The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM's), has launched a new admission pathway called ‘Science Olympiad Excellence’ (ScOpE) for undergraduate programmes. This initiative is designed for students who have excelled in National and International Olympiads, providing an alternative route for entry outside the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Advanced) framework.
Admissions through ScOpE will commence from the academic year 2025-2026.
Admission structure and criteria
Similar to IITM’s 'Sports Excellence' and 'Fine Arts and Culture Excellence' admissions, ScOpE will also feature two supernumerary seats per programme.
One of these seats will be reserved exclusively for women students.
The eligibility criteria align with JEE Advanced requirements, including passing Class XII and meeting the same age criteria.
Additionally, candidates must not have been admitted to an IIT in previous years.
Eligibility requirements
Candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Must be an Indian national (by birth or naturalisation) or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)/ Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) candidate whose card was issued before March 4, 2021.
- In the past four years, candidates must have participated in one of the following training camps:
a) Mathematics: International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camps (IMOTC) organised by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).
b) Physics, Chemistry, and Biology: Orientation-cum-Selection Camps (OCSCs) organised by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).
c) Informatics: International Olympiad for Informatics Training Camp (IOITC) organised by the Indian Association for Research in Computer Science (IARCS).
Available programmes
| 1 | Aerospace Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 2 | Aerospace Engineering: Five-year BTech + MTech
| 3 | Biotechnology | Biological Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 4 | Biotechnology | Biological Science: Four-year BS
| 5 | Chemical Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 6 | Civil Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 7 | Computer Science and Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 8 | Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics: Four-year BTech
| 9 | Electrical Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 10 | Engineering Design: Five-year BTech + MTech
| 11 | Physics | Engineering Physics: Four-year BTech
| 12 | Physics: Four-year BS
| 13 | Mechanical Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 14 | Metallurgical and Materials Engineering: Four-year BTech
| 15 | Ocean Engineering | Naval Architecture: Four-year BTech
| 16 | Medical Science and Technology | Medical Science and Engineering: Four-year BS
| 17 | Chemistry: Four-year BS
Application and selection process
- Applications for the first batch will open on June 3, 2025.
- The ScOpE Rank List (SRL) will determine seat allocation based on candidates' performance in five Olympiads: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Informatics, and Biology.
- Detailed business rules and guidelines for the ScOpE admission process are available on the IIT Madras website at ugadmissions.iitm.ac.in/scope.
- The admission process for ScOpE will be conducted separately from the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) portal.
- Candidates seeking admission through ScOpE must apply via the dedicated IITM-ScOpE portal at https://jeeadv.iitm.ac.in/scope.
The director's vision
According to Professor V Kamakoti, "The world's grandest puzzles aren't solved by memorizing textbooks but by those who dare to dismantle them, piece by piece, and create new wonders for future generations. With this vision, IIT Madras embarks on yet another new journey by offering admission to her much-coveted undergraduate programmes for candidates with demonstrated excellence in science Olympiads. To those who've proven their brilliance on the international stage of science Olympiads, we don't just offer admission; we offer a sanctuary where their insatiable curiosity will find its most fertile ground amongst the blissful IITM flora and fauna."
