IIT Madras asserts that it is the pioneer among all IITs in India to incorporate admissions for sportspersons into its undergraduate programs

IT Madras will commence the 'Sports Excellence Admission' (SEA) program starting from the academic year 2024-2025. In an official statement, the institute announced that it will provide two additional seats in each of its undergraduate programs, with one seat exclusively reserved for female students.

IIT Madras takes pride in being the first IIT in the country to introduce admissions for sportspersons in its undergraduate programs. The objective of this program is to encourage deserving students to pursue higher education while excelling in their respective sports.

To be eligible for admission through SEA, students must qualify the JEE (Advanced) examination. However, the admission process will not be conducted through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) portal. Instead, IIT Madras has launched a separate portal for this purpose, which became operational on June 11, 2024.

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Prof V Kamakoti, the director of IIT Madras, warmly welcomes sportspersons to apply through the SEA program. He emphasizes that sports not only promote physical well-being and discipline among youth but also instill mental maturity to handle success and failures. Prof Kamakoti believes that the presence of students with these qualities on campus will serve as role models for others.

Candidates who have secured a position in the Common Rank List (CRL) or category-wise rank list in the JEE (Advanced) 2024, and have achieved at least one medal in any national or international-level sports competition within the past four years, are encouraged to apply.

A separate 'Sports Rank List' (SRL) will be prepared based on the candidates' total scores derived from their performance in a specific list of sports. Seat allotment will be conducted based on this list.

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IIT Madras has made significant additions to its sports-related curriculum and possesses state-of-the-art sports infrastructure, along with research facilities. This includes the Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA), which offers high-quality courses in sports science and education. The company is also in the process of creating sports coaching products specifically designed for students and coaches by forming strategic partnerships.