IIT Madras’ hybrid BS Data Science welcomes all with ‘inclination to learn’

By Andrew Thangaraj

I have often been asked what sparked the idea of launching an online degree from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. People assume it was the pandemic. It wasn’t. The seed was planted much earlier, with a simple question: Can we take the quality and rigour of IIT education to every learner in the country who is capable and motivated, regardless of geography, income or background?

That question kept resurfacing in my mind during conversations with students from small towns, diploma holders, working professionals who had missed the IIT bus, and high schoolers looking for opportunities beyond the narrow funnel of competitive exams. The idea that brilliance and drive exist everywhere but opportunity does not, felt deeply unfair.

Also, the comprehensive cost of an IIT undergraduate degree, covering tuition, hostel, mess and associated living expenses, commonly ranges from Rs 10 to 12 lakh. Added to this are the steep coaching expenses which most families incur, often pushing the total cost beyond Rs 15 lakh.

Now, contrast this with the reality of most Indian households: the median annual income in India is just Rs 1.5-2 lakh per annum and 90% families earn less than Rs 3.5 lakh per annum. Clearly, for the vast majority of Indians, access to quality education becomes a distant dream. This gap is what drove us to reimagine access: How can IIT-quality education be made truly affordable for Bharat?

We had already built NPTEL, one of the world’s largest online course platforms, and saw first-hand the hunger for quality content. Just last semester, in January 2025, NPTEL saw over 30.8 lakh students enrolling for the course, while a significant 9.8 lakh+ students registered for the exams. Clearly, content alone wasn’t enough. People wanted credentials, a clear path to a degree, and the legitimacy that comes from structured learning with rigorous evaluation. That’s when the vision crystallized: a full-fledged degree from IIT Madras, accessible online, yet as robust as anything taught on campus.

Also read NIT Karnataka director: In AI era, BTech courses need both core and computers, and a curriculum overhaul

Hybrid Degree: ‘Equally-respected, alternative path’

And so, we set out to design a hybrid online degree, starting with data science and applications, and later expanded into electronic systems. Students would learn from top IIT faculty via online content, but their understanding would be tested in physical exam centres, ensuring academic integrity. The model would be flexible, modular, and open. You don't need to crack JEE to get in – if you have the inclination to learn, we are here to teach you.

We didn’t want to create a watered-down version of campus education. We wanted to create a parallel, equally-respected, alternative path. And in doing so, we hoped to redefine what access to elite education could mean in India.

Over time, something powerful started to happen.

Thousands enrolled. Then tens of thousands. They came from cities, small towns and even villages. School students, software engineers, UPSC aspirants, homemakers and even retirees. Some were in college elsewhere and wanted to gain a competitive edge. Others had missed out on higher education and saw a second chance.

Today, our BS in Data Science and Applications programme has crossed 38,000 learners, including 5,500 working professionals who are upskilling without having to pause their careers — showcasing the programme’s unique flexibility.

What is even more heartening is the access it creates:

• 10,000+ students come from families with an annual income of less than Rs 1 lakh
• Another 5,800 students are from families earning less than Rs 5 lakh a year
  
  

The total fee for the entire degree is under Rs 4 lakh, and IIT Madras extends 50%–75% fee waivers for learners from lower-income backgrounds - bringing the cost down to well below Rs 1 lakh for such students. Additionally, several corporations have stepped in to fully sponsor deserving students, ensuring financial barriers do not stand in the way of talent.

One of our students, an 18-year-old from a remote town in Rajasthan, emailed us after completing his first diploma term. He said, “For the first time, I feel I am part of something bigger. Like I’m not just watching from the outside.” Another, a 42-year-old working mother of two, told us, “I never imagined I could get an IIT degree without leaving home.”

These voices remind us that when you remove artificial barriers, learning finds a way.

‘Structured, accountable learning ecosystems’

What does this say about the future of education? It tells us that the old models of brick-and-mortar colleges, fixed schedules and narrow admission pipelines are not enough for a country like India, and even the world, for that matter. Education must bend to fit learners’ lives, not the other way around.

Globally, this shift is accelerating. Learners today expect personalisation, flexibility, and choice. They want to mix and match – study a course from Harvard, take a certification on Coursera and earn credits from their local university. They want pathways that diverge and rejoin, and also the freedom to pause and return. All this is now possible with technology, why not leverage that!

But tech is not the hero of this story. It is the enabler. The true transformation comes when we rethink what learning itself means.

Also read AICTE chairman: ‘Engineering colleges need systemic transformation’

In a world where information is abundant, the value of education is not in the content; it’s in the curation, community, mentorship and credibility. Anyone can Google machine learning. But can they get feedback on a project, be assessed fairly, and be guided by experts? That’s the real differentiator. Online education will thrive only when it goes beyond broadcasting and starts building structured, accountable learning ecosystems.

This is where hybrid models, like the one we built, offer a compelling future. By combining the scale and flexibility of online learning with the credibility of in-person assessments, we create something both scalable and trustworthy. It’s not either-or. It’s both.

IIT Madras Online Courses: ‘Not a magic bullet’

But we must be honest about the challenges. Online education is not a magic bullet. Access to the internet and devices remains patchy. Many students struggle with time management, motivation, or lack of peer interaction. There is also lingering skepticism among employers and even academics about the rigour of online degrees.

These concerns are valid. They push us to do better. That’s why we invest heavily in community-building by way of peer groups, mentoring, student houses and live sessions. Also we design our assessments carefully, ensure proctoring integrity, and continuously improve content, for the same reason. We also ensure these students get enough industry exposure by way of apprenticeships and mentoring by industry experts.

And we have only just begun.

In the years to come, the domain of online education is expected to evolve in ways that we cannot yet fully foresee. Developments such as immersive virtual laboratories, artificial intelligence–driven tutors that identify and respond to individual learning needs in real time, capstone projects evaluated through peer review, and modular qualifications in the form of micro-degrees are likely to become widespread and deeply embedded in mainstream learning ecosystems.

Also read AI courses, industry-aligned curricula are now must: Amity University Chancellor

Education a public good

However, even as we embrace these technological advancements, it is essential to uphold a fundamental principle: education must continue to be treated as a public good. The true objective is not merely to extend the reach of educational content, but to expand the horizons of personal and professional empowerment. This involves creating systems that allow for second opportunities and diverse, adaptable pathways for learners at various stages of life. Our success should be in how many we are able to uplift, support and transform.

It was this foundational belief that inspired us to initiate India’s first online degree programme. This initiative was not conceived as a temporary response to unforeseen challenges, nor was it intended as a shortcut to traditional learning. Rather, it was envisioned as a credible and enduring alternative; one that could stand alongside conventional education with equal dignity and purpose.

The classroom of the future will not be limited to physical walls or virtual meetings. It will emerge as an ever-expanding continuum of experiences. It will be present in a smartphone used by a student in a rural village, on a laptop in a small town far from urban centers, in an online discussion forum active well past midnight, and in the determined efforts of a woman in her fifties who chooses to appear for an examination after a long gap.

The future of education will belong to those who are willing to question assumptions and imagine new possibilities. And if we, as educators and institutions, can commit to meeting learners where they are, without compromising the integrity and quality of what we offer, then we may well move closer to building an India where access to quality education is no longer a rare privilege, but a widely-accessible and deeply-transformative right.

Andrew Thangaraj is a professor and chair, Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), IIT Madras. As told to and compiled by Arun Ramachandran, Head of Marketing, CODE. This piece first appeared in the 200th issue of the Careers360 magazine, published in August 2025