Editorial‘Dobby is free!’ was my first thought as I left the exam hall of the last competitive exam I would give for a long while; it was an ecstatic, almost euphoric, yelp. I thought that the madness spanning the last two years had finally ended and that then, I could finalfinally 'live my life'.As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, the relief is short-lived; looking at colleges, deciding which stream to pursue, worrying about whether you’ll be able to continue watching that TV show in college - it takes a lot out of a person.FFor the last three years, we at the English Press Club have been trying to help reduce that craziness in our own little way. We’ve talked to alumni and people in the field to help you make a more informed choice about which discipline to choose. We’ve compiled a (frank(frankly, rather short) list of things to show you what Pilani has to offer.

Academic AttributesDiscipline OverviewsScholarshipsCampus FacilitiesMapHostelsWhat to PackWhat to PackThe First Few DaysSports & Technical TeamsClubs & DepartmentsFests

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What’s inside

THE F NE PRINTIssue Zero

28th June 2015http://epc-bitspilani.com/

The English Press Club

MINORSItIt is one of the newer features of the BITSian academic system. Brought out in 2011 (and constantly upgraded ever since), minor programs allow a student to take non-disciplinary courses in a structured manner - two or three core courses and roughly the same number of electives - and receive a certificate for completion of the program, along with their major degree, when they graduate. Students are allowed to choose a minor to pursue at the end of their second year, and the courses are distributed over the remaining semesters. As of now, minor programs are available in Philosophy, Economics, and Politics (PEP), and in Film and Media, offered by the HumanitiesHumanities Department. A minor in Finance, too; is very popular among the students. Plans are being made to offer minors in other disciplines such as Physics. The minor programs offer another layer of flexibility to students,

equipping the BITSian with a basic understanding of a second field.

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ELECTIVESStudentsStudents are encouraged to choose from a plethora of electives from their second year onwards, and are required to take a minimum of three Humanities electives during their stay at BITS. These electives belong to fields like Indian classical music, history, spirituality and a few foreign languages as well. In addition to these Humanities electives, students are required to study a minimum of four core discipline electives as well. Single degree students are also encouraged to take up open electives, which are not restricted to their discipline. These electives are designed to provide students with a holistic education during their tenure at Pilani.

PRACTICE SCHOOLTheThe Practice School system at BITS Pilani is an age-old mechanism in place, ostensibly to foster industry-institution relationships. Each student has to complete two instalments of Practice School, or PS, one in the summer of his second year (PS-1) and one in his/her fourth year (PS-2). Students who are completing two degrees (explained below) have the option of doing two sessions of PS-2 in their fifth year. BITS allows a student to swap their PS-2 for a thesis, if the student’s courses are incomplete. The PS stations are allocated by the institute and are decided on the basis of one’s choice and CGPA, in that order. A single-degree student will,will, thus, spend only 7 semesters on campus, with the 8th semester being taken up by the second instalment of Practice School. (Alternatively, one can spend their 8th semester on campus and take up PS-2 in their 7th

semester).

EVALUATION COMPONENTSEvaluationEvaluation at BITS follows a continuous scheme, with tutorial tests, quizzes and various others held at regular intervals. These minor components all add up to a fair chunk of the overall course. Students are advised to take these seriously, as high CGPAs are generally built around the minor tests. In addition to these, a mid-semester exam is held, and a comprehensive exam is conducted in the last days of the semester, both of which follow a cumulative portion pattern. These exams may either be open-book, closed-book, or a combination of both. Marks obtained in all these components are added up, and the total is used to assign a grade to each student. GradingGrading at BITS is relative, which implies that one needs to consistently be better than most (if not all) of those competing with him in order to obtain a high CGPA, which is useful in many cases, as explainedbelow.

Academic Attributes

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As enumerated above, BITS offers a wide room to chop and change as far as the curriculum is concerned. Students are requested to check the BITS website for more details regarding the same, as this article is only meant to provide a basic idea regarding the facilities, and NOT an advisory

document.

