BS (Data Science)
Vighnesh Mishra grew up in Bhagalpur, Bihar and has a humanities background. Post high-school, he enrolled in a local college, only to drop out within a year, citing dissatisfaction with the teaching quality. Eventually, he shifted to IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) to pursue a BA in Public Administration. Still, something felt missing. While exploring what could come next, he came across the IIT Madras BS Degree in Data Science and Applications, and it caught his attention in a way nothing else had.
Although he didn’t have any experience in the field of coding, the program’s flexibility and structure caught his attention. He took the chance, hoping it would open new doors he hadn’t imagined before.
When Vighnesh joined the BS program, he never saw himself as a Maths person. He would openly admit that he struggled with numbers. That is why scoring his best marks in the Qualifier Exam in Maths was a big surprise and confidence boost. That moment changed everything, and it was not just limited to Math! Step by step, he started learning programming from scratch. The Programming in Python course taught by Professor Sudarshan Iyengar – whose lectures he still calls awesome – gave him his first real experience of writing code.
Then came MLF, MLT, and MLP – courses that made machine learning feel genuinely cool and exciting. They changed how he thinks – helping him spot patterns in data and see algorithms as tools to understand everyday problems around him.
With a long‑standing interest in Sanskrit, Vighnesh helped form and lead Deva-Bhasha: The Sanskrit society of IITM BS Degree. Around the same time, he was also elected secretary of Gir House. What followed was a phase of constant coordination, keeping activities running, engaging students online, and ensuring the house stayed active. By the end of his tenure, Gir House consistently featured at the top of the leaderboards. More than the results, these experiences quietly shaped him – teaching him how to manage people, organise time, and work smoothly across online platforms like G-Space and student communities.
Even though he could not attend Paradox on campus, Vighnesh stayed closely connected to the cultural life of the program through its online editions, Savaan and Margazhi. He didn’t just participate, he made his mark. From winning events like Anubhuti 3.0, a poetry competition, to serving as the event head for the very first edition of Escape Room, he found ways to contribute creatively. The Escape Room soon became one of the most popular events across multiple editions of Paradox, something he still looks back on with pride.
This degree stands out because it gives freedom with responsibility. With no compulsory in-person attendance, he could handle household responsibilities and personal commitments while studying at his own pace – rewatching difficult topics or checking other resources when needed. “But that freedom demands self-discipline”, he says.
Today, Vighnesh has completed his BSc in Data Science from IIT Madras and is now in the second year of his MA in Political Science. His long‑term goal is to clear the NET‑JRF examination and build a career in academia as a professor. He wants to combine his grounding in the social sciences with his training in data science – using both perspectives in his future teaching and research.
To students who are considering this degree or currently pursuing this degree, Vighnesh’s message is clear and direct – lock in from day one. He believes that if you show up regularly, stay engaged with the community, and maintain a healthy CGPA, many opportunities naturally open up. Use the flexibility, and treat networking like it’s as important as exams. That’s how you turn this degree into real success.
– written by Pushpanjali
