Engineering · Entrance Exams

BITSAT 2026 Cutoff, Exam Dates and Sessions, Exam Pattern, Bonus Questions, Eligibility, Fee, Iterations and Free BITSAT Mock Tests

BITSAT is the entrance test for the Birla Institute of Technology and Science campuses at Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad. It covers physics, chemistry and mathematics like every other engineering entrance, and then adds two sections nobody else asks for: English proficiency and logical reasoning.

It also has a rule found in no other Indian entrance examination. Finish all 130 questions with time remaining and you may opt for twelve additional bonus questions — but doing so is irreversible, and you cannot return to the questions you have already answered.

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BITSAT · checked 19 September 2026

BITSAT at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free BITSAT mock testBITSAT syllabusToday’s current affairs
19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

BITSAT: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Applications 15 December 2025 – 19 March 2026; Session 1 on 15–16 April 2026; Session 2 window 20 April – 5 May; Session 2 on 24–27 May 2026…

    2026 cycle

  2. 02

    Not yet announced; the 2026 application window opened on 15 December 2025 — expect the 2027 brochure in December 2026

    BITSAT 2027

  3. 03

    BITS Pilani, computer-based in two sessions a year, for the integrated first-degree programmes (B.E., M.Sc. and B.Pharm.) at the Pilani, K K Birla…

    Conducted by

  4. 04

    130 questions in 3 hours without break: Physics 30, Chemistry 30, English Proficiency 10, Logical Reasoning 20, Mathematics or Biology 40; +3 for…

    Pattern

Notification

BITSAT notification and key dates

Checked 15 September 2026 on bitsadmission.com and admissions.bits-pilani.ac.in. BITSAT 2026 is complete and the first-degree admission cycle for 2026-27 is closed: Session 1 was held on 15 and 16 April 2026 and Session 2 in the last week of May, the admission applications with class-12 marks closed on 3 June, and the iterations ran from the Iteration I admit list of 20 June through July, with refunds now being processed. BITSAT 2027 has not been announced.

BITSAT 2026 — the cycle as it ran (from the brochure and the admissions portal).
EventDate
Applications open15 December 2025
Deadline for Session 1 or both sessions19 March 2026, 5 p.m.
Edit window; test-city allotment; slot booking21–22 March; 28 March; 29–31 March 2026
Session 1 hall tickets and testFrom 10 April; test 15–16 April 2026
Session 2 application window20 April – 5 May 2026
Session 2 edit window, city allotment, slot booking8–9 May; 12 May; 14–15 May 2026
Session 2 test24–27 May 2026
Admission application with class-12 marks and preferences29 April – 3 June 2026; editing 9–10 June
Iteration I admit list and waitlist20 June 2026; acceptance and fee by 26 June
Iteration II1 July 2026; balance fee by 8 July; withdrawal 9–10 July
Iteration III14 July 2026; balance fee by 18 July; withdrawal 19–20 July
Iteration IV22 July 2026; balance fee by 25 July; reporting at campuses follows

What BITS changed for 2026-27

The brochure adds a 3+2 inter-campus programme — a B.E. at a BITS STEM campus followed by an MBA at BITSOM Mumbai — open to meritorious B.E. students and to board toppers, and continues direct admission for first-rank holders of the state and central boards of 2026 irrespective of BITSAT score. Cut-off scores per programme and campus are published with each iteration on the admissions portal; the 2027 brochure, application window and fee are expected in December 2026.

Overview

What BITSAT is, and who it suits

BITSAT is used for admission to the BITS campuses, which admit purely on test score without reference to a national counselling process. Admission is based on the BITSAT score alongside a minimum class 12 performance requirement, and the cutoffs for the popular programmes are high.

The paper differs from JEE Main in two important ways. It is longer in question count and shorter per question, which makes it distinctly a speed test. And thirty of its questions come from English proficiency and logical reasoning — sections that require no additional study for a well-read candidate but that are easy marks left on the table by those who ignore them entirely.