STUDY ORIENTED PROJECTSStudy Oriented Projects, or SOPs, are investigatory projects that a student performs under the guidance of a member of the faculty, not necessarily from his academic discipline. They are not mandatory components of the curriculum, and are granted only on request by the student in question. A student needs to specifically apply for a SOP, which may or may not be granted depending on availability of slots under the professor he/she has

asked.

BRANCH TRANSFERSBranch transfers, or ‘vertis’ in BITSian lingo, are opted for by those unhappy with their existing degree. A transfer can be between any two degrees, and is again decided by one’s CGPA at the end of the first two semesters. The CGPA required is

on the higher side, at around 9.5. The requisite CGPA, however, varies depending on the desired branch.

EARLY/LATE GRADUATIONFor the exceptionally talented and/or extremely disoriented, BITS offers the opportunity to overload courses. Overloading is the act of taking up more courses in the semester than are prescribed, thus increasing the credit load. This will obviously increase the pressure on a student, but will also allow him the opportunity to graduate ahead of schedule. On the other hand, BITS allows students to take fewer courses than recommended each

semester and hence, graduate later than most batchmates.

DUAL DEGREEBITSBITS is renowned for its unique dual degree scheme, which allows students to graduate with two degrees in five years. Students who join college with an M.Sc. (Hons.) degree are guaranteed an option to graduate with their initial degree and a B.E. (Hons.) degree as well. The B.E. (Hons.) degrees are allotted to students at the end of the first year based on their preferences and their CGPA. The CGPA cutoffs for the various B.E. (Hons.) degrees are given below. Those joining with a B.E. (Hons.) degree can also opt for a dual degree with any of the other degrees. A B.E. (Hons.) + B.E. (Hons.) dual requires a higher CGPA than a dual with an M.Sc. (Hons.) degree. These dual degree combinations also take 5 years to complete.degree. These dual degree combinations also take 5 years to complete.

A1ChemicalEngineering

Discipline OverviewsThe following section attempts to present a general summary of the various Integrated First Degree courses offered at BITS Pilani. We hope to dispel your doubts regarding the course structure, job description and future prospects promised by these disciplines. Apart from the general overview of the discipline, we have tried to blend in valuable insights and statistics (where applicable).

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A2CivilEngineeringHere's a heads-up for those entering BITS with this branch — when you're giving your introduction, you're likely to be greeted with sneers at the mention of your discipline. But those doing the sneering are also likely to be talking through their hats, so pay them no heed. Civil is one of the oldest branches of engineering, and its importance unquestionable. AlthoughAlthough you might start with little after graduating, (perhaps explaining the sneer), you'll advance quickly and the scope for growth is boundless. Here's a look at what lies ahead:

WHAT CIVIL ENGINEERS DOIf you've seen one of those extravagant programmes on Discovery Channel extolling the structural wonders of the world, you know that civil engineers do more than just build houses and apartments. Planning, design, construction, and maintenance of all kinds of infrastructure, including highways, bridges, tunnels, railways, treatment plants, skyscrapers, pipelines, dams and basically, any structure that you see, requires civil engineers at engineers at every step.

Construction is just one part of the story. If you're not interested in that, you could get into management and planning of transportation systems such as the Metro Rail, intelligent vehicle and highway systems (IVHS), automated highway systems and many more fancy-sounding domains that come under the umbrella of intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Geotechnical testingtesting and environmental engineering are popular fields too.

Not all work is "on-site" either. Softwares like AutoCAD, STAAD, Primavera, and Revit are extensively used by civil engineers. On the more technologically advanced side are fields such as remote sensing and geographic information systems. Then there are corporate jobs as well, like being an evaluator for a bank.

WHAT YOU STUDY IN BITS TO BECOME ONETThe courses you would be studying as part of your first degree program aim to cover most of the foundations of the discipline in an introductory sense. The courses are engaging and well structured. Instructors are supportive and know their courses well, making most of the lectures very interesting to attend.

