Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The M.Tech in Computational and Data Science (CDS) at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal is a 2-year full-time postgraduate programme offered by the Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences (MACS). Launched in 2019, the programme is one of the few interdisciplinary M.Tech offerings at a top NIT that bridges advanced mathematics, statistical modelling, machine learning, high-performance computing, and data engineering. The total fees for GATE-scholarship students (day scholar) amount to approximately Rs. 2,30,200 for the entire programme, while self-financed students pay approximately Rs. 8,90,200. The seat intake is 33 seats (CCMT/GATE category) plus 5 self-financed seats and 1 sponsored seat. Admission is primarily through GATE score via CCMT counselling, and the programme is offered in full-time on-campus mode at the NITK Surathkal campus.

Admissions for the 2026-27 academic year are expected to open via CCMT 2026 in May 2026, following GATE 2026 results declared on March 19, 2026. CCMT 2026 registration is tentatively expected to begin in May 2026 based on the previous year's schedule. For sponsored and self-financed seats, NITK typically opens its own application portal in March-April 2026. The current admission season (2025-26) has concluded; the next cycle is for 2026-27.

Key Points

The CDS programme is one of the few M.Tech programmes in India that accepts candidates from all engineering branches as well as M.Sc. graduates in Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, CS, IT, and MCA holders.
The MACS department is one of the few departments at NITK that allows 6-month and 1-year internships, giving students a significant edge in placements.
The curriculum strongly emphasises mathematical thinking alongside practical data science and ML skills, covering probability, statistics, stochastic processes, numerical methods, machine learning, deep learning, and computational methods.
GATE-qualified students receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 12,400 for up to 24 months, subject to maintaining a CGPA of 6.0 and fulfilling 8-10 hours/week of teaching/research assistance.
SC/ST/PwD students are exempt from tuition fee payment under the regular (GATE scholarship) track.
Students from non-CS backgrounds who join CDS need to invest additional effort in core CS subjects (data structures, algorithms, programming) to be competitive in tech placements.

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NIT Surathkal Latest Updates and News

15 Apr, 2026 CCMT 2026 Counselling is expected to begin in May 2026 for admission to MTech/ MArch/ MPlan courses at NITs and CFTIs. Read News.

13 Mar, 2026 NIT Surathkal Admission 2026-27 is ongoing for M.Tech Master Data and Computational Sciences programs till Apr 20, 2026 (online) & Apr 24, 2026 (hard copy). Check details.

11 Mar, 2026 NIT Surathkal M.Tech Master Data and Computational Sciences Fee Structure 2026-27 has been released. The total academic fee is ₹ 1.99 Lakhs.

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NITK M.Tech CDS Fees

The M.Tech CDS programme at NITK Surathkal follows the same fee structure as all other M.Tech programmes at the institute. There are two fee tracks: the GATE scholarship track (regular admission via CCMT) with a tuition fee of Rs. 35,000 per semester, and the self-financed track with a tuition fee of Rs. 2,00,000 per semester. The most significant one-time charges are paid in Semester 1. Hostel accommodation is optional and costs Rs. 8,820 per semester (shared), with an additional mess fee of approximately Rs. 35,310 per semester.

Fee Table - GATE Scholarship (Regular) M.Tech Programme 2026-27 (Day Scholar)

Fee Component	Sem 1 (Rs.)	Sem 2 (Rs.)	Sem 3 (Rs.)	Sem 4 (Rs.)	Total (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	35,000	35,000	35,000	35,000	1,40,000
Institute Admission Fee (one-time)	1,340	-	-	-	1,340
Development Fee	2,690	2,690	2,690	2,690	10,760
Security Deposit (refundable)	6,700	-	-	-	6,700
NITK Alma Mater Endowment Contribution (one-time)	2,690	-	-	-	2,690
Convocation Fee (one-time)	3,310	-	-	-	3,310
Library Resource Fee	4,030	4,030	4,030	4,030	16,120
Career Development Fee (one-time)	2,760	-	-	-	2,760
Health Care Facility (one-time)	1,660	-	-	-	1,660
Student Activities Fee (one-time)	6,620	-	-	-	6,620
Campus Amenities (one-time)	1,660	-	-	-	1,660
Group Insurance Coverage	510	-	-	-	510
Computing Resource Fee (one-time)	4,410	-	-	-	4,410
Total Fees (Day Scholar)	73,380	41,720	41,720	73,380	2,30,200
Hostel Rent (optional, shared)	8,820	8,820	8,820	8,820	35,280
Total Fees (Hosteller, optional)	82,200	50,540	50,540	82,200	2,65,480

