BITS AS A BRAND NAME (

1. INTRODUCTION :
Birla Institute of Technology & Science, (known as BITS Pilani) is an Institution declared as Deemed to be University under Sec. 3 of the UGC Act and features in the world map as a renowned science and technology institute. It is located in Pilani, Rajasthan, India. In addition to Pilani, BITS has campuses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Goa, India and Hyderabad, India and an extension center in Bangalore, India. BITS Pilani is well known for its flexible academic structure and the institute's policy of admission purely on the basis of merit and not through any kind of reservations. The institute is privately supported and fully residential. BITS Pilani is the first Indian institution to set up a campus outside India.

BITS AS A BRAND NAME

A Report On

BITS AS A BRAND NAME

by Anudeep Naresh R Shah Tarun Mittal Abhilash

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 KEY INFORMATION 2. WHY BITS A BRAND?? 2.1 UNIQUE ADMISSION MODEL 2.2 RANKING 2.3 ACADEMICS 2.4 FACULTY 2.5 R&D 2.6 UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY LINKAGE 2.7 STRONG ALUMNI SUPPORT 2.8 PLACEMENT 3. CONCLUSION 4. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 11 11 12 14 16 17 18

ABSTRACT
In this report we are going to see why BITS is an established brand name in technical education field . This report will throw light upon various features of BITS which keep it in a different class as compared to other institutes .

1 INTRODUCTION
Birla Institute of Technology & Science (known as BITS Pilani) is an Institution declared as Deemed to be University under Sec. 3 of the UGC Act and features in the world map as a renowned science and technology institute. It is located in Pilani, Rajasthan, India. In addition to Pilani, BITS has campuses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Goa, India and Hyderabad, India and an extension center in Bangalore, India. BITS Pilani is well known for its flexible academic structure and the institute's policy of admission purely on the basis of merit and not through any kind of reservations. The institute is privately supported and fully residential.] BITS Pilani is the first Indian institution to set up a campus outside India.

1.1 KEY INFORMATION

Motto ( gyanam paramam balam) "Knowledge is Power Supreme" Established Type Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Staff Undergraduates Postgraduates Location 1929. Became Deemed University in 1964 Private Kumar Mangalam Birla L K Maheshwari 593 1970 annual intake 216 annual intake Pilani (1929), India Goa (2004), India Hyderabad (2008), India Dubai (2000), UAE Affiliations Website ACU, WACE, UGC,NAAC, PCI, AIU www.bits-pilani.ac.in www.bits-goa.ac.in www.bits-hyderabad.ac.in www.bitsdubai.com

2. WHY BITS A BRAND??

Ever since from its establishment wayback in 1929, BITS,Pilani has always been known for its highstandards in the quality of education it has provided . Over the years, BITS has provided the highest quality technical education to students from all over India admitted on the basis of merit. Its graduates may be found throughout the world in all areas of engineering, science and commerce. BITS symbolizes the maturing of Indian technical ability and "can-do" entrepreneurial spirit, especially as derived from the private sector

In all these years BITS has established itself as a brand name in higher education and is at par with IIT the most sought after technical education institute not in india but in world also.There are many factors which has contributed in making BITS as a pioneer in educational field. One is obviously its high quality education but the unique features which separates it from rest includes academic flexibilities like dual degree scheme & no compulsory attendance rule to give students a feeling of freedom,direct exposure to industrial environment through its Practice School programme, a strong alumni back-up, a unique entrance test BITSAT which differs from traditional pen-paper type examination.

Lets now take a critical look at these factors which has helped BITS in emerging as one ofthe leaders on the horizon of technical education field.

