Chennai, June 18 : Indian Institute of Technology Madras celebrated the achievements of 1,460 learners who became eligible to receive degrees and diplomas through its BS Degree Programmes at a special convocation ceremony held on campus recently. Among these graduands, 101 students are from families with annual income between INR 1 and INR 5 lakhs and 221 students are from families with annual income less than INR 1 lakh.
The graduating cohort included 634 BS Degree recipients, 197 BSc Degree recipients, 604 Diploma recipients and 25 Postgraduate Diploma recipients. 173 students from the graduating class also received Certificates of Academic Distinction and Merit for their outstanding performance.
The BS Degree Programmes have emerged as one of the world’s largest non-campus higher education initiatives, with more than 42,000 active learners from across India and several countries abroad. The programmes attract a diverse learner base, including students pursuing parallel undergraduate degrees, working professionals, entrepreneurs, and lifelong learners. The ceremony also celebrated unique milestones such as father-son and mother-son pairs graduating together.
Congratulating the graduating learners, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said,
“Data Science, Electronic Systems, Aeronautics and Space Technology, and Management are critical emerging fields that will shape India’s future. Through these programmes, we are building the technological talent required for Viksit Bharat 2047. Our graduates are not merely degree holders; they are future innovators and problem-solvers who will contribute meaningfully to national development.”
Addressing the graduating cohort, Dr. Pratyush Kumar, Co-founder and CEO of Sarvam AI, said,
“India’s growth in the coming decades will be shaped by people who build deep technology and create value at scale. As graduates of IIT Madras, you have been trained not just for jobs, but to innovate, solve important problems and contribute to the country’s technological future.”
The annual report of the BS Programmes highlighted several notable student achievements. Shriprasad, Saranath, and Shruthi, graduating students of the BS in Data Science and Applications, secured first place at the EconUnion Validation Challenge, winning a ₹1 lakh prize and a sponsored trip to Switzerland. Another BS student, A.K. Deepankar, won USD 20,000 at the RevenueCat Shipaton 2026 Hackathon for developing the application ‘Bloom’. Students from the programme have also won competitions such as the Mark Rober Jugaad Contest, along with contests organised by institutions including ISRO, IIT Bombay, Anthropic, and Google.
The BS Degree Programmes continue to expand access to quality education at scale. More than 50% of learners pursue the programme alongside another degree, while around 14% are working professionals balancing studies with their careers. Learners from all Indian States and Union Territories, as well as several countries abroad, form part of the vibrant student community.
The programme has also had a significant social impact. Around 25% of active learners come from families with annual incomes below ₹1 lakh, while another 15% belong to families earning between ₹1 lakh and ₹5 lakh per annum. Through institutional scholarships and CSR support, thousands of students have been able to pursue their education at reduced or no cost.
The BS Degree Programmes offered by IIT Madras combine flexibility with academic rigour, enabling learners from diverse backgrounds to pursue quality education irrespective of age, geography, or prior educational experience. Through its innovative model, IIT Madras continues to demonstrate how technology-enabled education can expand opportunities while preparing graduates to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.