InIn the second year, you study subjects that impart preliminary knowledge of the various fields in civil engineering, viz. basics of structural analysis,

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A8Electrical &Electronics

A4ABmechanical &manufacturing

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A5pharmaceuticalstudies

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A7computerscience

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B1BIOLOGY

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B2chemistry

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B3economics

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B4Mathematics

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B5physicsWhat you study in BITS to become oneWWhile this physics course might not be the best option for you if have your mind set on pursuing a career as a physics researcher or academician, many people choose this over the other options like IISc and IISERs because of their uncertainty regarding whether a life of research and education is really the way to go. Although this dedegree might not have as much significance as some of the other degrees offered at various other institutes, the course structure gives you an exposure to the wide array of fields which is rather useful in its own way. In the second year, when your physics courses actually start, the foundations will be set, with crucial courses like ClassicalClassical Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory (I & II), Optics, Quantum Mechanics and Mathematical Methods. Following these cardinal courses, foundations are fortified with advanced courses like Statistical Mechanics and insights into up-and-coming fields like nuclear physics and solid state physics over the next few semestersemesters. There is also the option of studying about other interesting topics like Relativity and Quantum Computation through the various disciplinary electives offered.

What you can do after graduating Many follow up an undergraduate degree with a graduate degree and a doctorate at one of the more prestigious intitutes around the world. With fields like cosmology, particle physics and solid state physics heating up, more students have numerous yellow brick roads to step out into after completion of the degree. Without a Ph.Ph.D, most find it nearly impossible to break into the field of research or even hold a post at a prestigious institute as a professor.

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BITS Pilani strives to provide the best quality education for its students. However, this is not an inexpensive prospect, and the institute understands the burden this puts on the students and their parents alike. To alleviate this burden a little and to ensure that students get to fully experience their college life, a variety of

scholarships are provided.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Another important scholarship is awarded through the Student Aid Fund (SAF). This is usually awarded in the second semester to the students in need. The documents that need to be submitted at the SWD as part of the application include a salary slip/certificate, MRO,

affidavit, tehsildar certificate, etc. stating the annual income of the parents.SWD also forwards requests for scholarships by students to external agencies.

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MERIT CUM NEED

STUDENT AID FUND

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN PROGRAM

BITSAA SCHOLARSHIPS

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Today, the BITS Alumni Association (BITSAA) boasts of being one of the strongest alumni networks of any university. The alumni have always been eager to give back to their alma mater and have set up a number of scholarships, the details of which are as follows:

1. BITSAA Travel Scholarships support the travel expenses of students participating in the academic events of international repute. The travel period should necessarily lie in the period of his/her study at BITS.

2.2. The BITSAA Graduate Application Scholarship provides financial assistance for BITSians for their applications to M.S./Ph.D programs. All students who are currently pursuing their undergraduate/graduate degrees in any of the BITSian campuses are eligible to apply for the scholarship.

3.3. Zero percent loan scholarship is aimed at providing assistance for various academic purposes like undergraduate studies at BITS, paper publication, attending international conferences, seminars and competitions, MS/PhD applications, etc. It is a peer-to-peer lending program where you can lend funds at 0% interest to a fellow BITSian for educational purposes only. The lender will choose the type of loan to support and the criteria to select borrowers. Donors can setup loans named after them that can stay in perpetuity. Based on the donor's criteria, loans can be provided for the following requests:

a. Graduate studies in the US (Ma. Graduate studies in the US (MS, MBA, PhD)b. US graduate program application costsc. Attendance costs for international competitions, conferences, seminars and other eventsd. Graduate studies in Indiae. Undergraduate studies at BITS Pilani.

4.4. BITSAA is also willing to provide scholarships for projects undertaken by students at BITS Pilani. In the past, BITSAA has supported the development of India's first humanoid AcYut and its participation at international competitions and conferences.