Fee Table - Self-Financed M.Tech Programme 2026-27 (Day Scholar)

Fee Component	Sem 1 (Rs.)	Sem 2 (Rs.)	Sem 3 (Rs.)	Sem 4 (Rs.)	Total (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	2,00,000	2,00,000	2,00,000	2,00,000	8,00,000
Institute Admission Fee (one-time)	1,340	-	-	-	1,340
Development Fee	2,690	2,690	2,690	2,690	10,760
Security Deposit (refundable)	6,700	-	-	-	6,700
NITK Alma Mater Endowment Contribution (one-time)	2,690	-	-	-	2,690
Convocation Fee (one-time)	3,310	-	-	-	3,310
Library Resource Fee	4,030	4,030	4,030	4,030	16,120
Career Development Fee (one-time)	2,760	-	-	-	2,760
Health Care Facility (one-time)	1,660	-	-	-	1,660
Student Activities Fee (one-time)	6,620	-	-	-	6,620
Campus Amenities (one-time)	1,660	-	-	-	1,660
Group Insurance Coverage	510	-	-	-	510
Computing Resource Fee (one-time)	4,410	-	-	-	4,410
Total Fees (Day Scholar)	2,38,380	2,06,720	2,06,720	2,38,380	8,90,200
Hostel Rent (optional, shared)	8,820	8,820	8,820	8,820	35,280
Total Fees (Hosteller, optional)	2,47,200	2,15,540	2,15,540	2,47,200	9,25,480

Security Deposit of Rs. 6,700 is refundable at the time of leaving the institute.
Part A fees (one-time charges) increase at 5% per year for each new batch.
Part B fees (Library, Computing, etc.) increase at 5% per year applicable to all students from 2024-25 batch onwards.
Group Insurance amount of Rs. 510 is provisional and subject to revision.
Mess fees are approximately Rs. 35,310 per semester (first semester; subject to revision) and are paid separately at the Hostel Office.
SC/ST/PwD students are exempt from tuition fee under the regular (GATE scholarship) track.
This exemption does not apply to QIP, DASA, ICCR, MEA, external registrants, or internal registrants.
GATE-qualified students receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 12,400 (up to 24 months), which significantly offsets the total programme cost.
No EMI options are officially offered; fees are paid semester-wise.

NITK M.Tech CDS Admission 2026

Admissions to M.Tech Computational and Data Science at NITK Surathkal are primarily conducted through CCMT (Centralized Counselling for M.Tech/M.Arch/M.Plan) for GATE-qualified scholarship seats. For the 2026-27 session, GATE 2026 results were declared on March 19, 2026, and CCMT 2026 registration is expected to open in May 2026. NITK also conducts its own admission process for sponsored and self-financed seats, typically opening applications in March-April each year. The GATE 2024 closing score for CDS at NITK was 617 (General), 570 (OBC-NCL), 549 (EWS), 423 (SC), and 313 (ST), making it one of the more competitive M.Tech specialisations at NITK.

NITK Surathkal M.Tech CDS Admission Dates

Event	Tentative Date (2026)
GATE 2026 Result Declaration	March 19, 2026
CCMT 2026 Registration Opens (expected)	May 2026
CCMT 2026 Last Date for Registration (expected)	June 2026
CCMT 2026 Round 1 Seat Allotment (expected)	June 2026
NITK Application Portal Opens - Sponsored/Self-financed (expected)	March-April 2026
Last Date for Online Application - Sponsored/Self-financed (expected)	April 2026
Selection Test and/or Interview at NITK (Offline) (expected)	May 2026
Publication of Provisional Merit List (expected)	May-June 2026
Online Fee Payment for Selected Candidates (expected)	June 2026
Classes Begin (expected)	July 2026

GATE 2026 Exam Dates

Event	Date
GATE 2026 Registration Start	August 28, 2025
GATE 2026 Registration End	October 13, 2025
GATE 2026 Admit Card Release	January 13, 2026
GATE 2026 Exam Dates	February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026
GATE 2026 Answer Key Release	February 19, 2026
GATE 2026 Result Declaration	March 19, 2026

