Birla Institute of Technology and Science B.Tech Review By Riya Mittal

BITS is the only private institute in India that accepts admission only based on talent and skills of a student. There are no donation seats and no reservations. It has a high reputation in the corporate world and a great widespread alumni network. It has completed 60+ years as a premium institute famous for being on the MIT Model. It has a great startup culture with multiple funding opportunities offered by the institute itself both for startups and projects. To help with its high fee structure, they offer Merit cum Need scholarships (25%, 40%, 60%, and 80% according to the student’s CGPAs) for those students whose annual family income is less than 13-15 LPA. All these reasons prompted me to choose BITS over all other options.

Admission to BITS is given through the BITSAT exam. 75% marks with PCM are mandatory in 12th. BITSAT is conducted at a National Level and follows fair selection criteria. Students can fill in their preferences for the branch during the time of admission and branches are allotted based on cutoff scores. The board toppers of respective 12th boards e.g. CBSE, ICSE, RBSE, Gujarat Board, etc. are given direct admission into BITS in any branch of their choice. There is a specific program for DASA students eligible for NRIs, who can be admitted into BITS through SAT scores. The fee for this program is quite higher than the usual fee. PCB students can also get admission to a B.Pharm program offered by BITS.

All the faculties in BITS have a Ph.D degree from BITS itself or from IIT, IISc, or any good foreign university. The knowledge base of professors is solid and wide. They are highly skilled at using technical software and tools and regularly update themselves with upcoming technologies. The exam questions are conceptual, and they also take surprise tests! Marking during the exams is very strict and is done according to the answer key. Professors make us do Project type courses under them and it's a great way to explore research area.

The placements are good in BITS Pilani. The current recession has affected the cycle, but we hope it will get fine soon. They provide internship opportunities in companies like Amazon, Flipkart, JP Morgan, etc. on the basis of CGPA that helps a lot of students to get PPOs through those internships.
Students are allowed to choose in which semester they want to participate in placement rounds. In the 1st semester, usually more IT companies visit the campus and in the 2nd semester, they focus on non-core companies. Non-core companies are usually open for all branches, but many IT Companies restrict entry only for students from the CS, EEE, ENI, and ECE branches.

The hostels are separate for boys and girls. There are multiple hostels for boys and a single hostel for girls called Meera Bhavan. Meera has multiple blocks, which are allotted according to the year of study. You are given double sharing rooms in the first two years and a single room from 3rd year onwards. Mess is located nearby every hostel where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. Mess food is average. The hostels are cleaned every day, and the washrooms are equipped with Geysers. All rooms are provided with a white board, almirah, fan, bed, study table, and chair.

The main areas of campus where classes are held are NAB (New Academic Building), including FD1, FD2, FD3, and LTC. BITS Library and IPC are popular areas for self-study. All the classrooms are equipped with a Projector, LCD and mic. The tables and chairs are renovated regularly, and all classrooms are air-conditioned. The NAB is the most beautiful part of the campus where Snake Path is located with lots of greenery and different types of trees. Rotunda is the heart of campus; that has a mesmerizing architecture and that's where every BITSian loves spending time at. The infrastructure of BITS is really great.

Campus life at BITS is the best part it has to offer. Everything right from hostels, mess, fests, and the official website is handled by the students only. There are multiple clubs which conduct the recruitment drive in the 1st and 2nd year. The clubs organise all types of activities in the field of music, dance, debates, communication, finance, sports, press, social work, technical skills, etc. Some departments take up all the responsibilities of the annual fests called Apogee, Oasis, BOSM, Interbits. Students are faculties are friendly and helpful. There are multiple eateries like Looters, ANC, TOTT, CNOT, DCC, etc. where students spend time together. The best part is that there is no in-time and out-time for hostels so you can spend as much time as you want outside your hostel with your friends. The campus life is overall really good.