BITS Pilani- Its Magic?

I appeared for BITSAT 2020 which is the only way of getting admission to any of the 3 BITS campuses. The application form can be filled out online through the BITS admission site. The application fee for BITSAT 2023 will be Rs.3300 for male candidates and Rs.2800 for female candidates. There are zero reservations of any kind on all 3 campuses. Admissions for the year 2021 were very messed up. There were more than 10 iterations due to which the cutoffs fell largely.

I got admitted to BITS with Msc. Economics is considered the branch that opens up a wide range of opportunities in the finance sector. Then I got allotted B.E Mechanical after my 1st year based on the 1st year's CGPA. The faculty-to-student ratio is about 1 faculty for 12 students. The evaluation process at BITS is quite continuous. In every course, there are 3 major components- Quizzes (30% weightage), Midsem Exam(30% weightage), and Comprehensive exam (40% weightage). However, the weightage varies from course to course. There are 4-5 quizzes in each course which happen evenly throughout the semester. The mindset happens about 2 months after the sem starts and the compre exam marks the end of the semester. The competition level is generally quite high and after the first year, it becomes a bit difficult to score a good avg+ in courses. However, if you remain regular in going to classes and studying for quizzes then it becomes a much easier task.

There is a system of Practise School (PS) which is an admin-driven internship program. PS-1 happens after the end of 2nd year and PS-2 happens in the final year. The admin has a tie-up with several companies which are allotted based on CGPA.

The campus placements are great. The students are eligible for placements as soon as they complete the degree requirements. The highest package last year was 1.2 cr and the average package was around 12 lakh. The percentage of students getting placed is more than 95%.

The fee hike policy states that the administration can hike fees up to 12% every year. But the current fee hike rate is around 7%. The total cost of a 4-year course for this academic year can mount to 28 lakhs and a 5-year course up to 35 lakh. There is a merit-cum need scholarship which gives 80%, 40%, and 25% scholarships of the tuition fees according to the CGPA of the student. A student can apply for a part-time job as a Teacher Assistant (TA) which gives up to Rs.20000 per month of salary.

Campus life is as cool as you can make it. Rules like no in and out time in hostels, 0% attendance policy, and late night canteens (up to 2 am and 4 am in exams). The fests in BITS Pilani are one of the finest in India. The technical fest is called APOGEE which is very eventful with some fun-filled concerts and shows. It is conducted in April every year. The most awaited time of the year is the cultural fest i.e Oasis which is a 4-day rollercoaster ride conducted in Oct/Nov every year. The classrooms in the New Academic Building are fully air-conditioned and spacious. The library on the campus is rich with books and resources for literally every career, philosophy, academics, and personality development. The sports facilities are also very good. There is the Student Activities Centre(SAC) which is a space dedicated to indoor sports and art. For outdoor sports, there is Gym ground. There are numerous clubs and departments each run by students.

The hostels are built with very thick walls of appropriate material to resist the extreme weather conditions in Pilani. There is a bed, study table, book shelf and an almirah. The quality and variety of meals in the mess are satisfactory. The hostels are allotted by the Student Welfare Department(SWD) on a random basis. Although students get to choose their room partner or wingmates.