New Delhi, Jun 30 (IANS): The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) has become the first institution in India to offer an online B.Sc course in programming and data science.

The online course is open to Class 12 passouts of all ages residing across the country. Class 12 passouts, who have studied English and Maths at the matriculation level, or even those enrolled for various graduation courses, or a professional or employed person, can seek admission in the new course.

The course, offered with help from the Ministry of Human Resource Development, will offer the curriculum at three levels – foundation course, diploma, and degree – and can be completed in one, two, and three years. The course fee is Rs 3,000.

IIT-M Director Professor Bhaskar Ramamurti said: "The demand for programming and data science is increasing in India and the world at large. It will contribute immensely to the industrial development in the future. Our step will offer a good chance to the students and benefit Indian industry also. We will be able to offer high-quality education to people across India."

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launched the online course digitally during the day.

Pokhriyal said that IIT-M had recently bagged the top position in the technical institutions category in the NIRF survey. "Since it is quite difficult to take admissions in IITs due to limited number of seats in regular courses, this online course will help provide quality education to the students," the minister said.

The students will be provided online study material in Maths, English, Statistics, and Computational Thinking in four weeks, submit their assignments and sit in an exam at the end of four weeks. All those scoring 50 per cent marks would be qualified to take admission in the online course.