Jigisha Tailor with her son at a recent convocation at IIT Madras Aditya Kapadia We walked on stage together to receive our degrees. Jigisha is 45 years old and Aditya is 21 years old. Neither planned to finish at the same time, nor did they expect to be drafted together. Jigisha taught electronics for 16 years at an engineering college in Bharuch, Gujarat, when family responsibilities took her away from the classroom in 2019. Three years later, she returned to the classroom as a student, taking a course her son introduced her to.
How an Online Bachelor’s Degree Program Became a Family Decision
Aditya signs up for personal income tax Madras earned an online Bachelor of Science (BS) in Data Science and Applications in 2021, when he was just 18 years old. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the closure of campuses across the country, so an online degree from IIT Madras is as practical as any other option available at the time. He is interested in data science and artificial intelligence (AI) for their own merits, independent of the pandemic situation. At that time, online students also had to register at brick-and-mortar institutions, so Aditya started a course at IIT Madras and received a diploma from a university in Ahmedabad. This changed once the IIT Madras Senate announced that online bachelor’s degrees were equivalent to regular four-year courses. Aditya gave up his diploma and continued studying only in the IIT Madras program. Gigisha initially watched from the sidelines. The coursework involved statistics and systems that were close enough to her electronics background that it felt familiar, but different enough that it felt fresh. According to Aditya, who encouraged her to sign up, by the end of 2022, she signed up Indian Express.
Balancing studies, housework and a decade-long gap
Restarting academic life after years away from formal study is not something that can be done immediately. Gigisha needed time to relearn math and statistics before she could master the material again. She relied on the institute’s live Q&A sessions, some of which lasted until after midnight, as well as a WhatsApp group made up of her classmates. She had a light course load, taking one or two subjects each semester, while Aditya often took four subjects at once. The program’s flexible pace makes this achievable for both working professionals and returning students. Her daily routine starts around 4:30 am, with study done by seven, followed by housework and further coursework in the early afternoon. Not everyone around her understood the decision. Extended family members questioned why she was studying again at this stage of her life. At home, however, the reception was different. Her husband, also a university professor, supported her through difficult phases, including when she doubted whether it was worth the pressure to continue her studies. Her father-in-law keeps track of her project deadlines, and her mother-in-law, who uses a wheelchair, remains involved in her progress.
From study partners to academic competitors
Over time, Jigisha and Aditya’s relationship evolved from a mutually supportive parent and child to closer peers. Both pursue the same academic goals and build a sense of competition around earning an “S” grade, the program’s highest honor, awarded to the top 5% to 10% of students, above the high honors of an “A” grade. Aditya had a head start as he had completed his diploma course earlier and guided his mother through the later stages of the course, including viva exams and online proctored exams.
life after graduation
Aditya completed his bachelor’s degree in 2024. He worked as a data science intern at Syngenta before being offered a full-time position with the company. Jigisha completed her program around the same time but chose to pause before looking for a job. Her younger son is currently in Class 12 and she hopes to get through this period. She did not rule out a return to teaching, and given her expanding academic background, her husband suggested that she give guest lectures at his university.
A rally that none of them planned.
The two did not sit together during the ceremony as bachelor’s and diploma students sat in separate areas. Their shared stage came about after a classmate mentioned their story at a pre-graduation dinner, a moment neither of them had anticipated. For Aditya, watching his mother study over the years has given him a different perspective on her, one shaped by the same discipline and effort he associates with his own daily life. The shared academic journey brought mother and son closer together, adding a new dimension to their relationship that transcended the degree itself.
