BITS Pilani's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

Did you know that Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) has been able to give 6000 CEOs to the market and 7000 of its alumni are running their startups? This is the maximum number after IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay. Furthermore, engineering aspirants leave their seats at IITs and NITs for BITS Pilani. The premier institute has its campuses at Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Dubai. There are many good things about BITS Pilani including its state-of-the-art campus, spread out in 328 acres.  

BITS Pilani was recently in the news when it signed an agreement with the Indian Council of World Affairs. Under the terms of the agreement, five students from BITS Pilani will have the chance to undertake internships at the Rajya Sabha, while the institute will also be able to arrange regular visits for additional students as guests to the Rajya Sabha.

Myriad students dream of getting into BITS Pilani to make it big in life. However, not everybody knows everything about it. Thus, for the benefit of such students, we bring an unbiased college verdict with its pros and cons and every minute detail that will help you make an informed decision. 
BITS Pilani, a NAAC A-grade institution, is a prominent deemed university under Section 3 of the UGC Act. It offers a wide range of degree programs encompassing Engineering, Sciences, Technology, Pharmacy, Management, and Humanities. BITS Pilani is highly regarded for its rigorous academic programs and is often ranked among the top engineering and technical institutions in India.

The academic institution has a strong emphasis on innovation, research, and entrepreneurship, which makes it a popular choice for students. With an alumni network of 1,72,498 across the globe, BITS Pilani has produced the highest number of CEOs after IIT Bombay and Delhi. The campus is located in the Vidya Vihar, adjacent to the Pilani in Rajasthan state. 

BITS Pilani NIRF Ranking: From Good to Better 

Looking at its NIRF Ranking, BITS Pilani has fared better in Pharmacy, Engineering and Overall category in 2023 over 2022. Furthermore, it has also ranked 20th in the University category in 2023. In addition to this, the institute has been ranked as the top (Rank 1) Technical Institute in a non-government category by India Today in 2023. 

Our Take
The rankings of BITS Pilani in different categories by NIRF is proof of its credibility and academic standards. Thus, the rankings validate its genuineness towards offering quality education. One can, without any doubt, think of BITS Pilani if ranking is a parameter for admissions. 

BITS Pilani Academia & Batch Size

BITS Pilani works on the concept of Zero attendance like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. Students are not required to take the classes they can prepare at home and pass. Along with this students can choose their subjects and teachers with whom they want to study as per their wish. The BITS Pilani campus has 13 departments at present for Science, Management and Humanities.  

Admission to BITS Pilani coursesis highly competitive. It is considered to be one of the toughest engineering entrance examinations after JEE Main and JEE Advanced. It’s a computer-based entrance examination - BITSAT (BITS Admission Test) for undergraduate programs. Admissions to postgraduate and doctoral programs are based on different criteria. It is to be noted that the BITSAT exam is based on the NCERT syllabus from the 11th and 12th classes. 

For admission to all the Integrated First Degree programmes, candidates should have passed the 12th-grade examination of the 10+2 system from a recognized board or its equivalent. Barring the B.Pharma programmes, candidates should have Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects in 10+2 grade.   

Note: If any candidate is a board topper, then he/she need not appear in any examination and is eligible for direct admission.

The institute has a three-tier academic structure

1. Integrated First Degree (UG)
2. Higher Degree (PG)
3. Doctoral Programmes

The batch size of various programmes depicts the demand for the course offered by a particular educational institution. BITS Pilani has maintained a decent batch size for its undergraduate as well as postgraduate courses. As per the NIRF data submitted by BITS Pilani for the year 2023, the batch size of the 4 years UG programmes for the year 2022 was 12,297 which was quite higher than the approved intake of 2791. The approved intake for the PG course was 801, while the final enrolled number is 1633. This shows that BITS Pilani has been one of the top choices for students, especially in the BTech discipline. 

BITS Pilani Courses Annual Fees

Our Take
The BITSAT exam plays a crucial role in obtaining admission to BITS Pilani since it is one of the most popular and sought-after exams across the country. Hence the number of test takers is high. For around 2000 seats, a total of 3 lakh candidates appear in the exam every year. Furthermore, the test is highly competitive. However, once the institute offers you a seat, you will be able to secure a handsome package during the placements, as the placement records are quite good. The batch size VS approved intake clearly reflects the popularity of the BITS Pilani courses as the gap between the two is quite high. The academic pedagogy is exceptional which makes it a top choice among career-oriented students. The fee charged for the BTech course is also reasonable compared with premium engineering institutes such as MNIT Jaipur.  

BITS Pilani Infrastructure 

BITS Pilani Research Centre

Research plays an important role in higher education. BITS Pilani actively promotes research among its students and staff. There are various laboratories and equipment available for the students to harness their research skills under the ambit of the BITS Pilani campus. The statistics of the research work mentioned below are the epitome of this. 

BITS Pilani Research Details

Library

The BITS Pilani campus has fully stocked libraries with an abundance of books for a book lover. Around 2,30,000 books and manuscripts are placed here.  All the libraries are fully AC and during exam time they are open the whole night. The floor area of the library is 65,000 sq. ft.  The library has a provision wherein students can issue books on their own. It saves a lot of time for students.  

BITS Pilani Hostel

One common saying is popular in BITS Pilani which is “BITSIANS for each other”. 