The five sections

  • Physics and Chemistry — thirty questions each, at a level comparable to JEE Main.
  • Mathematics or Biology — forty questions — biology for candidates applying to the pharmacy programme.
  • English Proficiency — ten questions on grammar, vocabulary and comprehension.
  • Logical Reasoning — twenty questions on verbal and non-verbal reasoning.

The bonus questions are a one-way door

If you complete all 130 questions before time expires, you may opt to attempt twelve additional questions — four each in physics, chemistry and mathematics. Choosing this is irreversible: you cannot go back to review or change any earlier answer. That makes it a genuine decision rather than a free bonus, and it should be made deliberately rather than in the moment.

Eligibility

Who can apply for BITSAT

BITSAT eligibility, from section 3 of the BITSAT-2026 brochure. BITS verifies the class-12 marks after the fee is paid and cancels admissions that fall short.

Who may apply.
ProgrammeRequirement
B.E. (except Environmental and Sustainability Engg.) and M.Sc. (except Biological Sciences)Class 12 of a recognised board with at least five subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, a language and one more; 75 per cent aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics and at least 60 per cent in each, theory and practical together
B.Pharm., B.E. Environmental and Sustainability Engg., M.Sc. Biological SciencesThe same with Biology in place of, or alongside, Mathematics; 75 per cent aggregate in PCB or PCM and 60 per cent in each
Year of class 12Passed in 2025 or appearing in 2026; 2026 candidates may reappear for improvement provided the results are available by the 1 June submission deadline and the pass status is unchanged
Board toppersFirst-rank holders of the state and central boards of 2026 are given direct admission to the programme of their choice, subject to the eligibility criteria, irrespective of the BITSAT score
CAIE and IBThe required subjects at A level or IB Higher Level

Also from the brochure

  • No age limit — the class-12 year condition (2025 or 2026) is the only limit on attempts; only the current year’s two sessions count.
  • Both sessions — a candidate may sit both; the higher score is used for admission.
  • Programme choice — the ordered preferences in the admission application decide the allotment; they can be edited in the June window.
  • Merit and need-based scholarships — awarded on institute evaluations after admission; the top 2 per cent receive a full tuition waiver.

Selection process

How BITSAT selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
StageFormatWhat it involves
BITSAT online test — Session 1 and Session 2Computer-based, 130 questions, 3 hours, in a slot reserved by the candidateFour parts in one sitting with no time limit per part and free movement between the 130 questions. +3 correct, −1 wrong, 0 unattempted. A candidate who answers all 130 may unlock 12 extra questions (three each in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology and Logical Reasoning) but cannot then revisit the first 130.
Admission application with class-12 marks and preferencesOnline, late April to early JuneEvery candidate who wants admission files the class-12 marks and an ordered list of programme-and-campus preferences; the higher BITSAT score of the two sessions is used. Board first-rank holders apply separately for direct admission.
Iterations, offers and reportingIteration I to IV or more, June to AugustBITS publishes an admit list and a waitlist after each iteration with the cut-off score of every programme at every campus; offers are accepted by paying the fee or advance within the deadline, and later iterations move waitlisted candidates up as seats free. Reporting is at the allotted campus for the August start.

Application to admission

How BITSAT runs, from the December application to the slot-booked test, the preferences and the iterations

The steps follow the BITSAT-2026 brochure and the admissions portal.

