Is branch change facility available in IIT Madras?

What is 'Branch Change'?

Branch change is a process by which you can change your branch in your first year based on your first semester grades.

Can I get a Branch Change? What is the procedure?

If you are at the top of your class in the first semester then you can apply for a branch change. Depending on how many people have applied, a few people will be offered the change. This depends a lot on the available seats in the target branch.

Is branch change available in 2023 in IIT Madras?

Yes, it is available. Even though IIT Bombay has released a statement saying that IIT Bombay will not allow branch change in 2023, IIT Madras has not issued any statement like this. 

What if I don't get Branch Change?

Academic Flexibility: At IIT Madras, you can choose 40% of your courses. These electives can be outside your core department. For e.g., Civil students can take robotics, CS students can physics, Mech students can take management, and so on. As a student learns more about engineering, his or her interests widen - so this flexibility to choose courses is very helpful.

IDDD: At the end of your 5th semester, you can convert your 4-yr BTech degree into a 5-yr Dual degree by opting for an IDDD - Inter-Disciplinary Dual Degree, provided your CGPA is above 8.0. You will get a BTech in your branch and a MTech in the IDDD branch.

These are the current IDDD programs available (as of 2023). This list will only grow.

• Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
• Complex Systems and Dynamics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Computational Engineering
• Atmospheric and Climate Sciences
• Cyber-Physical Systems
• Data Science
• Electric Vehicles
• Energy Systems
• Robotics
• Quantum Science and Technology
• Quantitative Finance
• Public Policy
• Tech MBA