Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (shortened BITS Pilani or BITS) is one of the most reputed institutes in our country for engineering and science courses.

The institute is one among the 6 Indian ‘Institutes of Eminence’ recognized by the Government of India in 2018. It has 3 campuses across India and 1 in Dubai and has 15 academic departments. The institute was established in 1964, which makes it one of the oldest private engineering institutes.

Here are some things that BITS offers that even the IITs don’t have –

1) 6 months externship (this is similar to an internship, but BITS has reserved an entire semester for this, to ensure that students get enough industry experience)

2) Flexible time-table – BITS gives students the option to create their own weekly time table. Students can schedule classes for themselves however they want. They can also choose which professor they want to study from.

3) Flexible courses – BITS allows students to take electives even from outside their core syllabus. While even the IITs provide this option, BITS has made it more flexible.

4) Unique courses – BITS Dual degree programme allows you to have two specialisations at once.

However, owing to the fact that it is a private institute, it is usually a bit more expensive.

Every year, around 3 lac students sit for BITSAT or BITS admission test for entry into first year of B.Tech or integrated courses.

When to apply?

The application forms for BITSAT are released in December every year, and the exam is held in May. Students who wish to apply for this exam should keep an eye open for registration and apply for it as soon as possible. Only online applications will considered.

Who all are eligible?

Candidates should have passed the 12th examination of 10+2 system from a recognized Central or State board or its equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics and adequate proficiency in English.

The candidate should have obtained a minimum of aggregate 75% marks in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics subjects in 12th examination, with at least 60% marks in each of the Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

Apart from this, note that first rank students of all the central and state boards in India are directly given admission in BITS irrespective of their BITSAT score.

What is the test format?

• Note that BITSAT is a computer based test. It means the candidate sits in front of a computer and the questions are presented on the computer monitor and the candidate answers the questions on the computer through the use of keyboard or mouse
• BITSAT exam is of 3-hour duration. The test consists of four parts:
  • Part I : Physics
  • Part II : Chemistry
  • Part III : (a) English Proficiency and (b) Logical Reasoning
  • Part IV : Mathematics
• All questions are of objective type (multiple choice questions); each question with choice of four answers, only one being correct choice
• Each correct answer fetches 3 marks, while each incorrect answer has a penalty of 1 mark (-1 mark)
• All the questions and instructions of the test will be in English only
• No marks are awarded or deducted for questions not attempted.
• There will be 150 questions in all. The number of questions in each part is as follows:
• Note that this test has an additional feature which is different from other tests – if a candidate answers all the 150 questions (without skipping any question), the candidate will have an option of attempting 12 (twelve) extra questions, if there is still time left. These extra questions will be from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics only
• Further, once the candidate has opted for extra questions, he/she cannot go back for correction of any of the earlier answered 150 questions

The questions are so designed that a good student will be able to answer 150 questions in 180 minutes. The extra questions (a maximum of 12) will give a chance to highly meritorious candidates to score higher. However, candidates should keep in mind the fact that there is negative marking for wrong answers and any attempt to answer the questions by pure guessing of the answers is not likely to have any advantage, but may result in a reduction in the total score.

• Candidates should bring a pen for the purpose of rough work, signing etc. Blank sheets for rough work will be provided
• Calculators and logarithmic tables are not allowed in the test centers.
• Candidates are not allowed to bring any other personal belongings such as mobiles.

What is the syllabus of the exam?

BITSAT test is conducted on the basis of NCERT syllabus for 11th and 12th class. Candidates should refer to the NCERT textbooks for the contents. Basic english and grammar are tested like tenses, verbs, sentence formation,etc

 When is the result and merit list announced?

At the completion of the test, the computer will announce the result to the candidate in terms of number of total correct answers and wrong answers, with the score. This means that the candidates can get to know their score as soon as the exam is over.

The candidate can also check his or her score report at the BITS admission website on the next day of his or her test date. The candidate can also take a printout of his or her score report for any further usage.

The merit position of all eligible candidates will be prepared on the basis of their scores in BITSAT.

How is BITSAT different from JEE Main?

The differences are as follows:

– Subjects asked – While JEE Main tests only P,C,M; BITSAT also tests your English proficiency and Logical Reasoning. So in order to prepare well for BITSAT, make sure to practise these extra sections as well

– Time per question – In JEE, you need to solve 90 questions in 180 min, while in BITSAT you solve 150 questions in 180 min. So pay close attention to your speed and try to increase your speed during mock tests. If you practice for english and logical reasoning before-hand, you can save time in such questions and devote to PCM.

– Difficulty level – In JEE exam, the student is NOT expected to solve all questions. We have stated in videos for JEE – that you can score well in BITSAT if you solve easy and medium questions and leave difficult questions. But in BITSAT, the expectation is that student will be able to attempt all questions. So your exam taking strategy should be different while giving BITSAT

– Language – While JEE can be given in Hindi and English both, BITSAT paper is to be attempted in only English language

– Declaration of result – In BITSAT exam, your score is shown to you as soon as you finish your exam. This will give you an idea of what should be your next steps – if you qualify in the exam, you should start researching on which BITS branch you would like to study in, etc.

Because of these differences, your preparation of BITSAT should be a little different from JEE Mains:

• Attempt mock tests specially designed for BITSAT
• Practice previous year BITSAT papers/sample papers
• Devote some time to English and logical reasoning as well. Look at what kind of questions have been asked in previous years to avoid panic in exam hall
• Strategize your paper – just like JEE, strategize before-hand for your BITSAT paper as well. Start by deciding which section would you like to attempt first – PCM or English/Logical reasoning. If you are good at English and LR, attempt these first to maximize your score and gain confidence. If not, leave these for end and start with P/C/M, whichever your strongest subject is.

BITS has a record of producing the best graduates. The salary and placements offered at the best in market and the infrastructure and ambience of all BITS campuses is also par excellence.