2.1 UNIQUE ADMISSION MODEL

Starting from the admissions itself BITS gives the glimpse of its uniqueness by having a unique entrance test named BITSAT. BITSAT an all-India Entrance Examination exclusive to the BITS Pilani university, is a test conducted online and held between May 1 and June 10 in many cities all over India. The exam tests the candidate's knowledge, reasoning and analytical abilities in English, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Logical reasoning, and is based broadly on the higher secondary curriculum in India and abroad. To be eligible for admissions, prospective students are also required to obtain a minimum aggregate of 80% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (subject to a minimum of 60% in each of these three subjects) in their higher secondary examination. Toppers of higher secondary examinations of each single board are exempted from taking BITSAT test and are considered for direct admission. This exemption helps ensure that BITSPilani retain a significant number (about 20-25) of first rank holders from various boards across the country. The toppers are free to choose any discipline offered in all campuses.

BITSAT differs from the conventional written examination as it is an online exam held at more than 20 places all over India. As it is difficult for all the students (nearly 2 lakhs) to appear on a single day,this exam is conducted over a period of nearly 40 days. A candidate can choose the date of exam and the time-slot.There are around 50 sets of papers and necessary precautions are taken to maintain uniformity in the level of difficulty of all these sets.

Acceptance rate in BITS is very low, (Selectivity < 2.08% in 2007) making it one of the most selective in India to get admission into. The admission is purely on the basis of merit and not through any kind of reservation. This ensures that the student quality of BITS is highly maintained and students feel equality among themselves

2.2 RANKING
BITS is accredited in 1999 (with the highest five-star rating) by the Government of India's National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). BITS is re-accredited in 2008 by NAAC with highest grade A and with a CGPA of 3.71, one of the highest so far in the country. This grading and CGPA is combined rating for its campuses in Pilani, Goa and dubai. BITS ranked among the top few Institutions in the country by aspiring candidates and recruiters. Ranking by reputed magazines have always positioned BITS among the top few Institutions in the country.

Top 10 Engineering Colleges

Rank Name of Institute P/G City S.P (450) A.E (600) I(195) P&IL (255) T.S (1500)

P.G: P Pvt G Govt, S.P: Selection process, A.E: Academic excellence, I: Infrastructure, P&IL: Placements & industry links, T.S: Total score

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

IIT IIT IIT IIT IIT BITS IIT IT-BHU IIT College of Engg, Anna Univ

G G G G G P G G G G

Kharagpur Bombay Kanpur Delhi Madras Pilani Roorkee Varanasi Guwahati Chennai

377.6 350.2 343.6 342.3 331.8 310.6 307.9 276.2 262.2 256.0

503.5 467.0 458.1 456.4 442.4 414.2 410.5 368.2 349.6 341.3

163.6 151.8 148.9 148.3 143.8 134.6 133.4 119.7 113.6 110.9

214.0 198.5 194.7 194.0 188.0 176.0 174.5 156.5 148.6 145.1

1258.8 1167.4 1145.3 1140.9 1106.1 1035.5 1026.2 920.5 874.0 853.3

SOURCE : OUTLOOK

2.3 ACADEMICS
to prepare young men and women to act as leaders for the promotion of the economic and industrial development of the country and to play a creative role in service to humanity. - Late D.R. K.K. BIRLA

To catch with this mission BITS puts a great thrust on imparting quality education to its students.BITS has a three-tier academic structure viz. Integrated First Degree, Higher Degree and
Doctoral programmes. Each tier offers many degrees and within a degree a number of courses are Offered.

2.3.1 Integrated First Degree

BITS Pilani offers 4 year Integrated First Degree programmes in Bachelor of Engineering (B.E. (Hons.)), Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm (Hons.)), Master of Science (M.Sc (Hons.)), Master of Science (M.Sc (Technology)), and Master of Arts (M.A (Hons.)). These courses are called Integrated First Degree courses because several courses such as Mathematics and Sciences are common to each degree. It should be noted that BITS does not offer intermediate degrees like Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Bachelor of Arts (B.A).

