Country edition: India
Student Journey Blueprint

How to become a Data Scientist / AI Specialist — your road, class by class

Class 8 to working life ·Last checked 25 Oct 2026

The one-line route: Class 12 with Mathematics → B.Tech (CSE, AI or Data Science) through JEE Main or your state's route — or a B.Sc / BCA, or IIT Madras's online BS in Data Science → statistics, programming and machine-learning projects → analyst and data-scientist roles. [1] [2]

Pick your class and the road below starts where you stand.

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01 Your road, stage by stage

What to do from your class onward

  1. You are here Class 8 · Class 9

    Mathematics and statistics are the core

    • IIT Madras's BS starts with four foundation courses: English I, Mathematics for Data Science I, Statistics for Data Science I and Computational Thinking. [2]
    • Practise data handling, graphs and probability, and try a spreadsheet or beginner Python course — data work is mostly cleaning and reading numbers.
  2. You are here Class 10

    Keep Mathematics

    • The IIT Madras BS expects Mathematics and English in Class 10; any Class 12 stream may apply. [2]
    • For B.E. / B.Tech at NITs, IIITs and other NIT+ institutes, Class 12 must include Physics and Mathematics. [1]
  3. You are here Class 11 · Class 12

    Two doors in Class 12

    • JEE Main: for NIT+ seats through JoSAA you also need 75% in Class 12 (65% SC, ST, PwD) or a place in your board's top 20 percentile. [1]
    • IIT Madras BS: apply after your Class 11 final exams, from any stream or board. The qualifier is 4 weeks of online coursework and a 4-hour in-person exam; pass with 40% in each course and 50% on average (General). The result stays valid for 2 years if you have not yet sat Class 12. [2]
    • Students eligible for the current year's JEE Advanced can join the IIT Madras BS foundation level directly, without the qualifier. [2]
  4. You are here In college · Graduated

    Already in college?

    • Anyone who has passed Class 12 may apply to the IIT Madras BS, whatever their age or background; you pay course by course, each term. [2] [3]
    • In Uttar Pradesh's 2026-27 counselling, MCA admits BCA, B.Sc (CS / IT) or B.Tech (CSE / IT) graduates — or any graduate who had Mathematics at 10+2 or in the degree — with 50% (45% SC / ST). [4]

Your school board

JEE Main is offered in 13 languages, and the IIT Madras BS site is available in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati and Bengali. [1]

CBSE, CISCE and state-board certificates count the same for every national exam on this page. Notes for particular state boards are under State rules below.

02 Exam anatomy

The exam, stage by stage

JEE Main 2026 (B.Tech) · IIT Madras BS qualifier (online degree) · NTA · JoSAA / state counselling · IIT Madras

JEE Main Paper 1
75 questions · 300 marks · 3 hours · +4 / −1 [1]
JEE Main fee
₹1,000 General male · ₹800 female · ₹500 SC / ST / PwD, per session [1]
IITM BS application
₹4,000 General / OBC · ₹2,000 SC / ST / PwD · ₹1,000 SC / ST + PwD [2]
IITM BS full fee
₹3,86,000 – ₹4,50,000 for the BS degree (from the Jan 2026 term) [3]
JEE Main 2026 (B.Tech) · IIT Madras BS qualifier (online degree) stages
RouteWhat it isMarking / passRule
JEE Main → JoSAA / stateB.Tech in CSE, AI or Data Science at NITs, IIITs, state and private colleges+4 / −175% in Class 12 (65% SC / ST / PwD) or your board's top 20 percentile for NIT+ seats
IITM BS — qualifier4 weeks of online coursework in the 4 foundation courses, then a 4-hour in-person exam40% in each course and 50% average (General); lower bars for OBC-NCL / EWS, SC / ST, PwDOpen after Class 12, or after Class 11 finals (join after Class 12)
IITM BS — levelsFoundation → Diploma(s) → BSc (114 credits) → BS (142 credits)Pay per course, each termExit with a certificate, diploma or degree at any level

Stage table source [1] [2] [3]

  • IIT Madras BS: applications for the January 2027 term close on 29 January 2027; three intakes a year (January, May, September). [2]
  • Central reservation on JEE Main seats: SC 15%, ST 7.5%, OBC-NCL 27%, Gen-EWS 10%, and 5% horizontal for PwD inside each. [1]
  • These are the 2026 rules. Check jeemain.nta.nic.in for the 2027 bulletin and study.iitm.ac.in for the current IIT Madras fee table.
Open the full exam guide
03 State rules

Rules for all of India — and your state

  • NIT seats are split into a Home State and an Other States quota; Home State is where you passed Class 12. The IIT Madras BS has no state quota. [9] [2]

State notes we have checked (4 states / UTs)

