Chennai: Indian Institute of Technology Madras has invited applications from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students for admission to its online Bachelor of Science (BS) degree programmes under the 'IIT Madras for All' initiative, without requiring them to appear for the JEE entrance examination.

The initiative aims to provide opportunities for SC and ST students studying in government schools and other educational institutions across Tamil Nadu to pursue higher education at IIT Madras.

Under the scheme, eligible students can directly enroll in the institute's online BS degree programmes in disciplines including Data Science and Applications, and Aerospace and Space Technology.

Admission to the programmes will be based on a qualifying examination conducted by IIT Madras.

Officials said the educational expenses of selected students for the entire four-year duration would be jointly borne by Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) and IIT Madras.

Applications are currently open for the present academic year.

Further details regarding eligibility, application procedures and programme information are available on Tamil Nadu Volunteers scholarship portal.

The online BS programmes offered by IIT Madras have gained popularity in recent years for providing flexible higher education opportunities to students from diverse academic and socio-economic backgrounds.