Good news for students: BITS Pilani, IIT Madras tie up to let students study and do research at each other’s campuses

IIT Madras and BITS Pilani have entered into a collaboration to offer research and student exchange programmes. The tie-up is expected to promote academic and research collaboration between the two institutions.

Written by: Hritika Mitra

Published: September 30, 2026, 7:38 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/education/good-news-for-students-bits-pilani-iit-madras-tie-up-to-let-students-study-and-do-research-at-each-others-campuses-8531662/ Copy

BITS Pilani Chancellor V. Ramgopal Rao (left) with IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti (right) welcomed the collaboration. Image Credit: @ramgopal_rao/X

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras have tied up to strengthen cooperation in academics and research, the institutions announced.

Under the five-year agreement, the two institutions will work together in areas where their academic and research interests overlap, IIT Madras said in a press statement. Students and faculty can move between the two, and they can share academic and scholarly information, materials and publications. They will also be able to hold seminars, workshops and other academic meetings together.

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According to Hindustan Times, Professor V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said, “BITS Pilani has always believed that students and faculty should have access to the best academic ecosystems, wherever they are. This collaboration with IIT Madras will create new opportunities for student mobility, joint research and faculty engagement, and will strengthen the larger culture of collaboration among India’s leading institutions.”

Central to the collaboration is a student exchange programme that lets BITS Pilani and IIT Madras students pursue coursework, research and project work at the partner institution.

What are the features of the collaboration?

Participants will be designated special exchange students and may enrol in courses for credit or audit, provided the relevant faculty or project supervisors approve and prerequisites are met.

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IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti welcomed the collaboration, saying he was extremely happy to have signed the MoU with BITS Pilani and looked forward to working closely on areas ranging from critical and emerging technologies to wellness initiatives.

This exchange program will give the provision of tuition-fee waivers at the host institution. Credits and grades earned during the exchange programme will be recognised by the home institution based on the academic report provided by the host institution.