CHENNAI: Students aspiring to pursue BSc in Programming and Data Science at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras can get a four-year Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Data Science and Applications starting this year.
As part of the optional BS level, students will have to do an 8-month apprenticeship or a project with companies or research institutes, officials said.
Students of class 12 from any stream can also apply and secure admission to the programme. Their classes will start after they complete class 12.
And the best part: There is no age limit. Anyone who has studied English and Mathematics in Class 10 is eligible to apply. Classes will be conducted online.
“This unique programme 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,” said IIT Madras Director Prof. V Kamakoti.
The last date to apply for the September 2022 term of this Data Science programme is August 19, 2022. Interested students can apply through the website – https://onlinedegree.iitm.ac.in.
At present, more than 13,000 students are enrolled in the programme, with the maximum number of students from Tamil Nadu, followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
In-person exams are conducted in 116 examination centres across 111 cities in India. The examination centres have also been opened in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka.
Speaking about the importance of the new BS programme, the IIT director further said, “Data Science is one of the emerging topics. This is a highly employment-oriented program in a domain where the demand is high for skilled resources.”
Under this programme, students will learn to manage data, visualize 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, the officials said.
Elaborating on the reasons behind the new initiative, Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, Professor In-Charge, BS in Data Science and Applications, said, “Students who are 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 programme makes it possible for students to study from IIT Madras without attempting the intensely-competitive Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).
The new initiative directly benefits the students from rural areas and economically disadvantaged backgrounds for whom attending JEE coaching classes would be a significant hurdle. The programme also offers up to 100 per cent scholarships for deserving students in financial need, the officials said.