Content Curator | Updated on - Apr 8, 2026

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, is Asia's first space university and an autonomous institution under the Department of Space, Government of India. The B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering with Specialization in Data Science is a 4-year full-time on-campus program with a seat intake of 36 students. The program covers subjects like machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, big data systems, computer vision, deep learning, and space data processing. The total academic fee is approximately Rs. 5.53 Lakhs (excluding hostel), with a per-semester fee of Rs. 67,950. Admission is exclusively through JEE Advanced scores via the IIST Online Admission Portal. The program is particularly relevant in the context of ISRO's growing use of data science and AI for satellite data processing, earth observation analytics, and space mission planning.

Admissions for the 2026-27 batch are upcoming. JEE Advanced 2026 is scheduled for May 17, 2026, with results on June 1, 2026. IIST online registration for admission is expected from May 27 to June 9, 2026 (tentative, based on 2025 schedule), followed by seat acceptance rounds in June-July 2026 and joining in July 2026.

Key Points

Asia's first space university, established under the Department of Space, Government of India.
The program specializes in Data Science within Computer Science and Engineering, with a focus on space applications of AI and data analytics.
Admission is NOT through JoSAA; candidates must separately register on the IIST Online Admission Portal (admission.iist.ac.in) after qualifying JEE Advanced.
Graduates with CGPA of 7.5 or above are eligible for ISRO recruitment as Scientist/Engineer-SC, subject to vacancies and interview.
The program is aligned with ISRO's growing need for data scientists and AI engineers for satellite data processing and earth observation.
Hostel accommodation is mandatory for all students; shared accommodation is provided on campus.
No Management Quota seats; all admissions are purely merit-based through JEE Advanced.
NIRF Ranking 2025: #61 in Engineering (India); #2 in Kerala.

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FAQs

IIST Trivandrum Latest Updates and News

29 Dec, 2025 JEE Advanced 2026 Registration will begin from April 23, 2026, @jeeadv.ac.in. The last date to apply is May 2, 2026. Further, the exam is scheduled for May 17, 2026. Read News.

IIST B.Tech CSE (Data Science) Fees

The B.Tech CSE (Data Science) program at IIST carries the same fee structure as all other B.Tech programs at the institute, heavily subsidized by the Government of India. The per-semester tuition fee is Rs. 62,500, with additional charges for computer, internet, examination, registration, and other facilities. The first semester fee is slightly higher at Rs. 76,950 due to one-time admission and campus development charges. Hostel accommodation is mandatory and costs Rs. 23,750 per semester.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount
Tuition Fee	Rs. 62,500 per semester
Computer Fee	Rs. 750 per semester
Internet Fee	Rs. 1,000 per semester
Examination Fee	Rs. 500 per semester
Registration and Enrollment Fee	Rs. 200 per semester
Association and Cultural Fee	Rs. 500 per semester
Sports Facilitation Fee	Rs. 200 per semester
Medical and Insurance Fee	Rs. 2,000 per semester
Total Semester Fee	Rs. 67,950 per semester
One-Time Fees (Admission + Campus Dev + Alumni + Convocation)	Rs. 4,000 (non-refundable)
Institute and Library Deposit (Refundable)	Rs. 5,000
Total Academic Fee (8 Semesters, excl. hostel)	Rs. 5,52,600
Hostel Establishment + Rent + Electricity + Mess (per semester)	Rs. 23,750 per semester
Total Hostel Fee (8 Semesters)	Rs. 1,90,000
Total Course Fee (Academic + Hostel, 4 Years)	Rs. 7,42,600

Institute and Library Deposit of Rs. 5,000 is refundable at the time of leaving the institute.
Alumni Fee (Rs. 500) and Convocation cum Degree Fee (Rs. 2,000) are collected with the final semester fee.
Tuition fee waivers are available based on parental annual income: NIL for income below Rs. 1 Lakh p.a.; Rs. 20,850 for income between Rs. 1-5 Lakhs p.a. (UR/EWS/OBC-NCL); NIL for SC/ST/PD candidates.
Hostel accommodation is mandatory for all students; vacation mess charges (Rs. 3,000/month) are optional.
Education loan facility is available; the institute cooperates fully with the loan process.

IIST B.Tech CSE (Data Science) Admission 2026

Admissions to B.Tech CSE (Data Science) at IIST are conducted through a separate IIST-specific process, independent of JoSAA. Candidates must qualify JEE Advanced and then separately register on the IIST Online Admission Portal. IIST prepares a category-wise Admission Rank List of eligible registered candidates, followed by multiple rounds of seat allocation with FREEZE and SLIDE options. The 2026 admission process is expected to follow the same timeline as 2025.

IIST Admission Dates

Event	Dates (Tentative)
IIST Online Registration for Admission	May 27, 2026 - June 9, 2026
IIST Rank List Publication	Mid-June 2026
Seat Acceptance Rounds (Multiple Rounds)	June 13, 2026 - July 3, 2026
Joining IIST (Reporting Date)	July 21, 2026

JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Dates

Event	Dates
JEE Advanced 2026 Registration	April 23, 2026 - May 2, 2026
Last Date for Fee Payment (Registered Candidates)	May 4, 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 Admit Card	May 11, 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 Exam	May 17, 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 Answer Key	May 25 - May 26, 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 Result	June 1, 2026

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must have passed 10+2 (or equivalent) with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics with a minimum of 75% aggregate marks (65% for SC/ST/PD candidates).
Must have a valid JEE Advanced 2026 score.
Candidates must be among the top 2,50,000 qualifiers in JEE Main 2026 to be eligible for JEE Advanced.
Age limit: Born on or after October 1, 2001 (general); October 1, 1996 (SC/ST/PD).