2.3.2 Higher Degree

BITS Pilani offers higher degree programmes like Master of Engineering (M.E.), Master of Pharmacy (M.Pharm), Master of Public Health(M.P.H) Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A). These programmes are offered in a variety of disciplines like Chemical Engineering [2], Chemical with Specialization in Petroleum Engineering, Communication Systems,Power Electronics and Drives Electronics and Control, Embedded Systems, Microelectronics, Software Systems, Biotechnology, Manufacturing Systems, Design Engineering, Materials Science & Technology, Transportation engineering, Pharmacy etc. Typically the duration of these programmes is four semesters.

2.3.3 Doctoral Programmes The doctoral prograammes at BITS Pilani are designed in a way to prefer the input of students completing higher degree programmes from BITS Pilani. In all the other instances, a case-bycase analysis is done with regards to the higher degree courses completed and the result of the qualifying examination. The structure of the doctoral programme involves thesis and seminar as an integral part, study of foreign language (if necessary). Course work may vary depending upon the input and prior preparation. 2.3.4 Off-Campus Programmes In addition to various courses provided on campus courses BITS also offers various offcampus distance learling collaborative programmes that target the HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT needs of the industry. Work related learning programmes also accommodate industry professionals to pursue PhD whilst being employed. The various programmes offered are First Level Diploma, B.S. , M.Sc(Tech.) , M.E. , M.S. and M.Phil.

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These programs were initially offered to only on-campus students. However in the past decade it has had significant experience in distance learning pedagogy and instructional design. To make its model of distance learning scalable, reachable to wider audience and leverage the benefits of emerging technologies, BITS conceived and designed the BITS Virtual University (VU). 2.3.5 Flexibilities, Dual Degree & Transfer Option BITS Pilani offers a lot of flexibility in the taking overload of courses and electives outside ones' study area. Dual degrees are very common for Group B programs and in some cases Group A & Group C programs also. The dual degree programmes take 5 years to complete. There is also the option to Transfer from one program to another. Usually applications for dual degree and transfers are accepted at the end of the first year. Transfer to a more sought after degree is reserved for the top students. Also it is in BITS only that a computer science student is required to do a general biology course.This shows that BITS wants its students to have a general knowledge of all subjects so that in future when a situation comes in front of him to solve a problem outside his area he/she doesnot found himself/herself dumbstruck.Also in BITS there is no compulsory attendance rule to give student sense of freedom and inculcate in them the sense of responsibility.

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2.4 FACULTY
The faculty of the Institute consists of a rich blend of people with diverse academic background and invaluable industry experience. Eminent guest lecturers from the industry visit the institute frequently to share their experiences with the students.

2.5 R&D
BITS has a number of well equipped laboratories with state of the art facilities. Many of these facilities are setup in collaboration with the Industrial giants and conglomerates like ISA, Motorola, Tata-IBM, CISCO, NOKIA, Philips, HP, Texas Instruments and several others. Students gain valuable experience in the forefront of scientific research through project type courses and thesis work. Some of the centres for Research and Development established by the institute are:
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION CENTRE CENTRE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP (CEL) TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS INCUBATION CELL (TBI) CENTRE FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (CSD) CENTRE FOR ROBOTICS AND INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS

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2.6 UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY LINKAGE

BITS in addition to giving theoretical knowledge to its students also gives them a exposure to industrial world through internship programme called PRACTICE SCHOOL. The Practice School Programme of BITS takes all its students to the industry for seven and half months as an integral component of the academic curriculum. The aim of this programme is to involve students in problem-solving activities of direct interest and relevance to the organizations and orient students to the professional world. The Practice School programme has been widely appreciated.

2.6.1 Practice School-I

(Abbreviated as PS1) This is a summer internship undertaken for nearly two months at the end of second year for all its campus programmes. The number of industrial participants has grown from 14 stations and 244 students in 1975 to 220 stations and 1376 students in 2007. To see the growth of PS1 programme. PS1 is supervised by around 80 faculty members from various campuses of BITS Pilani. This programme is treated as a course worth 5 units. The grade obtained in PS1 is credited to the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the student.

