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The
Bengal Institute of Technology and Management (BITM)
is located in Santiniketan - a place you wouldn't readily
associate with an engineering college. Even the surroundings
are very different from, say, a BE College or a Jadavpur
University. Situated in the midst of paddy fields along
the Sriniketan bypass, seven kilometres from Bolpur, the
BITM campus looks desolate and there's hardly any transport
connecting the college to the nearest town. But once you
enter BITM, it's a different world. You are greeted by huge
buildings, gardens, canteens, laboratories and playgrounds
that dot the 60-acre campus.
Up
and running
Started in 2001 by the Camellia Group, BITM, Santiniketan
had a humble beginning with just 250 students in two engineering
streams. Initially, it was affiliated to the Visva Bharati
University, but in 2003, it moved under the West Bengal
University of Technology (WBUT). In the last four years,
BITM has grown. The college now has 900 students in five
engineering streams - computer science, electronics and
communication, electrical, information technology and applied
electronics and instrumentation. There is also a management
school and a hospitality management school.
The idea behind the location, according to the authorities,
was to take technological and management education to remote
areas. But the ride hasn't been smooth. The college has
no access to the VSNL Internet facility and subscribes to
a private service provider, which is erratic. Besides, it
struggles to procure books for its libraries that have to
be transported from Calcutta with great difficulty.
But despite the shortcomings, BITM students have been faring
well in both the engineering and management streams. On
an average, students have secured a grade-point-average
(GPA) of above 7.34 in management and 7.0 in engineering.
"The scores have been good. We have struggled a little
to arrange for the facilities, but it was expected,"
says the director, Dr M.N. Gupta. "We are doing our
best to tide over the shortcomings. Very soon we will have
the best infrastructure for technological and management
education in the state," he adds.
A
desire to excel
Despite its limitations, BITM at Santiniketan has not done
too badly when it comes to the infrastructure. It has five
computer laboratories and digital communication engineering
laboratories besides chemistry, physics and a host of other
labs.
The institute also has a computerised central library. The
best thing about BITM is its faculty, claim the authorities.
"The Institute has a number of PhDs and MTechs, apart
from visiting professors from places like the IITs, Calcutta
University, Visva Bharati University and Burdwan University.
The quality of students has improved as well
over the last few years.
Previously, admissions would start with students who secured
around the 15,000 rank in the joint entrance examination.
It has now gone up to 3,000. "Our college now ranks
among the best in the state," says Prof. S.K. Kuila,
head of the department of physics.
Dynamics
of change
But the long-term goal, according to the director, is to
achieve autonomy. "Our syllabus is huge and time is
short. Modern sciences change every six months, so we need
more flexibility," explains Dr Gupta.
At present, the talking point at the campus is placements.
The first batch under WBUT will graduate in 2007 and campus
interviews are on in full swing. Companies like Dell, Wipro,
IBM, GE Capital, Reliance Petrochemical, Cadbury India,
Godrej and Eveready have already visited the campus. Special
grooming sessions are conducted for students appearing for
interviews. "We are now more confident," says
second-year MBA student Piyal Gupta.
But students complain that life on campus is devoid of fun.
"It's a packed schedule with little time to relax,"
says Shibdas Biswas, another second-year MBA student.
Address
of Communication BITM Campus, (CAMPUS): Santiniketan,Bolpur,
Dist-Bhirbhum, West Bengal. Pin: 731236 CORPORATE
OFFICE: 32A, C R Avenue, Trust House, 7th Floor. Kolkata
-12
Phone No. CORPORATE OFF: 98308-83107,(033)2212-1007
/ 92885/2218. Campus: (03463) 271353/4
Fax No. CORPORATE OFF:2237-7540Campus: (03463) 271371
E-mail Address: bitm@vsnl.netcamelliagroup@vsnl.net
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