Note: The qualifying GATE papers for M.Tech CDS at NITK are CS (Computer Science and Information Technology) or DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence). Candidates from all engineering branches with Mathematics as a subject, M.Sc. in Mathematics/Statistics/Physics/CS/IT/Electronics, and MCA holders are also eligible.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold a B.E./B.Tech in any branch, or a 4-year B.S./B.Sc. (Engineering/Research) with Mathematics as one of the subjects, or M.Sc. in Mathematics/Statistics/Physics/CS/IT/Information Science/Electronics, or MCA from a recognised university.
Minimum CGPA of 6.5 on a 10-point scale (or 60% aggregate marks) in the qualifying degree. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the minimum is CGPA 6.0 or 55% marks.
A valid GATE score in CS or DA paper is mandatory for scholarship seats (CCMT route). Self-financed and sponsored candidates must qualify a written test and technical interview conducted at NITK.

Admission Process

Step 1: Appear in GATE 2026 (CS or DA paper) and obtain a valid score.
Step 2: Register on the CCMT 2026 portal (ccmt.admissions.nic.in) for scholarship seats; seat allotment is based on GATE score.
Step 3: For sponsored/self-financed seats, apply separately through NITK's IRIS portal (iris.nitk.ac.in) with the prescribed application fee (Rs. 500 for General/OBC/EWS; Rs. 150 for SC/ST/PwD).
Step 4: Shortlisted candidates for sponsored/self-financed seats appear for a written test and technical interview at NITK campus (offline mode).
Step 5: Accept the seat offer and complete online fee payment within the stipulated dates.
Step 6: Report physically to NITK with original documents for verification and admission.

NITK M.Tech CDS Scholarships 2026

Students admitted to M.Tech CDS at NITK Surathkal can avail multiple scholarships, with the GATE stipend being the most impactful for GATE-qualified students. The MACS department's allowance for 1-year internships also means students can earn industry stipends during their programme. SC/ST students benefit from the NSP scholarship and NITK's financial assistance schemes. Several national and corporate scholarships are also available through NITK's scholarship portal.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship	Eligibility	Amount	Application Deadline
GATE Stipend (MoE)	GATE-qualified M.Tech students with CGPA >= 6.0	Rs. 12,400 per month (up to 24 months)	At time of admission
NSP Scholarship (SC/ST)	SC students (family income up to Rs. 8 lakh); ST students (family income up to Rs. 6 lakh)	Tuition fee + maintenance allowance as per NSP norms	October 31 (annually)
Financial Assistance (SC/ST)	SC/ST students at NITK	As per institute norms	Announced annually
Reliance Foundation PG Scholarship	PG students with strong academic record	Up to Rs. 6 lakh	August-September (annually)
PM YASASVI Scholarship	OBC/EBC/DNT students	As per scheme norms	Announced by NTA
IndiaAI Fellowship	UG/PG/PhD students in AI/tech fields	As per scheme	Announced by IndiaAI
Boeing CSR Grant Scholarship	NITK students (merit-based)	As per scheme	Announced annually
Institute Merit/Merit-cum-Means Scholarship	Students with high academic performance and financial need	As per institute norms	Announced annually
TCS Research Scholar Programme	PhD/PG students in tech fields	Rs. 91,000 per month (PhD)	March annually

The GATE stipend is the primary financial support; it requires maintaining CGPA of 6.0 and 8-10 hours/week of teaching/research assistance.
GATE stipend is not available for self-financed, QIP, DASA, ICCR, or MEA category students.
Industry internship stipends (for 6-month or 1-year internships) can significantly supplement income during the programme.
Students must apply separately for external scholarships through respective portals.

NITK M.Tech CDS Placement 2026

The M.Tech CDS programme at NITK Surathkal has demonstrated strong placement outcomes since its first batch graduated in 2021. The programme benefits from being under the MACS department, which allows 6-month and 1-year internships, giving students a significant advantage in securing pre-placement offers. Most CS and IT companies that visit NITK for placements also allow CDS students to participate. The 2023 placement data shows 31 out of 36 participating students placed, a placement rate of 86.11%. The 2020-22 batch reported a maximum CTC of Rs. 32 LPA, average CTC of Rs. 14 LPA, and minimum CTC of Rs. 9 LPA. Top recruiters include Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, DELL, Oracle, Uber, Qualcomm, Goldman Sachs, and DE Shaw.

