Amongst the constant bombardment of information one comes across as they transition from school to college, useful information tends to slip away. The English Press Club tried to formulate all this information into one single document to give a first-yearite a general overview of academics, grading, scholarships and everything else they might need to learn at the start of their college life at BITS.  

Courses/Grading/Academic Overview

There are a total of fifteen courses a student must complete in their first year, irrespective of their discipline, to fulfil the General Institutional Requirements. 

1. Mathematics I (M1) — The course is intended as an introduction to the calculus of multiple variables and vectors. The course picks up from the concepts of calculus learned in Class XII extending those to the geometry of objects in two-dimensional and three-dimensional spaces using polar coordinates. Followed by the convergence of sequences and series, the Maclaurin and Taylor series, partial derivatives, and vector calculus. All of these lead to the theorems of Green, Stokes, and Gauss.
   
2. Mechanical Oscillations and Waves (MeOW) — This is a foundation course in physics that extends concepts of mechanics learned in high school to polar coordinates and non-inertial reference frames. The second half of the course deals with oscillatory motion, coupled oscillations, and waves.
   
3. Thermodynamics — The course intends to give students an exposure to applied thermodynamics for engineering. The concepts and laws of thermodynamics, entropy, extropy and applications to real world problems are considered in this course.
   
4. Electrical Sciences (ES) — The principal objective of this course is to teach the principles of three different aspects of electrical sciences—circuits, electronics, and electromagnetics—to the students. The course starts off with basic circuit-solving techniques such as Kirchoff’s rule and then advanced techniques to solve second-order circuits followed by semiconductors at the end.
   
5. Engineering Graphics (EG) — The course teaches how to create geometric objects on computers, an essential in many engineering fields. It introduces students to the theories of projection and the concepts of engineering drawing using the widely used Computer Aided Design application software, AutoCAD. Basic AutoCAD commands will also be introduced.
   
6. General Chemistry (Gen Chem) — The course comprises two parts. The first part provides a comprehensive survey of various topics in the electronic structure of atoms and molecules, spectroscopy, bonding, and Coordination Chemistry. The second part focuses on understanding the structure and properties of organic compounds and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
   
7. General Biology (Gen Bio) — The course is aimed to provide a broad introduction to the major principles and topics in biology. The topics of study include living systems and their properties, classification of organisms, biochemistry and cell biology, primary biochemical/metabolic pathways, introductory genetics, biotechnology, and its applications, and basic human physiological processes.
   
8. Technical Report Writing (TechRe) — This course introduces strategies and techniques for writing technically and communicating effectively. A well known project in the course is to prepare a survey, collect information on a particular topic, and prepare a report based on it using the skills acquired in the course so far.

9. Workshop Practice — This course aims at imparting practical aspects of the basic techniques and skills used to produce and repair metal and wooden products. This course provides basic manufacturing techniques and allied techniques used to produce finished products from raw materials.
   
10. Computer Programming (CP) — The course is designed to provide a very practical primer to the fundamentals of computer programming. The course starts off with the basic model of a computer and important commands in UNIX, followed by problem-solving algorithms and programming constructs such as loops, conditional statements and linked lists using the C language.
    
11. Mathematics II (M2) — This course is dedicated to Linear Algebra and Complex Analysis. Linear Algebra is fundamental to possibly every aspect of science and engineering, hence topics such as basis, linear transformations, and eigenvalues are the focus of the first half of the course. The second half, Complex Analysis is devoted to the study of functions of complex variables, and the differential and integral calculus on it.
    
12. Probability and Statistics (PnS) — The primary objective of this course is to familiarise students with the fundamental concepts and techniques of probability theory and statistical analysis. In this fundamental course, the aim is to build up skills in understanding the concepts of random variables, probability distribution, statistical inference, regression, and correlation among several other related topics.
    
13. Physics Laboratory — The main aim of this course is to be acquainted with experimental methods of physics and to integrate theoretical knowledge and concepts into practical experience. Students will learn the operation of scientific equipment for collecting data and the analysis of collected data.
    
14. Chemistry Laboratory — The main objective of this course is to educate the students on different aspects of chemistry experiments. The students will carry out a set of experiments that will expose the students to experimental methods and integrate theoretical knowledge and concepts into practical experience.
    
15. Biology Laboratory — The major objective of this course is to offer an experience in fundamental aspects of practical biology. The student would observe and understand various biological phenomena and also be equipped with some simple techniques which form the basis of research in biology.

The Grading System

Grading in BITS is fundamentally different from grading in schools. The grading is relative, which means that students are graded according to their performance in comparison to the rest of their class, not their absolute score.

Another aspect of grading that may be new to freshers is that there is a system of continuous evaluation in all courses. This means that all the quizzes and assignments given in class are important and add up to the final score. Not only this, but tutorial tests are generally not declared in advance, and are usually taken in the tutorial hour.

Each course in a student’s curriculum is worth a certain number of units or credits. In the simplest words, a unit is defined as the amount of time given to a particular course per week. For instance, Computer Programming is a course worth four units, which means that there are three lecture hours and one lab session per week for that course. The number of credits also indicates the weightage of that course in the calculation of the final grade. For example, Computer Programming—a four-credit course—will affect a person’s CGPA more than their grade in Technical Report Writing, which is a two-credit course.

At the end of the semester, students are given a letter grade in each course based on their performance in all the evaluatives, including the quizzes, assignments, mid-semester exams, and comprehensive exams. Each letter grade has a numeric value associated with it, as shown below. To calculate their semester grade point average (SGPA), one must multiply their grade in each course by the number of units, add them up and then divide by the total number of units in that semester. In most courses, a C grade is awarded for scoring average marks. An NC, or a “not cleared” is awarded in case a student does not clear a certain absolute cutoff in the course. (usually 10%). This means the student will have to repeat this course the next time it is offered, and any other course that has that course as a prerequisite cannot be taken as a result. It is generally not advised to get a NC.

