For 45-year-old Jigisha Tailor and her 21-year-old son Aditya Kapadia, the IIT Madras convocation was a moment they had never imagined. What began as Aditya’s pursuit of a future in data science eventually turned into a shared academic journey, with both mother and son receiving their degrees from the same institute on the same stage.
In an exclusive conversation with Times Now Digital, the duo spoke about their journey from restarting academics to completing IIT Madras’ BS in Data Science and Applications programme together.
Aditya’s journey began during the Covid-19 pandemic after he completed his Class 12 board exams in 2020. While he initially joined a regular college in Ahmedabad, he soon discovered that IIT Madras had launched its online undergraduate programme in data science.
“I found out about the course after my boards during Covid. I enrolled in the programme and cleared the entrance exam. After getting into IIT Madras, I decided to leave my regular college and focus on this course,” Aditya said.
The programme, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP), offered students flexibility in completing the degree. According to Aditya, the course could be completed in a minimum duration of two years, while students could take up to four to five years depending on their pace.
From Professor to Student: Jigisha’s Return to Learning
For Jigisha, joining the programme marked a return to academics after a career break. A former professor in the Electronics Engineering department in Gujarat, she had stepped away from teaching in 2019 due to family reasons.
“After my graduation, I was constantly doing something, either studies or jobs. After my career break, I started looking for opportunities again. I wanted to do something that could be done from home, but I also wanted to learn something new in depth,” she said.
With data science and machine learning emerging as growing fields, Jigisha decided to upgrade her skills. When IIT Madras introduced direct entry into the diploma level of the programme, she appeared for the entrance examination and secured admission.
“I wanted to learn again. If I had to start something new, I wanted to do it thoroughly. The IIT Madras programme gave me that opportunity,” she added.
Jigisha completed the programme in three years, balancing her studies with family responsibilities.
A Shared Course, Separate Journeys
While many would assume that the mother and son studied together throughout the course, the duo revealed that they followed separate academic paths.
Asked if they helped each other during exams and assignments, both laughed. “No, we did not really help each other. We pursued it differently,” Jigisha said.
However, Aditya often guided his mother about the course structure and preparation strategies since he had joined earlier.
“I used to guide mom on how and what to prepare. But her schedule was very disciplined. Looking at her dedication motivated me,” Aditya said.
The most memorable moment came during the convocation ceremony when the two unexpectedly received their degrees together. The arrangement was made on the spot after a faculty member from IIT Madras helped organise the special moment.
“It was very memorable. We never thought we would go together on stage. Bharathi ma’am from IIT Madras arranged it at the last moment,” Jigisha recalled.
Today, Aditya has moved ahead with a career in data science and is working full-time after completing an internship in the field. Jigisha, meanwhile, is exploring her next steps.
Their journey, however, stands as a reminder that education does not have an expiry date and that learning can become a shared family achievement across generations.