Gujarat3 notes
  • ACPC fills 95% of Govt / Grant-in-Aid and 50% of unaided seats with Gujarat-schooled GUJCET candidates; 5% of Govt / GIA seats go on JEE Main rank to candidates from any board. [5]
  • GSEB — Gujarat State Board: For Gujarat state-quota B.E. seats, ACPC merit is 50% your HSC theory percentile in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry + 50% your GUJCET percentile. HSC needs 45% (40% reserved). [5]
  • CBSE — studying in Gujarat: Schooling in Gujarat plus a GUJCET attempt opens ACPC's state-quota B.E. seats; your CBSE Class XII theory percentile goes into the same 50:50 merit formula. [5]
Gujarat exam & career cockpit
Maharashtra2 notes
  • CAP reserves 60% of seats vertically for Maharashtra candidates — SC 13%, ST 7%, VJ/NT 11%, OBC 19%, SEBC 10% — plus 10% EWS over the intake and 30% for women. [6] [7]
  • MSBSHSE — Maharashtra State Board: Passing SSC and HSC in Maharashtra (and being domiciled or born there) makes you a Type A Maharashtra candidate; MHT-CET is compulsory for Maharashtra-candidature B.E. / B.Tech seats. [7]
Maharashtra exam & career cockpit
Uttar Pradesh2 notes
  • Government and aided institutes fill 100% of first-year seats through UPTAC; private colleges fill 85% through UPTAC and 15% through management / NRI quota. Up to 5% extra tuition-fee-waiver seats exist for economically weaker students (see Money help). [4]
  • UPMSP — Uttar Pradesh Board: UPTAC fills B.Tech seats on your JEE Main rank. Passing Intermediate in UP makes you eligible for the regular rounds; you need 45% (40% SC / ST) in the required subjects. [4]
Uttar Pradesh exam & career cockpit
West Bengal2 notes
  • Reservation in WBJEEB counselling (SC, ST, OBC-A, OBC-B, PwD, TFW, EWS) is only for candidates domiciled in West Bengal. [8]
  • WBBSE / WBCHSE — West Bengal boards: West Bengal domicile — 10 years' residence as on 31.12.2025, or a permanent-resident parent — is needed for government-aided seats and every reserved seat in WBJEEB counselling. [8]
West Bengal exam & career cockpit

Not in this list? The national route above applies — we found nothing in this career's official rules that changes in your state.

04 Career multiverse

Where this path can take you next

Data Science

The full data-science career guide.

Explore →

AI / ML engineer

Building and deploying machine-learning systems.

Explore →

Statistician

The statistics-heavy side of data work.

Explore →

B.Tech CSE

The engineering degree most data roles hire from.

Explore →

BCA → MCA

A computer-applications route into data jobs.

Explore →

ISI admission

Indian Statistical Institute's B.Stat and B.Math entrance.

Explore →
05 Money help

Scholarships, stipends and fee help

Government schemes, professional-body scholarships and paid training on this path. Pick your class above and schemes you have already passed are hidden.

Scholarship Open to you now From Class 8

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMSS)

Ministry of Education, through your state

₹1,000 a month, Class 9 to 12 [10]

Who
Class 8 students of government schools who passed Class 7 with 55% (50% SC/ST, as in Nagaland's notice) and clear the state's NMMSS test. Family income limit: see the scheme rules on the National Scholarship Portal.
How
Your state's SCERT announces the test in Class 8; renewals are on scholarships.gov.in.
Scholarship Open to you now From Class 11

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships (PM-USP CSSS)

Ministry of Education

₹12,000 a year for the first 3 years of a degree; ₹20,000 a year in years 4–5 of a 5-year integrated course (and in PG) [11]

Who
Above the 80th percentile of your board's Class 12 pass-outs in your stream, in a regular degree course (not diploma or distance), family income up to ₹4.5 lakh, and not taking any other scholarship — including state schemes.
How
On the National Scholarship Portal after Class 12; renewal needs 50% marks and 75% attendance each year.
Scholarship Open to you now From Class 11

Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, through your state

Compulsory non-refundable fees (tuition included) plus a yearly academic allowance — the college cannot ask you to pay the fee first [12]

Who
SC students after Class 10 (ITI, diploma, degree and CA/CMA/CS courses count), family income up to ₹2.5 lakh. Separate post-matric schemes exist for ST, OBC and minority students on the same portal.
How
Your state scholarship portal or scholarships.gov.in. The printed guidelines cover 2020-21 to 2025-26; check the 2026-27 rules on the portal.
Fee help Open to you now From Class 11

IIT Madras BS fee support

IIT Madras

50% or 75% of the programme fee [3]

Who
Family income up to ₹1 lakh: 75% for every category (with documents). ₹1–5 lakh: 50% for General-EWS and OBC-NCL. SC / ST and PwD get at least 50% at any income; SC / ST with PwD get 75%. Not for students outside India.
How
Upload your category and family-income certificates when you join; IIT Madras runs extra income checks.
Fee help Open to you now From Class 11Uttar Pradesh only

Tuition Fee Waiver seats (UPTAC)

AKTU / UPTAC counselling, Uttar Pradesh

No tuition fee, on up to 5% extra seats over the approved intake [4]

Who
Economically weaker meritorious students in B.Tech, MCA, MBA, B.Pharm, BHMCT, BFAD, BFA and B.Des (not B.Arch), with an income certificate. It is separate from the EWS category, which gets no fee concession.
How
Claim it in your UPTAC registration and upload the income certificate.
State scheme Open to you now From Class 10West Bengal only