5. Paper publication is supported by alumni through the endowment fund donated by the batch of 1966. Four grants, each worth Rs. 5000 for undergraduate students and two grants worth Rs. 10,000 each for post-graduate students are to be awarded for publishing papers in reputed journals. The institute is always committed to generate, disseminate and preserve knowledge.

No matter No matter what economic background you come from, at BITS you will always find opportunities to realize your potential.

The Community Welfare Unit, BITS Pilani operates the Earn While You Learn Program (EWYLP), providing financial assistance to students by employing them in jobs like service in the supermarket 'Akshay', magazine distribution or working in the library. With many research projects available each semester, a few students are selected as Professional Assistants for laboratory work, office assistance, etc. The selection and operation of assistantship is done by the

Instruction Division.

Campus FacilitiesSaraswati Mandir and Temple Lawns: The Saraswati temple, adorned with figurines of influential people throughout history on its outer walls, represents a confluence of science and religion. The stretch of greenery ahead, known as T-Lawns, is one of the spots every first year will visit during interactions.

Eateries:FoodFood King: The only South Indian food deemed acceptable (Annapurna at C'not precluded) by the large majority of the campus residents hailing from down under. Overall, the food is indeed delicious for slightly high prices. Stays open from 5pm till around 1:30 am.

InstituteInstitute Canteen (IC): Open during the institute's working hours. Easy on your pocket and will provide you with a decent selection.

AllAll Night Canteen (ANC): Where all those treats, for birthdays, in return for certain favours or possibly the most random reason you can think of, get redeemed. Purchases are charged to your ID card and thus added to your mess bill, to be paid at the end of the month. A godsend when you're pulling all-nighters during exams, it opens around 5 pm and closes around 2 am.

Redis:Redis: The places lightest on the wallet to grab a quick papdi chat or a cup of piping hot chai, these redis are the lifelines of a student's hostel life. Often having been passed down through generations, these stalls are the perfect spots for a quick bite in between classes.

StudentStudent Activities Centre (SAC): With clubs and departments having their own allotted rooms, it also boasts of a small amphitheatre, badminton, squash and table tennis courts and a gymnasium. Invariably abuzz with numerous activities going on simultaneously.

GGym Grounds (Gym-G): Host to the old, now-defunct gym building and to the BITS Open Sports Meet (BOSM), Gym-G is the go-to place for anyone athletically inclined. Comprises of the basketball, tennis and volleyball courts.

MedicalMedical Centre (MedC): Provides basic medical facilities to the students. One can also avail the services of dentists who consult weekly and counsellors who visit periodically. Also has an attached medical store, where students can buy medicines on their ID cards.

ResRestaraunts outisde campus: For those who will exhaust all the food haunts on campus pretty quickly, Pilani also offers the experience of 'eating out' at Sarla Paradise, Vatika, Cruncheez, La Pizzeria, Sandpiper Cafe, Da Mac 'N Cheese, Hot Chix and more. Lazeez (known for its delicious rolls) and Cruncheez also offer to have your food delivered.

ProTip: Use the map.17

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Me use chappals everywhere. Shoes wherever chappal no.

Chappals – two pairs for bathroom/room use. Sandals and Sneakers for general public use. Sport shoes. Formal shoes for those special occasions.

Footwear

ME SURVIVE ALL! Go and buy in Akshay if need. Or take from

wing.

Locks for the room and my cupboard, room-cleaning apparatus, curtains, and room-freshening spray..... better be prepared enough.

Miscellaneous

Bath boring. Me enough clean clothes fortnight. Innerwear lots

= good. Washing bore. T-shirts dozen, shorts, pants, socks

several pair. Jeans - Labs, parties ever, Washing never. Nighties for chumps - me sleep however. Towel - me wipe bath water, or sweat. - me wipe bath water, or sweat. Mommy force – give thermals,

sweater, jacket.

