Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (Hindi: ; BITS Pilani) is one of Indias leading higher education institutes

tutes and a deemed university under Sec. 3 of the UGC act. The university consists of 15 academic departments with a focus on education in engineering and sciences. BITS Pilani has campuses in Pilani, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (BITS Pilani, Dubai Campus),[12] Goa, India (BITS Pilani Goa),[13] Hyderabad, India (BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus)[14] and an extension center in Bangalore, India.[15] Although the campuses are autonomous for most part, the same degrees are awarded at all the campuses by the university. It is the first Indian institution to set up a campus outside India.[16][17][18] The institute was established, in its present form, in 1964 with a vision to realise Jawaharlal Nehrus project of nation-building with an emphasis on "science, technology and modernization." During this period, the institute's transformation from a regional engineering college to a national university was backed by G.D. Birla. Massachusetts Institute of Technology provided technical assistance that was required for this transformation.[19] The institute administers the all-India computerised entrance test, BITSAT (BITS Admission Test), which is the first of its kind in India.[20][21]BITSAT is now the most competitive of all national engineering entrance exams in the country. Based on number of applications received, 136,000 students are expected to take the BITSAT2012 for admission to a total of 2,000 seats at the institute,which means that an average of 68 students will compete for a seat in this year. Acceptance rate in BITS is very low, less than 1.47% in 2012,[22] making it the most competitive and selective university in India. The admission is on the basis of merit (as assessed by the BITSAT examination) and not through any kind of reservation.[23][24] The institute is privately supported and fully residential.[25] The institute has strong ties with industry, as can be seen by its off-campus Work Integrated Learning Program (WILP) which enrolled 19,000 students from corporate enterprises in 2009.[26] Practical experience in the industry is in the curriculum as a Practice School program, where students work with companies located across India and abroad.[27]