Chapter 02
The Academic Forest
You can't neglect academics, but don't be consumed by them either. It's a balance — which, like most things here, you figure out yourself. Take between 9 and 25 credits a semester. No exceptions.
The grading ladder
- A10
- A-9
- B8
- B-7
- C6
- C-5
- D4
- E2
SGPA = grade points ÷ credits for the sem. CGPA = the same, across all semesters. Most courses average out at a B−. An NC or RC means repeating or supplementing credits.
CDCs
Core Disciplinary Courses — mandatory, branch-specific, and non-negotiable. No valid grade, no graduation.
Disciplinary Electives
Explore your branch on your own terms. Minimum 4 (12 credits) to graduate; usually taken from 2-2 onwards.
Humanities Electives
The fun ones — literature, philosophy, cinema. Minimum 3 (8 credits). Watch the swap-period stampede.
Open Electives
Anything goes, if you meet prerequisites. Minimum 5 (15 credits). Great for stacking a minor.
Practice School
Two built-in internships. PS-I — a two-month summer stint after 2-2 (5 credits, no stipend). PS-II — a semester-long paid internship in your final year (20 credits). Stations are allotted by CGPA, preferences considered.
Student Coordinator — Practice School
The Practice School Division appoints student coordinators to support and facilitate PS-I and PS-II activities, working closely with PSD faculty and staff.
Financial aid
Merit Scholarship (automatic, CGPA-based — last year's 100% waiver cutoff sat near 9.8), Merit-Cum-Need (income-based, apply via SWD), the Student Aid Fund, and SBI education loans right on campus — up to 40L without collateral.
Summer term
A short term over the summer break to clear courses you couldn't fit into a regular semester. Since you're capped at 21 or 25 credits a sem (it depends on your individual course structure), a packed schedule can leave a few courses stranded.
Who takes it
Mostly people repeating courses, and dualites clearing courses like finance to stay on track for their degree.
Why not just repeat?
Repeating a course during normal college days is free — but credit limits and a hectic schedule push many to summer term instead.
The catch
You stay back over summer (often in 3rd year) and pay an extra fee to complete the courses.
BITSOM 3+2 BE-MBA pathway
A BITS Pilani and BITS School of Management, Mumbai pathway: complete three years of your BE at BITS, then move to BITSoM for a two-year MBA. Eligibility and selection details can change, so use current institute announcements as the final source.
Check the latest institute announcement for the current eligibility benchmark and application process.
Going global: the 2+2 dual degree
Enrolled in the 2+2 international program? You start at BITS and finish abroad, earning degrees from both. Partner universities and their CGPA cutoffs:
RMIT University
Australia
CGPA 4.5+
One online RMIT course per sem; an immersion trip after Year 1.
University at Buffalo
USA
CGPA 6.0+
A D grade in every subject; one online UB course each sem.
Iowa State University
USA
CGPA 5.75+
No dedicated ISU courses at BITS — you follow the standard curriculum.
CentraleSupélec
Paris, France
Partner track
One of the European pathways for the program.
Rensselaer Polytechnic
Troy, NY, USA
Partner track
A US pathway rounding out the collaboration list.
Most tracks require a mandatory summer term at BITS to meet credit requirements.
Dual degree allotment
2024 dataAfter first year, single-degree students can request an upgrade to a dual degree based on CGPA. 343 students were allotted in 2024 — here's where they landed and the probable lower cutoffs that year (indicative, they shift each year).
Probable lower CG cutoffs
- A7Computer Science8.11 – 8.13
- ADMathematics and Computing (MnC)7.97 – 8.03
- AAElectronics & Comm.7.60 – 7.62
- A3Electrical & Electronics7.11 – 7.19
- A8Electronics & Instr.6.89 – 6.95
- A4Mechanical5.50 – 6.05
Seats allotted per branch
- A78925.95%
- AA6318.37%
- A36117.78%
- A45616.33%
- A8319.04%
- AD257.29%
- A1133.79%
- A251.46%
A-series are the engineering dual branches (A7 Computer Science, AA Electronics & Communication, A3 EEE, A4 Mechanical, A8 Electronics & Instrumentation, AD Mathematics and Computing (MnC)).