B.S (Data Science and Applications)
Back in 2018, in a modest town in Uttar Pradesh, Pratham Bhalla stumbled upon a PhysicsWallah video while scrolling through YouTube. This marked his first encounter with the word and world of IITs and the fabled JEE exam. The spark was instant – he wanted in.
However, not everybody around him could see the fire starting in his heart. “My school teacher, who had failed JEE four times, told me not to bother,” Pratham recalls. “He said, ‘With your background, it is better to try for a government job.'” His teacher emphasised their limited means – his mother being a school teacher, his father being an electronic mechanic, and the family living on rent had left little room for expensive coaching.
Still, Pratham gave JEE Mains in January 2020, scoring 78 percentile, without any coaching. But then the pandemic hit. Cramped living conditions, financial strain, and emotional stress made preparing for JEE Advanced a beyond Herculean task.
That August, a newspaper article caught his eye. It spoke about a new degree offered by IITM – BSc in Data Science and Programming. For Pratham, it was flexible, and most importantly, within reach. “I had ₹5,000 from freelance marketing work. I could either pay for JEE Advanced or apply for the BS Degree Qualifier,” he says. He chose the latter, a decision that transformed his academic life.
He began preparing for the qualifier in October 2020, submitting assignments while at Prayagraj Railway Station, where he had an SSB interview. “I cleared the qualifier and my journey with IIT, which everyone insisted was not achievable, finally began,” he recalls with a smile.
But the journey henceforth was no bed of roses. Poor internet issues forced him to convert a tiny landing near the terrace into his study zone. “Summers were scorching, winters were freezing, and the monsoons soaked everything,” he says. His laptop often failed him, and he had to borrow devices from friends to write exams. Along the way, managing everything together, including his offline degree, became a true test of his resilience and determination.
His journey is marked with many milestones. He in fact represented IITM at the Smart India Hackathon, 2023 – leading his team to the finals at Ahmedabad. “The problem statement was by ISRO, and what followed, as we solved the real-world problem, was an absolute masterclass in collaboration,” says Pratham. Apart from this, the BS Degree students recognise him for building the fabled IITM BS Community, a learning community with more than 10K members, and IITM BS Data Science and Application Notes, a blog organising course notes and previous year questions. “It is my way of giving back,” he adds.
Navigating every success, hurdle, and setback, by December 2024, Pratham had completed his BS in Data Science and Applications. A major decisive point knocked on his door when IIT Ropar offered him admission to their MS in Data Science program. “It was a prestigious opportunity, but my heart remained with IIT Madras,” says Pratham, glad and grateful, “This institution gave me a second chance. I declined the MS offer and instead joined the IITM BS Degree Office as a Software Developer.”
Today, Pratham works as a SDE at the very place where his journey began. He designs and builds systems to support students and enhance their journey through the BS Degree. From building a ragtag study-zone near a staircase to building digital tools for future learners – his journey has come full circle.
He emphasises how this degree didn’t just teach him programming and data science, but also gave him major lessons in discipline, resilience, and empathy. He learned to thrive in less-than-perfect conditions.
“To anyone out there, having second thoughts,” he says, “you don’t need the best laptop or the quietest room. What you need is belief, consistency, and the courage to keep moving.”
– Contributed by Pratham Bhalla & Satyaki Goswami
