The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has unveiled a new admission pathway for undergraduate courses, providing meritorious students a chance to seek admission without the necessity of sitting for the JEE Advanced exam. Starting from the academic year 2025-2026, this new initiative is designed to recognize exceptional students in science by providing an alternate route through the Science Olympiad Excellence (ScOpE) scheme.
What is the ScOpE admission pathway at IIT Madras?
The ScOpE pathway, similar to the current admissions for Sports and Fine Arts Excellence, will allow top performers in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Informatics, and Biology to get direct admission into IIT Madras. Every undergraduate course under the ScOpE program will have two supernumerary seats, one of which will be reserved for female applicants.
Eligibility criteria for ScOpE admission to IIT Madras
To apply for the ScOpE pathway, candidates must meet the following requirements:
- Nationality: The applicant should be an Indian national or an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)/Person of Indian Origin (PIO) whoobtained their OCI/PIO card prior to March 4, 2021.
- Olympiad participation: The applicant should have attended a known Olympiad training camp, conducted by institutions like Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) or the Indian Association for Research in Computer Science (IARCS) in the last four years.
- Class 12 completion: The applicant should have passed Class 12 (or an equivalent exam) or should be appearing for it in the year of admission.
Besides these, academic requirements for clearing Class 12 are the same as for JEE Advanced aspirants.
Admission process and ScOpE rank list
Admissions through the ScOpE scheme will not be done the usual Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) portal. Instead, the candidates will need to apply separately via a portal of IIT Madras that is set apart for exclusive use in the ScOpE admission process. The candidates will be shortlisted for evaluation on the basis of the performance of the Olympiad exams, and admissions will be made according to the ScOpE Rank List (SRL).
Programs available under the ScOpE scheme
IIT Madras will provide a variety of undergraduate programs for admission under the ScOpE scheme, such as:
- Aerospace Engineering (B.Tech & B.Tech + M.Tech)
- Biotechnology (B.Tech & B.S.)
- Chemical Engineering (B.Tech)
- Civil Engineering (B.Tech)
- Computer Science and Engineering (B.Tech)
- Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (B.Tech)
- Electrical Engineering (B.Tech)
- Engineering Design (B.Tech + M.Tech)
- Physics (B.Tech & B.S.)
- Mechanical Engineering (B.Tech)
- Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (B.Tech)
- Ocean Engineering (B.Tech)
- Medical Science and Technology (B.S.)
- Chemistry (B.S.)
How to apply for ScOpE admission at IIT Madras
The application window for the first batch of students will open on June 3, 2025. Full application guidelines and additional instructions can be found on the official IIT Madras admission portal at ugadmissions.iitm.ac.in/scope.
This new pathway is intended to offer a merit-based and accessible route for students who have performed well in science competitions, enabling them to follow their dream of studying at one of India’s top institutions without the stress of the conventional entrance exams.