The BITSAT process

  1. Apply on admissions.bits-pilani.ac.in Register with an e-mail and mobile number, verify the e-mail, fill the form with the class-12 details and up to three test-city preferences, upload the photograph and signature, and pay the fee for Session 1, Session 2 or both. The Dubai centre carries a higher fee.
  2. Test city, slot and hall ticket BITS allots the test city about a week after the edit window and opens slot booking for two or three days; candidates choose the date and slot from those available in their city. The hall ticket is downloaded from about five days before the session.
  3. The test Three hours on a computer at the allotted centre: 130 questions across the four parts, answered in any order, with the option of 12 bonus questions on completing all 130. The score is shown at the end of the session.
  4. Session 2 Candidates who applied for one session may add the second in the April window for an additional ₹2,000 (₹1,500 for women and transgender candidates); the higher score is used.
  5. Admission application Between late April and early June every candidate seeking admission files the class-12 marks and the ordered programme-and-campus preferences; a short editing window follows.
  6. Iterations and reporting The Iteration I admit list and waitlist come about a fortnight later with cut-off scores; accepted offers need the fee or advance by the deadline, and Iterations II, III and IV move candidates up the waitlist through July. Admitted candidates report to the campus in August with the original documents.

Exam pattern

BITSAT exam pattern and marking

The BITSAT exam pattern below is the test format in the BITSAT-2026 brochure: one three-hour computer-based session of 130 multiple-choice questions in four parts, +3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one, with no time limit per part and 12 optional bonus questions for candidates who answer everything.

BITSAT paper. 3 hours without break, computer-based.
PartSubjectQuestions
IPhysics30
IIChemistry30
III (a)English Proficiency10
III (b)Logical Reasoning20
IVMathematics (B.E., M.Sc., B.Pharm.) or Biology (B.Pharm., B.E. Environmental and Sustainability Engg., M.Sc. Biological Sciences)40
Total130 — 390 marks
Marking and rules.
ItemDetail
Correct answer+3
Wrong answer−1
Unattempted0 — attempting all questions is not mandatory
NavigationNo time limit per part; any question can be revisited and changed among the 130
Bonus questionsA candidate who answers all 130 may opt for 12 extra questions — three each in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology and Logical Reasoning — but cannot then go back to the 130; maximum score 426
SessionsTwo; the higher score counts
SyllabusNCERT class 11 and 12 for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology; the English and reasoning syllabus in the brochure

The bonus decision

The 12 extra questions are worth up to 36 marks and cost the right to review the first 130. With −1 per wrong answer, a candidate confident of the 130 gains; one who finished by guessing loses more in unreviewed errors than the bonus can return. BITS designs the paper so that a good student answers 130 in 180 minutes.

Study plan

How to prepare for BITSAT

BITSAT is a speed test on the JEE Main syllabus with two sections JEE does not have — English proficiency and logical reasoning, 30 questions and 90 marks between them — and a −1 that punishes hurried attempts. Most candidates prepare it alongside JEE Main and add the two extra sections in the last two months.

Eight-week plan for BITSAT alongside JEE Main.
WeeksWorkOutput
1–3NCERT-level revision of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics at speed — 130 questions in 180 minutes is 83 seconds a questionChapter formula and reaction sheets
4–5English proficiency (grammar, vocabulary, comprehension) and logical reasoning (series, analogies, figures, syllogisms) — 20 minutes a dayTwo 30-question sets a week under 25 minutes
6–8Full three-hour mocks with +3/−1 and a bonus-question decision at the end; the BITS sample test for the interfaceSession 1 score; targets for Session 2

What high scorers do

  • They finish the 130 with time to review — and take the bonus only when the review is clean.
  • They bank English and reasoning — the 30 easiest questions in the paper, worth as much as a whole Physics section.
  • They use both sessions — the higher score counts and the second session comes with the first’s experience of the interface.
  • They read the cut-off tables — the iteration cut-offs per programme and campus on the admissions portal say exactly what score a preference needs.

Practice on this site

BITSAT syllabus BITSAT previous year papers BITSAT mock tests BITSAT study material JEE Main guide

Sources

Official notifications and sources

Checked 15 September 2026 against the BITSAT-2026 brochure and the BITS Pilani admissions portal.