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2.6.2 Practice School-II

(Abbreviated as PS2) This is the final year internship undertaken for five and a half months. The number of industrial participants has grown from 1 station and 24 students in 1973 to 135 stations & 1092 students in 2005. To see the growth of PS2 programme Click here. Students are also offered stipend, although the amount varies from company to company. This programme is treated as a course worth 20 units and the grade obtained in PS2 is credited to the Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of the student.

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2.7 STRONG ALUMNI SUPPORT

BITS has large alumni network spread all over the world pursuing great jobs and have achieved great heights in corporate. BITS alumni are always willing to help BITS and its students by their best possible ways. For serving BITS and its people the alumni have formed an organization named BITSAA(BITS Alumni Association).

The BITSian Alumni (BITSAA) over the years has increasingly contributed to its alma-mater and is very active in India and abroad. The BITSAA International's primary purpose is to engage in charitable and educational activities by raising funds for setting up endowments, creating scholarships, rewarding teaching and research and generally promoting the development of resources at Birla Institute of Technology & Science at Pilani. BITSAA International also aims to strengthen the ties, friendship and communications amongst former students, current students, faculty and friends of the Institute. BITSAA International provides a number of channels for people to stay connected with each other .

BITSAA have initiated programmes like BITS CONNECT ,Lets Promote BITS PILANI and BITS EMBRYO: 2.7.1 BITS CONNECT was a $1.5 million project operated by BITS Alumni and BITS PILANI to create state-of-the-art campus wide network. It also aimed at providing broadband access, telephones, video conferencing in every room & staff quarters and providing university with advanced computer infrastructure for Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) .

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2.7.2 Lets Promote BITS PILANI is another programme initiated by BITSAA with the goal of attracting the brightest minds of India to BITS campus and to make them aware of the educational system and the flexibilities of BITS. Its first session held at BITS PILANI Hyderabad Campus received an overwhelming response with over 200 students participating in it.

2.7.3 BITS EMBRYO Vision Enrich the learning experience at BITS Pilani. Mission Make the academic and industry experience of BITS alumni accessible to on-campus students through lectures, collaborative research projects, and exposure to current research trends around the world. In the past, alumni used to contribute to BITS by raising funds and doing projects like BITSConnect and Oyster lab. But now, they can contribute with the most valuable assets they have - knowledge and experience. Embryo is thus a platform for interaction between alumni, BITS students and BITS faculty.

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2.8 PLACEMENT
Career placement plays a crucial and very supportive role in the employment of a graduate. BITS has a remarkable placement record in this regard and most students in BITS have their careers charted out even before they complete graduation .

BITS has a separate unit dealing with placements . Every year about 130 companies visit the campus to interview the students who are about to graduate.

As the student population in the final year is divided into two batches with one batch going to PS-2 in first semester and the other in second semester, only one half of the final year students is available for campus interviews during a particular semester.Institute also tries to arrange interviews for PS students in their own PS centers.

BITS has one of the finest placement records in India. In 2007 its average package was RS 4.2 lacs pa.

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3. CONCLUSION
So the report has brought out the fact that BITS is a brand not only due to its high quality education but also due to its various innovative features which puts it in a different category from all its other counter-parts . From decades BITS has been serving the nation by nurturing raw talent into skilled professionals . BITS has achieved the status of a brand long time ago, but what is appreciable is that it has successfully been able to maintain its brand value and has not compromised with its educational standards at any level . All this have made BITS a hot property among students community whom aspire to become an engineer someday . So what we can conclude is that BITS is definitely one of the best in its business and one can take a huge sigh of relief for his/her future once he/she is able to enter inside the boundary of BITS.

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4. BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birla_Institute_of_Technology_and_Science http://bits-pilani.ac.in http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?250245