Admission Process

Qualify JEE Main 2026 (Session 1 or Session 2) to become eligible for JEE Advanced.
Register and appear for JEE Advanced 2026 (May 17, 2026).
After JEE Advanced result (June 1, 2026), separately register on the IIST Online Admission Portal (admission.iist.ac.in) - mandatory and independent of JoSAA.
Pay the IIST registration fee online to complete registration.
Fill in program preference (CSE Data Science, Aerospace Engineering, Avionics Engineering, or Dual Degree).
IIST publishes category-wise Rank List; participate in seat allocation rounds.
Accept the allotted seat by paying the first semester fee within the specified dates.
Report to IIST campus on the joining date with all original documents.
Certificate verification is done online; at least one parent must be present (online or in person) during joining.

IIST B.Tech CSE (Data Science) Scholarships 2026

IIST offers a comprehensive scholarship and fee waiver system, making the program accessible to students from all economic backgrounds. Income-based tuition fee waivers are the primary form of financial assistance, supplemented by merit-based scholarships for high-performing students. SC/ST/PD students pay no tuition fee regardless of income. Additionally, national scholarships from the government are available on top of institutional scholarships.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fee Waiver	Eligibility	Amount/Benefit
Income-Based Tuition Fee Waiver (UR/EWS/OBC-NCL, income below Rs. 1 Lakh p.a.)	Parental annual income below Rs. 1 Lakh	Full tuition fee waiver (NIL tuition)
Income-Based Tuition Fee Waiver (UR/EWS/OBC-NCL, income Rs. 1-5 Lakhs p.a.)	Parental annual income Rs. 1-5 Lakhs	Tuition fee reduced to Rs. 20,850 per semester
SC/ST/PD Tuition Fee Waiver	SC/ST/PD category students	Full tuition fee waiver (NIL tuition)
Merit-Based Scholarship (CGPA above 7.5)	Students maintaining CGPA above 7.5	50% waiver on tuition fee
National Scholarship Portal Scholarships	As per government eligibility criteria	As per respective scheme
Book Stipend	Students with high GPA	Rs. 3,000 per semester (as reported by students)

Income-based waivers are applied after verification of parental annual income documents.
Merit scholarships are awarded based on academic performance each semester.
Students can benefit from both income-based and merit-based scholarships simultaneously.
For the latest scholarship details, visit the official IIST website (iist.ac.in).

IIST B.Tech CSE (Data Science) Placement 2026

IIST CSE (Data Science) graduates are well-positioned for careers in ISRO's data science, AI, and satellite data processing divisions, as well as in the rapidly growing private sector tech industry. Students with a CGPA of 7.5 or above at the end of the 6th semester are eligible for ISRO recruitment interviews as Scientist/Engineer-SC. The program's focus on data science also opens doors to top tech companies, startups, and research organizations globally.

Placement Statistics

Placement Statistic	Data
Highest Package (overall IIST)	Rs. 15 LPA
Median Package (overall IIST)	Rs. 8 LPA
ISRO Absorption (approx.)	60-70 students per batch across all programs (subject to vacancies)
Top Recruiters	ISRO, TCS, Infosys, Space Tech Startups, Research Institutes
Sectors	Space/AI, Data Science, IT, Consulting, Research

IIST Trivandrum B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering - Data Science Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#60 out of 500 in India 2025

#3rd in Kerala

NIRF Ranking

#61 out of 300 in India 2025

#2nd in Kerala

IIRF Ranking

#14 out of 160 in Top Public Colleges in India 2025

#1st in Kerala

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IIST B.Tech CSE (Data Science) FAQs

Ques. Is B.Tech CSE (Data Science) at IIST a new program? When was it introduced?

Ans. Yes, the B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering with Specialization in Data Science is a relatively new program at IIST, introduced to address the growing demand for data scientists and AI engineers in the space sector. It is aligned with ISRO's increasing use of machine learning and big data for satellite data processing and earth observation analytics.

Ques. What is the difference between B.Tech CSE (Data Science) at IIST and similar programs at IITs?

Ans. While IIT CSE programs are broader in scope, IIST's CSE (Data Science) program has a unique focus on space applications of data science, including satellite data processing, remote sensing analytics, and space mission data management. The ISRO recruitment pathway is also a significant differentiator, giving IIST graduates a direct route to government science and engineering careers.

Ques. Is IIST admission through JoSAA? Can I register for IIST through JoSAA counselling?

Ans. No, IIST admission is NOT through JoSAA. You must separately register on the IIST Online Admission Portal (admission.iist.ac.in) after qualifying JEE Advanced. This is a common mistake students make - missing the IIST registration window while focusing only on JoSAA.

Ques. What are the career options after B.Tech CSE (Data Science) from IIST?

Ans. Graduates can work as data scientists, AI engineers, machine learning engineers, and software engineers at ISRO, tech companies, and research organizations. They can also pursue M.Tech or PhD programs at IITs, IISc, and international universities. The combination of a premier institute degree and space-focused data science skills makes IIST graduates highly competitive in both government and private sectors.

Ques. Is hostel compulsory at IIST? What are the facilities like?

Ans. Yes, hostel accommodation is mandatory for all students at IIST. The campus has separate hostels for boys and girls with shared accommodation. Facilities include a mess (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food), gymnasium, sports grounds, ATM, bank, health centre, and weekend bus service to Thiruvananthapuram city.

Ques. What is the JEE Advanced rank required for B.Tech CSE (Data Science) at IIST?

Ans. As a relatively new program with only 36 seats, the exact cutoff is still evolving. Given the high demand for CSE programs nationally, the rank requirement may be competitive. Candidates are advised to check the official IIST website for the latest rank-wise seat allotment data from previous years.