Jigisha Tailor, 45, and her son Aditya Kapadia, 21, recently graduated from IIT Madras together, receiving a diploma and a BS degree respectively. The pair walked the stage together after a batchmate arranged the moment during a pre-convocation dinner, according to reports from the Indianexpress.com.
IIT Madras Online BS in Data Science and Applications
Aditya Kapadia enrolled in the online BS in Data Science and Applications in 2021 at age 18. He noted that because the Covid pandemic had shut campuses nationwide, traditional courses at institutions like IIT, MIT, or Stanford would have been online regardless. Initially, he balanced the program with a diploma at a college in Ahmedabad to meet then-current rules requiring online students to be enrolled in a physical institution. He later dropped out of that college after the IIT Madras senate declared the online degree equivalent to a regular four-year course.
Jigisha Tailor’s Return to Education
Tailor previously spent 16 years teaching electronics at an engineering college in Bharuch, Gujarat, before leaving in 2019 due to family responsibilities. Encouraged by her son, she joined the IIT Madras program in late 2022. Tailor described the initial transition as difficult, stating, “Initially, it was like after a long period of time, I was learning once again the maths and stats.”
To manage the workload, Tailor adhered to a strict schedule, waking at 4:30 a.m. to study until 7 a.m., followed by housework and further coursework in the early afternoon. She utilized WhatsApp groups and live doubt-clearing sessions that sometimes ran past midnight. Unlike Kapadia, who took four subjects per semester, Tailor limited her load to one or two subjects to maintain a gradual pace.
Academic Competition and Support Systems
The mother and son transitioned from study partners to competitors, vying for ‘S’ grades—the highest distinction awarded to the top 5–10% of students—and ‘A’ grades. Kapadia used his earlier experience with diploma subjects to guide Tailor through viva panels and online proctored exams.
Tailor credited her success to her family’s support. Her husband, also a college professor, provided motivation during periods of pressure, while her father-in-law tracked her project deadlines. This support countered questioning from relatives who asked why she was studying or seeking a job.
Career Outcomes and Future Prospects
Kapadia completed his BS in 2024 and transitioned from a data science internship at Syngenta to a full-time role. Tailor finished her diploma around the same time but has paused her job search to support her younger son through Class 12.
Tailor may return to the classroom in the future. According to the source, her husband has suggested she take guest lectures at his college. Tailor stated, “I now have a different background with me. I think I can teach even better now.”
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