West Bengal Student Credit Card (WBSCC)

Government of West Bengal

Loan up to ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest a year; 1% interest concession if the interest is fully serviced during the study period [13] [14]

Who
Students from West Bengal aged 40 or under when applying — school (Class X onward), UG, PG, professional degree courses in India or abroad, and coaching for competitive exams such as Engineering, Medical, Law, IAS, IPS and WBCS. The state's scheme page asks for 10 years' residence in West Bengal and a co-borrower (usually a parent).
How
On wbscc.wb.gov.in. Repayment runs up to 15 years, including the moratorium (course duration + 1 year); no margin money up to ₹4 lakh.
State scheme Open to you now From Class 10Gujarat only

Mukhyamantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojana (MYSY)

Government of Gujarat

Who
Gujarat students joining a diploma or degree course on merit: it pays part of the tuition fee and, in some cases, a hostel grant for students who must study away from home. [15]
How
mysy.guj.nic.in. We could not open the official portal on 24 Oct 2026, so we print no amounts or cut-offs — read them in the current year's resolution on the portal.
06 Official sources & verification

Where these facts come from

Every number on this page comes from the official files below. Lines with no number are Margdarshan guidance. Rules change every year — open the current notice before you apply.

  1. NTA — JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin (opens in a new tab) Paper 1 pattern and marking, sessions, fees, Class 12 subjects, 75% / top-20-percentile rule, state code of eligibility, 13 languages, reservation, JEE Advanced cut · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  2. IIT Madras — BS in Data Science and Applications: Admissions (opens in a new tab) who can apply, Class 10 Maths and English, application fees, qualifier process and pass marks, result validity, JEE Advanced direct entry, term dates · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  3. IIT Madras — BS in Data Science and Applications: Academics and fee structure (opens in a new tab) levels and credits, fees from the January 2026 term, fee support by category and family income · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  4. AKTU — UPTAC Information Brochure 2026-27 (opens in a new tab) JEE Main merit for B.Tech, 100% / 85% seat shares, domicile, B.Tech and MCA eligibility, tuition fee waiver seats (none for B.Arch), B.Arch exam priority NATA then JEE (Main), B.Arch / BHMCT eligibility, BHMCT on CUET (UG) · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  5. ACPC Gujarat — Advertisement for degree engineering admission 2026-27 (opens in a new tab) 95% / 50% / 5% seat split, GUJCET + board theory 50:50 merit, 45% / 40% HSC rule · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  6. State CET Cell Maharashtra — CAP Information Brochure for UG & PG Technical Courses 2025-26 (opens in a new tab) vertical reservation shares, EWS and women's seats, B.Arch and B.HMCT eligibility and merit basis, MAH-B.HMCT-CET, NCHM JEE preference for All-India BHMCT candidates · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  7. State CET Cell Maharashtra — MHT-CET 2026 Information Brochure (updated 11 Apr 2026) (opens in a new tab) candidature Types A–E, MHT-CET compulsory for Maharashtra candidature (B.E./B.Tech, B.Pharm / Pharm.D; NEET preferred for All-India pharmacy seats), paper languages · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  8. WBJEEB — Information Bulletin of WBJEE-2026 (opens in a new tab) domicile rule (3.4), reservation only for West Bengal domicile (5.1), Jadavpur 90% seats · Last checked 23 Oct 2026
  9. JoSAA — Business Rules for Joint Seat Allocation 2026-27 (1 June 2026) (opens in a new tab) Home State quota, female supernumerary seats, seat acceptance fee · Last checked 14 Oct 2026
  10. SCERT Nagaland — NMMSS Examination 2027 advertisement (27 Jul 2026) (opens in a new tab) Class 8 eligibility, 55% / 50% Class 7 marks, ₹1,000 a month from Class 9 to 12 (one state's notice of the central scheme) · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  11. Ministry of Education — PM-USP Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships guidelines (2022-23 onwards), copy hosted by NIT Kurukshetra (opens in a new tab) 80th percentile, ₹4.5 lakh income, regular degree only, no other scholarship, ₹12,000 / ₹20,000 rates, renewal rules · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  12. Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment — Post Matric Scholarship for SC students, guidelines 2020-21 to 2025-26 (copy hosted by Goa Social Welfare) (opens in a new tab) ₹2.5 lakh income limit, fees + academic allowance, no pre-payment of fees, CA/ICWA/CS students covered · Last checked 24 Oct 2026
  13. Government of West Bengal — West Bengal Student Credit Card portal (About) (opens in a new tab) ₹10 lakh at 4% simple interest, 1% concession, age 40, courses and competitive-exam coaching covered, 15-year repayment · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  14. Government of West Bengal — Information Centre: West Bengal Student Credit Card Scheme (opens in a new tab) 10 years' residence, co-borrower, moratorium course + 1 year, no margin money up to ₹4 lakh · Last checked 25 Oct 2026
  15. Government of Gujarat — MYSY scholarship portal (opens in a new tab) scheme portal; could not be opened on 24 Oct 2026, so no amounts are printed here

Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and we will update it.