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Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani,
Rajasthan, India (popularly known as 'BITS Pilani') is one of the oldest and leading
technology schools (along with IITs) of India. In addition to Pilani, BITS has campuses in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Goa, India, an extension centre in Bangalore, India, and a
fourth campus under construction in Hyderabad. The institute is privately supported, fully
residential, and admits both male and female students.. 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. BITS is located in the Vidya Vihar campus adjacent to the town of Pilani
in Rajasthan. The Institute
is a dream come true of its founder late Mr G.D.Birla - an eminent industrialist, a
participant in Indian freedom struggle and a close associate of the Father of Indian
Nation late Mr. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi). What started in early 1900s
as a small school, blossomed into a set of colleges for higher education, ranging from the
Humanities to Engineering until 1964 when all these colleges amalgamated to culminate into
a unique Indian University of International standing. This university was christened as
the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, known to many as BITS, Pilani.
Brief History
It was founded by Shri Ghanshyam Das Birla in 1929 as an intermediate college.
During World War II, the Government of India established a technical training centre at
Pilani for the supply of technicians for defense services and industry. At the end of the
war, in 1946, it was converted it into the Birla Engineering College with degree
programmes in electrical and mechanical engineering.
In 1964, the Birla Colleges of Arts, Commerce, Engineering, Pharmacy and Science were
merged to form the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS). In this period of
inception (especially during 1964-1970), BITS Pilani received support from the Ford
Foundation and benefited from an alliance with the MIT.
BITS Pilani started to expand in India and abroad since 2000. New campuses were
established in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (2000) and Goa, India (2004), and a fourth
campus is to be opened in 2007 at Jawaharnagar (near Hakimpet Air Force station),
Hyderabad. BITS also runs a virtual university and an extension centre in Bangalore.
Reputation and rankings
Many reputed sources, including the UNESCO Science Report 2005 (ISBN 92-3-103967-9)
make use of Asiaweek magazine's latest rankings of science and technology schools in the
Asia-Pacific region, 2000. According to this ranking, BITS Pilani was ranked in the Top 20
in Asia (overall), and in the Top 5 in Asia in terms of 'Student Selectivity'.
The management programmes offered by BITS Pilani have also been ranked by Asiaweek (Top 30
Best Full-Time MBA, Top 30 By Reputation, Top 5 Distance MBA). These programmes have also
been profiled by Business Week Online (The Best B Schools).
Annual rankings of engineering colleges in India have been published by the magazine India
Today since 1997. BITS Pilani was ranked in the Top 5 consistently (1997-2004) and ranked
higher than a few IITs, but opted out of the survey since 2005. However, the institute
participates in the Dataquest-IDC Survey as well as in the Outlook-Cfore Survey, and was
ranked in the Top 5 T-Schools of India 2006 by both these surveys.
"BITS Pilani" was also the only Indian university to be ranked in the Top 20
Wired organisations of Asia by Business Today (January 18, 2004 issue).
The institute is accredited (with a five-star rating) by the Government of India's
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) for the period ending February 7,
2007.
BITS Pilani is also the institute of choice for toppers of the school leaving examinations
in India. For instance, toppers of 21 educational boards including the CBSE and the ICSE
chose to join the Institute in 2006. BITS Pilani is also reputed for an array of work
integrated learning programmes for HRD of a vast spectrum of Indian corporates.
The Institute has strong alliances with various Indian/foreign universities/industries for
exchange of students/faculty, Distance Learning Programs, etc. A small list of colleges is
given below:
1.MIT, Boston,
2.University of Maryland,
3.University of Otago,
4.University of Southern California,
5.Kathmandu university
6.University of Oklahoma,
7.Victoria University,
8.Kansas State University,
9.Arizona State University,
10.University of New South Wales,
11.Purdue University,
and many more.
The primary motive of BITS is to
"train young men and women able and eager to create and put into action such ideas,
methods, techniques and information".
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