The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), through its Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE), has announced a strategic collaboration to enhance the academic experience of students enrolled in its Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree in Data Science and Applications. As part of this initiative, AI-powered educational tools will be deployed to support scalable, personalised learning experiences for its BS degree students across the country. This initiative reflects CODE’s ongoing mission to make high-quality education accessible and scalable for learners across India.
The rollout follows a successful pilot with 500 students earlier this year and is being executed in partnership with Scaler School of Technology (SST)—an undergraduate CS program recognised for its applied pedagogy and in-house AI engineering capabilities. These tools support students with interview preparation, coding practice, conceptual clarity, and real-time feedback loops.
LtoR – Dr. Jayakrishnan M, Head – Education, Technology and Research, IITM BS Program; Prof Vignesh Muthuvijayan – Associate Chair, CODE and Coordinator, IITM BS Program; Prof Andrew Thangaraj – Chair, CODE and Coordinator, IITM BS Program; Prof Manu Santhanam – Dean, IC&SR, IITM; Anshuman Singh – Co-Founder, Scaler; R Karthik – Manager, Strategy, Scaler; Mrs Bharathi B – COO, CODE, IITM & Mrs Jayabala S – Senior Manager, Industry Liaison, CODE, IIT Madras.
| Key success metrics from the pilot that demonstrated the effectiveness of these tools: AI Interview Companion: Over 600 interviews attended by 157 unique students in 2.5 months, focusing on modules such as Resume Discussions, Exploratory Data Analysis, and Machine Learning. AI Teaching Assistant (TA): Provided 24/7 coding support, leading to a 44% increase in successful submissions across key problem statements. AI Flashcards & Class Notes: Students averaged 63 flashcards each, indicating strong engagement and positive feedback from faculty. Gamified Revision (Matching Game): Though used by a smaller cohort, it saw 107 high-engagement sessions, highlighting its potential for broader adoption. |
Prof. Andrew Thangaraj, Chair of COE, IIT Madras, commented, “Our mission is to make quality education accessible at scale. Technology, when applied thoughtfully, can play a crucial role in making that happen. The AI tools being deployed are designed to supplement our existing academic framework and help learners gain confidence, receive faster feedback, and practice skills independently”
Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-founder, Scaler, added: “We’re honoured to support IIT Madras in its vision for tech-enabled learning. Our work at SST focuses on solving real-world classroom problems through AI-led systems, built in collaboration between students and practitioners. This collaboration allows those innovations to benefit thousands of learners across India”
Scaler’s contribution draws from its AI research and engineering efforts within its residential four-year undergraduate program, the Scaler School of Technology (SST). Several SST students, under the guidance of senior engineers, were involved in developing key features of the Companion tools.
The MoU, signed on June 2, 2025, is valid for one year with the option for extension. The tools will carry appropriate attribution to Scaler School of Technology, while IIT Madras retains control over data privacy and student engagement policies.