I'll take enough innerwear and nighties to survive for about ten days. A dozen T-shirts, multiple styles of shorts/pants, 4 pairs of jeans; special T-shirts/Shirts for the social events. A few sets of sporty attire. Eight pairs of socks – colour-coded by use. Thermals, a few sweaters, winter jackets and caps of different colours. jackets and caps of different colours.

Clothes

Me sleep on bare cot. Akshay have things, though.

My favourite pillow and the Mickey Mouse bed-ding set will accompany me. Akshay has good mattresses.

Bedding

Me trust in Akshay (or overzealous wingie - see citykid) – buy one of what

see. No bring.

What if Akshay doesn't have my preferred brand? I'd better stock up on my favourite soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, hair oil, hair gel, talcum powder, toothpaste, mouthwash, perfume, cologne, and mud pack. Oh, and my combs and brushes.

Toiletries

Books & StationeryMy lucky notebooks, pens, pencils, electric sharpener, and geometry box! I can't bear leav-ing them! I'll buy new text-books, graph sheets, record books and practice books from Akshay. Hmmm, I do need a small bag and a bigger bag for carrying these books to class. Almost forgot: a dictionary for that report writing course.

Bring backpack. Book maybe heavy. Me buy notebook(s) in Akshay.

Steal pen from lab. Get textbooks from senior. No bring from home. Me get extra notebooks when

prof demands.

TechnologyPhone if mommy call and for alarm.

Charger for phone. USB Drive (oooh, shiny) Laptop? *scratches head*

Study? What DC?

My smartphone, its charger, its battery-pack, its charger; my Kindle,its charger; my laptop (the academics one), its charger. I can buy a table lamp and a power-strip from Akshay.

Caveman Citykid

While preparing for transfer from the sweet comforts of home to Pilani, one often wonders about the strains that this village might impose on its young residents. Most students eventually get used to the place by the end of their first year, adopting a healthy mix from what could be called the "Caveman vs Citykid" rules of packing for Pilani. Assuming the originals (and copies) of required academic documents are taken, here are the extremes to which packing could be done.

Frugality Or Frivolity?Bare Basics or Meticulous Maxima?

As the BITS Buddha says, follow the middle path. Believe in Akshay.

Packing For Pilani: A few pointers

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It’s been a long two-year stint. After the extended stay indoors, the heaviest thing you’ve lifted in a while is that R.D. Sharma book on the top shelf. You look even more pasty-skinned than usual,

and the late-night snacking has taken its toll.

SPORTS

Technical TeamsBITS, being one of the foremost technical institutes in the nation, plays host to a variety of teams that seek to constantly push the envelope of technology and design as we know it. With projects focusing on space research, electronics, and automobile engineering, there is ample opportunity to participate in ground-breaking research, no matter which discipline you choose.

Anant

TTeam Anant is Pilani’s first venture into the realm of space technology .The ambitious project aims to develop an indigenous nanosatellite and subsequently launch it in space in collaboration with ISRO. It was one of the top projects showcased during the BITSAA Global Meet 2014, and has so far made three submissions to the International Astronomical Conference. Known on campuscampus for being workaholics and supremely dedicated to their work, the team has come a long way since its inception back in January 2013.

Inspired Karters

If you are interested in things that go vroom, the Inspired Karters teams for Baja and Formula Students are the places to be. The Baja team is an engineering project which annually designs, fabricates and races an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) in various events, such as Delta Shootout

BAJA Student India, SAE BAJA South Africa, etc. Placed third in Traction this year, the team spends long hours in the workshop as they assemble the vehicle from scratch. The FS (Formula Student) team represented BITS Pilani internationally this year. They

stood 31st globally, and 1st nationally in Design.

AcYut

AcAcYut is the name of the series of humanoid robots being developed at the Centre for Robotics and Intelligent Systems at BITS, Pilani. Over the years, Team AcYut has won a series of robotics events around the globe, notably the Robo-cup at Iran and the Robo-games at San Francisco in 2011. It is India's first indigenously developed humanoid robot and is cucurrently sponsored by Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.