Grade	Quality of Performance	Grade Point
A	Excellent	10
A-	Very Good	9
B	Good	8
B-	Above Average	7
C	Average	6
C-	Below Average	5
D	Poor	4
E	Exposed	2
NC	Not Cleared	0

Apart from lectures and labs, some courses also have a tutorial hour once a week. Usually, no new concepts are taught during tutorials—they are meant only for solving problems based on what has already been taught during the lecture hours in the preceding week. Tutorial classes are quite important as they give students an idea about the kind of questions they will be asked in exams.

In BITS, students  are given a handout for every course. It is a brief overview of the particular course and its objectives. It also includes a list of the textbooks and suggested reference books for that course, as well as the plan for the semester. The handout also contains details about the evaluative components planned for the course.

Websites

An important part of a BITSian’s life is the various websites that the Institute uses. Some of the most important and frequently used are

1. ERP – Student System

ERP is a portal used for registering for courses, managing college finances and for academic planning and grading. The registration process involves choosing courses and sections to make one’s timetable. There are multiple sections for lectures and tutorials in many courses, so students can make their timetables according to their convenience

ERP is also used as the payment portal. The finance section on the website shows any dues and their category and leads to a payment gateway where one can get fleeced pay their fees. 

The portal, also, lists one’s academic requirements to be completed each year. The final grades are also released on ERP. One can check their SGPA or CGPA here. 

2. Nalanda – Learning Management System

Nalanda is a course management system that helps a student keep track of their progress in a course. After registration on ERP, courses are added to a student’s Nalanda dashboard. Teachers use Nalanda to upload useful materials for students’ reference, including lecture slides, links to videos, and take-home assignments. The announcements section on the website is used by the faculty to make announcements about upcoming lectures, tutorials, assignments, and exams. Usually, the syllabus for any exam or quiz is announced here. In some courses, marks are also announced on Nalanda.

Apart from this, a lot of announcements are sent to one’s BITS Mail. Some teachers only send course-related announcements through email, while others use Google Classroom instead of Nalanda. A student can use their BITS Mail to access various resources, an article for the same is linked here. 

3. Academic-Undergraduate Studies Division (AUGSD)

The AUGSD website caters to most of the academic needs of a student. Before the start of a new semester, important documents like the Academic Calendar, Time Table, the Bulletin, and course handouts are uploaded to the AUGSD website. Official instructions for examinations, make-up policy, and registration are also available on the website. One needs to fill out a leave application if someone is leaving campus outside of the time limit—this form can also be found on AUGSD. A portal for queries is also available through the website. 

4. Student Welfare Division (SWD)

The SWD website contains important documents such as the split up of Students’ Union(SU) dues after each semester (this includes money paid by a student to the SU for various events during the semester, food bought using the SU App, donations collected by the different clubs and various other things). It also shows the hostel allotment before the beginning of the semester. One can also apply for various documents such as the Bonafide Certificate and Transfer/Migration Certificate on the SWD website. 

Transfers

Among the many flexibilities that BITS offers are the various transfers. These allow a student to add to or change their degree. There are two types of transfer options available to first-degree students:

1. Horizontal Transfers: This is the type of transfer in which a person changes from one integrated first-degree programme to another. For example, if someone decides to change their stream from M.Sc. Biology to M.Sc. Economics or from B.E. Mechanical to B.E. Computer Science, it would be considered a horizontal transfer. These transfers happen at the end of the first year and the CGPA requirements for them are quite high. 

2. Vertical Transfers: This is the type of transfer in which a person changes from a first degree programme to a higher degree or PhD. Vertical transfers are only offered to a limited number of students that show great promise. They usually take place at the end of the second year.

In informal terms, students generally refer to a transfer from a dual degree to a single degree or from one single degree to another as a vertical transfer (or “verti”), while transfers from one dual degree to another are referred to as horizontal transfers.

Practice School

The Practice School (PS) Program at BITS offers internship opportunities to students to experience the work culture of many leading organisations. It essentially acts as a link between university education and industry experience. Practice School-I (PS-I) is an eight-week program at a company during the summer term after completion of one’s second year. It is graded by the Institute and corresponds to five credits in one’s grade. PS-II is offered in the fourth year for single-degree students and they can take it up in either semester. Dual Degree students can opt for PS-II in both semesters of their fifth year. PS-II is a 22 week program and is worth 20 credits. Students also have the option of exchanging PS-II with a thesis if they wish to foray into the research domain. The allotments of PS stations are done based on a student’s CGPA and personal preference, given that they meet the prerequisites by companies. One’s PS-II station might also offer them a Pre-Placement Offer(PPO) in some cases.

Scholarships

There are two types of scholarships offered at BITS:

1. Merit Scholarship: This is offered to students based purely on their academic achievements. The top 1% of students get a 100% reimbursement and the next 2% get a 40% reimbursement on their semester fees.

2. Merit-cum-Need (MCN) Scholarship: This is offered to students based on their CPGA and the gross annual income of their parents or guardians. These cover 80% reimbursement of semester fees for 3% of students; 40% of semester fees for 6% of students; 25% of semester fees for 12% of students and 15% of semester fees for 6% of students. A minimum CGPA of 6.00 is required for this scholarship. For the previous session, the maximum annual income of the student’s family had to be less than 11 lakh rupees per annum for them to be eligible for an MCN scholarship.