The first-year hostel of the campus is in good condition while for the senior students, the hostel space is not good. Those hostels need overhauling. There are 11 hostels for boys and one big complex for girls. First and second-year students will be accommodated in two or three beds in a single room while third and final-year students will get a single room. There are no restrictions for midnight roaming on the campus.   

BITS Pilani Hostel Fees

Our Take

BITS Pilani has a good infrastructure but there is room for improvement in the hostel facilities. The majority of the students look forward to the hostel renovation while expecting new additions to the dearth of amenities. Therefore, the hostel committee must look into this and ensure a safe and secure stay for the students residing within the campus. The library at BITS Pilani is considered a state-of-the-art facility with a large collection of books and a seating capacity of 8000. 

BITS Pilani Student Life: BITS Pilani offers a vibrant campus life with various student clubs, cultural events, and extracurricular activities. It promotes a well-rounded education and personality development.

BITS Pilani: Convocation 2023

BITS Pilani Sports

The BITS Open Sports Meet, commonly referred to as BOSM, is considered as of the country's most extensive student-managed sports tournaments. In these four days, this festival immerses participants in the world of sports. Its primary objective is to offer a stage for colleges across India to display their talents, fostering a spirit of wholesome competition. 

Our Take

BITS Pilani is a pro when it comes to sports and cultural activities. The regular visits of eminent personalities like prominent political figures, singers, scientists and business tycoons attract students in huge numbers to interact.  

BITS Pilani Internships and Placements

Internship

There are two types of internships offered by BITS Pilani named PS1 and PS2. Most of the BITS Pilani students get a summer internship after 2nd year, which is called Practice School 1 (PS 1) as a part of their curriculum. 

The other one is a six-month internship which students get in the final year of their campus and is known as PS2. Under this, one can get internships in top product-based companies like Apple, Amazon CISCO, Paypal, Vmware etc. based on their CGPA. Everyone can get a 6 months internship based on their CGPA alone. The average stipend offered to the students is INR 1,00,000.

Placements

BITS Pilani's 2023 placement season witnessed a total of 109 recruiters offering jobs to students in various domains. The average placement package stood at INR 30.37 LPA whereas the highest placement package was INR 60.75 LPA. Upon analyzing the average package trends for the year 2023, 2022 and 2021 has been INR 30.37 LPA, INR 28.99 LPA and INR 26.29 LPA, respectively. Some of the top recruiters were Accenture, E & Y, KPMG, Google, and IBM. The Career Development Centre (CDC) of BITS collaborates closely with both students and companies to facilitate internship and job prospects. The institute invites multiple companies from sectors like IT, Finance, Banking, Manufacturing etc. The only concern about placement is that students pursuing degrees other than MBA and BTech have access to fewer job opportunities. 

Our Take

The placement report of BITS Pilani shows good numbers. The increasing trends in the average salary package clearly depict that the institute is focussing on increasing the job opportunities for the students with a good salary package. Many students, we connected to, feel satisfied about the impeccable placement records of BITS Pilani. BITS has a fabulous placement record with over 95% of students getting placed in different companies every year. The number also speaks about the return on investment (ROI). The only concern is that the institute must come up with placement opportunities for students pursuing courses other than MBA and BTech. It should invite recruiters to participate in the placement process to hire such students.

BITS Pilani Diversity and Demographics

The BITS Pilani campus is rich in diversification. Around 4,500 students live on campus. There are 350 faculty members and a good number of support staff who also live with their families on the campus. 

Gender Ratio at BITS Pilani

Although a large number of students throng to enter BITS Pilani, however, gender imbalance exists. The male-female ratio for the UG programmes is 6:1 and 3:1 for PG programmes. Thus,  the institute must plan ways and means to inspire more female admissions. Unlike many institutes, BITS Pilani does not have any special reservations for female candidates. Many premium engineering institutes keep a lower cutoff for admission for female candidates so that there is no gender imbalance and thus BITS Pilani must also adopt this policy to bridge this gap.

Talking about the geographical location of the students studying at BITS Pilani, the number of students from outside the state is quite high compared to the students within the state. The scenario is the same whether it is UG courses or PG courses. 

BITS Pilani Location

Spreading over 328 acres and enclosed in a wooden path, the Pilani campus is situated in Vidya Vihar, Rajasthani. Located amidst the bustling natural environment, students enjoy the serene beauty. Pilani is the ancestral hometown of the Birla family who established the institution. Pilani is located approximately 200 km to the west of Delhi and 220 km to the north of Jaipur.  

Our Take

Situated in a relatively remote location, students might not access all the amenities and opportunities available in a metropolitan city. But a coin has two sides, the lush green campus cannot be overlooked. Students live in a clean and green environment. 

BITS Pilani Scholarships

The institute offers financial assistance to meritorious students and students who are seeking financial help due to their weak economic background. The scholarship is offered on the basis of the performance of BITSAT and the merit of the qualifying exam. The top 1% of performers can avail of 100% of the total tuition fee. 

Scholarships Offered at BITS Pilani

BITS Pilani Expectation Vs Reality - CLD Verdict

BITS Pilani positions itself as a premier institute based on the data and statistics on different parameters. The USP of the institution is its leadership dedication towards science and technology. The details of the research mentioned in the article above validate these facts. One of the most prominent qualities of this campus is that it nurtures the quality of leadership in its students in a true sense and more than 6000 Global CEOs from this campus proves it. 

The name of this deemed university is often compared with other top IITs and NITs, which itself justifies the value of this academic bellwether. But there are some areas wherein the institute needs to focus including fees, hostel facilities, and gender ratio.