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Clubs & DepartmentsWhen the turmoil and commotion over registration and time-table making settles down, there begins a flurry of activities known as department interactions. They are diverse and aplenty, and it is here that you will surely run into like-minded people, depending on whatever tenacious interest you pursue.

TheThe line between departments and clubs is more or less well defined. Departments work for, and during, the three fests, while clubs work throughout the year, showing heightened activity throughout the fest. Clubs have recruitment tests whereas departments have other disparate and compelling ways of enlistment. Designed with fests in mind, departments cover every aspect of organising the fests.

DepaDepartment of Sponsorship and Marketing ropes in sponsors. Controls handles logistics. Firewallz sees them at the gate. Audi Force gathers at the entrance to the ‘Audi’ which is decorated by the department of Art, Design and Publicity. The Department of Stage Controls handles Lights, Sounds and the work backstage. Reception and Accommodation makes their stay here pleasant. The Department of Photography gives them evidence of their ststay on photo paper. Publications and Correspondence, Department of Visual Media, Paper Evaluation and Presentation also contribute in the way their names suggest. The Department of Theatre, Department of Live Events, Informalz organize a wide variety of events.

As for the clubs, one can choose from English Press Club (EPC), Hindi Press Club (HPC), Astronomy, Creative Activities, Dance, Music, English/Hindi Drama, Poetry, Mime, and Photogrpahy clubs, Hindi Activities Society (HAS), Debating Society, English Language Activities Society (ELAS), Matrix (for book and movie reviews), and Ragamailka - the classical dance and music club.

TheseThese institutions keep the campus fluid and alive with a sense of happening. However, the final picture is only painted when the sandstorm, water shortage and scary seniors, visualized by the first yearite come crashing down on arrival, but the sandstorrm and water shortage go away.

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Fests

The annual management fest, this one is for lovers of the corporate world. Organised by the Department of Manage-ment in February over a course of three days, it encourages students to learn and share ideas to run dynamic Indian industries. Popular events include ones on marketing plans, budget, investment, stocks and case studies, with prizes worth Rs. 5 lakhs. Guest lectures and media conferences brighten it up further. These have been graced by Dr. Man-mohan Singh, Derek O’ Brien, Rajesh Pilot, Neelesh Mishra and a multitude of Indian corporate executives. This fest provides an insight into management to MBA aspirants in a mostly engineering institute. Quite the need of the hour.

INTERFACE

OASISIndia’s second largest cultural fest, next only to Mood Indigo, Oasis is the most vibrant period of time on campus, doubling Pilani’s population for half a week. An ear for music? Go take part in any of the various events on offer, in-cluding Tarang (an Indian music event), Andholika (a vocal competition), Pitch Perfect (an a cappella event) and Swaranjali (an Indian classical music competition). Strut your stuff on the ramp for FashP. Enamour the outstation crowds with your dances both on stage and off it (TDC alert). Let the array of quizzes bring out your smart side. Or just show the world your theatrical or artistic talents. If nothing else, you can debate your way through, find hhidden treasure or take part in numerous online events. You could even be the next Mr./Ms. Oasis. This fest, right in the beginning of November, has witnessed professional shows by the likes of Shankar Mahadevan, Benny Dayal, Raghu Dixit, Mysore Violin Brothers, Farhan Akhtar, VishalShekhar, Vir Das, Ayushmann Khurrana, UK band Good Shoes, Soulmate, Thermal and a Quarter, Motherjane, Bhayanak Maut and many more. Every year, all the diverse activities are brought together under one common theme. As a wise man famously said, “if everything else fails to at-tract your mind, in BITS Pilani, Oasis you will find.”

