputable companies, their accomplishments speak volumes about their potential and the program & quality.”