Placement Statistics

Placement Metric	M.Tech CDS - NITK Surathkal
Placement Rate (2023 batch)	86.11% (31 out of 36 participated)
Maximum CTC (2020-22 batch)	Rs. 32 LPA
Average CTC (2020-22 batch)	Rs. 14 LPA
Minimum CTC (2020-22 batch)	Rs. 9 LPA
Typical Roles	ML Engineer, Data Scientist, AI Research Engineer, Software Engineer (Data), Quantitative Analyst
Top Recruiters	Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, DELL, Oracle, Uber, Qualcomm, Goldman Sachs, DE Shaw, Arcesium

Note: Students from non-CS backgrounds who join CDS need to invest additional effort in core CS subjects (data structures, algorithms, programming) to be competitive in tech company placements. Proactive students who build strong project portfolios and secure internships in the first year consistently achieve better placement outcomes.

NIT Surathkal M.Tech Master Data and Computational Sciences Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#12 out of 500 in India 2025

#1st in Karnataka

NIRF Ranking

#17 out of 300 in India 2025

#1st in Karnataka

Outlook Ranking

#8 out of 25 in Top Public Colleges in India 2025

IIRF Ranking

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

#1st in Karnataka

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NITK M.Tech CDS FAQs

Ques. What GATE paper should I appear in for M.Tech CDS at NITK Surathkal?

Ans. The qualifying GATE papers for M.Tech Computational and Data Science at NITK are CS (Computer Science and Information Technology) and DA (Data Science and Artificial Intelligence). Candidates from all engineering branches with Mathematics as a subject, M.Sc. graduates in Mathematics/Statistics/Physics/CS/IT/Electronics, and MCA holders are also eligible. The GATE 2024 closing score for the General category was 617, making it one of the more competitive M.Tech specialisations at NITK.

Ques. Is M.Tech CDS at NITK only for CS/IT students, or can students from other branches apply?

Ans. One of the unique features of M.Tech CDS at NITK is that it accepts candidates from all engineering branches, provided they have Mathematics as a subject in their qualifying degree. M.Sc. graduates in Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, CS, IT, and MCA holders are also eligible. However, students from non-CS backgrounds should be prepared to put in extra effort on core CS subjects like data structures, algorithms, and programming to be competitive during placements.

Ques. How are placements for M.Tech CDS at NITK compared to M.Tech CSE?

Ans. M.Tech CDS has a placement rate of 86.11% (2023 data), which is slightly lower than M.Tech CSE (94.59%) but still strong. Most companies that recruit from M.Tech CSE also allow CDS students to participate. The average CTC for the 2020-22 batch was Rs. 14 LPA with a maximum of Rs. 32 LPA. The key differentiator is that CDS students need to demonstrate strong programming and ML skills alongside their mathematical background to compete effectively with CSE students.

Ques. Does the MACS department really allow 1-year internships? How does that work?

Ans. Yes, the MACS department at NITK is one of the few departments that allows both 6-month and 1-year internships for M.Tech students. This is a significant advantage as it allows students to gain substantial industry experience and often leads to pre-placement offers. Students typically pursue internships after their first year of coursework. Companies like IBM and DELL have previously offered internships to CDS students. This internship flexibility is a major reason why CDS students often achieve competitive placement outcomes despite the programme's mathematical orientation.

Ques. What is the curriculum focus of M.Tech CDS at NITK - is it more mathematics or data science?

Ans. The M.Tech CDS curriculum at NITK strongly emphasises mathematical thinking as its foundation. Core subjects include Probability and Statistics, Stochastic Processes, Numerical Methods, Optimisation, and Computational Methods, alongside applied subjects like Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Data Engineering, and High-Performance Computing. Students from a pure mathematics background find the theoretical aspects comfortable but need to build practical programming skills. Students from engineering backgrounds find the mathematical rigour challenging initially but benefit from the strong theoretical foundation in the long run.

Ques. What are the career options after M.Tech CDS from NITK beyond software companies?

Ans. Beyond software product companies, M.Tech CDS graduates pursue careers in: (1) Quantitative/algorithmic roles at finance firms like Goldman Sachs, DE Shaw, and Arcesium; (2) Research and development roles at organisations like ISRO, DRDO, and national labs; (3) Academia and PhD programmes at IITs, IISc, and international universities; (4) Data science and analytics roles at consulting firms; (5) Government sector roles in data-driven policy and planning. The strong mathematical foundation from CDS also makes graduates well-suited for quant finance roles, which typically offer higher compensation than standard software engineering positions.