BOSM BITS Open Sports Meet is the first fest of the academic year, generally in the second half of September. Be it ath-letics, outdoor sports like volleyball, basketball, hockey, football and cricket; even indoor games like badminton, squash, table tennis, carrom and chess; or even swimming, bodybuilding, powerlifting, boxcricket, remote controlled racing, and puzzle solving, BOSM is the only time when nonsporty BITSians get exercise, generally from all the walking around involved in the food stalls. Notable events are the innovative Quidditch, Anti Chess, CracoDial and Street Football. BOSM also boasts of a Sports Quiz and an online photography contest. What’s more, it is famous ffor being one of the largest student managed sports fests in the country. So, tie up your shoelaces, flex your mus-cles, take guard and be ready. Play against the best of teams from within India and abroad. Buckle up for four days of Grit, Guts and Glory.

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P.S. Don’t worry. You don’t need a call from the Director. Read The Fine Print.

APOGEEA Professional's Oriented Gathering of Educational Experience, the annual technical festival, for those thrown off by the discreet name, is held in March. If none of the above fests held your interest, this one surely will. This is when Tom, the loafer, doles out jargon; when half of the campus involves itself in one or more projects, belonging to any of the fifteen expansive categories; when people usually strolling through the lawns take refuge in robotics, computing and electronics workshops. If not projects, students hope to make it big in the paper presentation, competing against others from the IITs and NITs, amongst many others.

MMultiple online events, like the much talked about Lacuna, as well as other technical ones are very popular. The same goes for the numerous quizzes, the most popular being the prestigious BoB (Brain of BITS). Robo Wars, Full Throttle Grand Prix, Junkyard Wars, Battle at Waterloo, Remote Controlled Car Racing, Google Social Hackathon, Track--o-mania and several other events are highly looked forward to. In addition to these, there are finance events involv-ing stocks and wealth management like Market Simulation. The penultimate night of the fest also features Mithali, an amalgamation of performances by the Music Club, Dance Club and Mime Club.

The unique feature about the fest is the Think Again Conclave, comprised of immensely interesting and varied guest lectures. Previous speakers include Jeff Liebermann (host, Time Warp), Walter Lewin (Professor emeritus, MIT), Walter Bender (former executive director, MIT Media Lab) David J. Peterson (language creator, Game of Thrones etc.), Divya Narendra (CEO, SumZero), Pawan Agrawal (CEO, Mumbai Dabbawalas Association) and AdMan Piyush Pandey. The lectures are extremely popular and are highly attended by students, outstis and professors alike. Take part in this fest and get smart.

QEDBITSMUN seeming too dull for your aggressive debating instinct? Then QED it is. Our annual national debating tournament, it is organised during the same time period as BITSMUN. It follows the 3 on 3 Asian Parliamentary format. Also, each team is accompanied by adjudicators, who are judged separately by a national level Adjudication Core. The total prize money for teams and adjudicators together goes over two lakh rupees. The variety of topics will keep you longing for more. Definitely something worth trying out.

BITSMUNBITS Model United Nations. Held in February over three days, each country is represented by a delegate in multiple committees and all delegates together try to solve issues plaguing the world. The test of a delegate lies in his debating powers, coupled with his analytical and communication skills. All this while, he must ensure he follows the decorum of the UN, diplomatically getting his country’s policies approved. This simulation is highly entertaining, to say the least. BITSMUN’s usual committees include DISEC, ECOSOC, UNHRC, NATO and Doomsday and also novelty commit-tees like the Game of Thrones Council. The sessions consist of individual speeches, debates, moderated and unmod-erated caucuses and preparing draft resolutions. Each committee has a presiding Chair, while the members of the In-ternational Press do their job discreetly. The best delegates in each category are rewarded with cash prizes. After all, who doesn’t enjoy some diplomacy once in a while?

The TeamAnanth, Anish, Archit, Madhusudan, Pratik, Rahul, Rusheen, Soumya, Srishti, Tanay, Tanmayee, Vijay;

Akhilesh, Danish, Deeksha, Devina, Gayatri, Lasya, Manesh, Sanket, Shubham, Vaishnavi, Venu, Vishal, Yimkum;Gautham, Lalilt, Niharika, Pranav, Prayaag, Rishabh, Saylee, Sibesh, Pranjali.