IIT-Madras BSc programming & data science comes with 4-year BS degree option

Students from any stream can enrol for this programme for which there is no age limit. Anyone who has studied English and Mathematics in Class X is eligible to apply. As the classes are conducted online, there is also no geographic limit.

Chennai: IIT-Madras has announced that its BSc degree in Programming and Data Science will have an option for a four-year BS degree in Data Science and Applications following demand from students. Students can do an 8-month apprenticeship or a project with companies or research institutes, as part of the BS-level.

The new subjects introduced include Reinforcement Learning, Data Visualisation Design, Industry 4.0, and Algorithmic thinking in Bioinformatics. Students who complete the 4-year BS can appear for GATE and pursue an MTech in India or apply for postgraduate degrees abroad.

Those currently in Class XII can also apply and secure admission to this September 2022 programme for which August 19 is the last date for applying. Interested students can apply through the website: https://onlinedegree.iitm.ac.in.

"This unique program is carefully designed to offer students multiple-entry and exit options where the learner can earn a certificate, diploma or degree. This provides flexibility to learners and empowers them to choose what they want to accomplish through this programme," a release said. Hundred per cent scholarships are offered to the deserving students.

Students from any stream can enroll for this programme for which there is no age limit. "Anyone who has studied English and Mathematics in Class X is eligible to apply. As the classes are conducted online, there is also no geographic limit," the release further said. Currently, over 13,000 students are enrolled in the programme, with the maximum number from Tamil Nadu, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

In-person exams are conducted in 116 examination centres across 111 cities in India. Examination centres have also been opened in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Sri Lanka. IIT-Madras is happy to offer this well-designed, contemporary BS in Data Science and Applications degree, which provides access to IIT quality education in an inclusive manner to learners across the country," says Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.

Data Science is one of the emerging topics. This programme is highly employment-oriented in a domain where the demand is high for skilled resources, he claimed. Data Science will teach students to manage data, visualise patterns to gain managerial insights, model uncertainties, and build models that assist in producing forecasts to make effective business decisions.

Through extensive hands-on training and experiential learning, the students are also well trained to meet the industry standards. IIT-Madras facilitates internships and placements also for the students who have completed the diploma-level of the program.

On the reasons behind this new initiative, Andrew Thangaraj, Professor In-Charge, BS in Data Science and Applications, IIT Madras, said, As Data Science is a multidisciplinary domain, this BS degree from IIT-Madras is open for students from all backgrounds." Students pursuing commerce or humanities can also earn a degree from IIT Madras. As content delivery is online and the in-person exams are conducted on Sundays.

This degree can also be pursued while attending an on-campus degree or while working full-time. This first-of-its-kind program makes it possible for students to study from IIT Madras without attempting the intensely-competitive Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and directly benefits the students from rural areas and economically disadvantaged backgrounds for whom attending JEE coaching classes would be a significant hurdle.

Vignesh Muthuvijayan, Professor In-Charge, BS in Data Science and Applications, IIT Madras, said the state-of-the-art pedagogy enables IIT-Madras to admit all qualified candidates without any restriction on the numbers. "With generous scholarships, IIT- Madras has created one of the most inclusive models in the country, he said.