Official documents

BITS Pilani admissions — official portal BITSAT-2026 landing page with timelines and centres BITSAT-2026 brochure (PDF) BITSAT syllabus (PDF) BITS Pilani — first-degree admissions brochure page BITS Pilani

Exam resources

Everything for BITSAT

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

BITSAT SyllabusBITSAT syllabus — physics, chemistry and mathematics at class 11 and 12 level, plus English proficiency and logical reasoning.BITSAT Exam PatternBITSAT exam pattern 2026 — 130 questions in four parts, 3 hours, +3/−1 marking, the 12 bonus questions and two sessions with the higher score counting.BITSAT Previous PapersBITSAT previous year papers — building the speed the paper demands and covering the reasoning and English sections.BITSAT Mock TestsBITSAT mock tests — full 130-question computer-based practice including the English and reasoning sections.BITSAT PreparationBITSAT preparation strategy — adding the reasoning and English sections to a JEE-based preparation, and building speed.BITSAT Study MaterialBITSAT study material — physics, chemistry and mathematics notes plus reasoning and English for the additional sections.

Related

More Engineering preparation

All Engineering examsEvery exam in this categoryPrevious-year papersPast papers with solutionsCurrent affairsDaily, weekly and monthlyExam updatesNotifications and results

Questions

BITSAT — FAQs

How is BITSAT different from JEE Main?

BITSAT adds two sections JEE Main does not have — English proficiency and logical reasoning, together worth thirty of the 130 questions — and its mathematics syllabus includes linear programming and mathematical modelling, which JEE Main omits. The science questions are generally easier than JEE Main’s but there are more of them in the same three hours, which makes BITSAT distinctly more of a speed test. Its marking is also gentler, at three marks gained against one lost.

Do I need a separate preparation for BITSAT?

Rarely. A proper JEE Main preparation covers the science sections well, and the efficient approach is to add three things in the final two months: logical reasoning practice, English proficiency work, and the two mathematics topics BITSAT carries that JEE Main does not. Alongside those, deliberate speed practice, because the pace BITSAT demands is faster than JEE Main’s and not finishing is the commonest way candidates lose marks here.

Are the English and logical reasoning sections worth preparing?

Very much so. Thirty questions at three marks each is ninety marks — nearly a quarter of what the paper offers — on material that improves quickly with modest practice and requires no conceptual depth. It is one of the best returns available anywhere in engineering entrance preparation, and it is routinely left on the table by candidates who treat BITSAT as a JEE paper with a different name.

When is BITSAT 2027?

Not yet announced. BITSAT 2026 opened for applications on 15 December 2025 with a 19 March deadline, Session 1 on 15–16 April and Session 2 on 24–27 May 2026; the 2027 brochure and application window are expected in December 2026 on admissions.bits-pilani.ac.in.

What is the BITSAT exam pattern?

A three-hour computer-based test of 130 multiple-choice questions: Physics 30, Chemistry 30, English Proficiency 10, Logical Reasoning 20 and Mathematics or Biology 40, with +3 for a correct answer and −1 for a wrong one and no time limit per part. A candidate who answers all 130 may take 12 bonus questions but cannot then revisit the earlier answers.

Who is eligible for BITSAT?

Candidates who passed class 12 in 2025 or are appearing in 2026 with at least five subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (Biology for B.Pharm. and the biology programmes), a language and one more, with 75 per cent aggregate in PCM or PCB and at least 60 per cent in each of the three. There is no age limit. First-rank holders of the state and central boards get direct admission.

What is the BITSAT fee?

For centres in India and Nepal: ₹3,600 for a male candidate and ₹3,100 for a female or transgender candidate for one session; ₹5,600 and ₹4,600 for both sessions; ₹2,000 and ₹1,500 to add Session 2 later. The Dubai centre costs ₹7,250 for one session and ₹9,250 for both. The fee is non-refundable.

How do the BITSAT bonus questions work?

After answering all 130 questions with time left, a candidate can opt for 12 extra questions — three each in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology and Logical Reasoning — worth up to 36 more marks. Once the option is taken the first 130 answers are locked. Because wrong answers cost a mark, the bonus helps only a candidate who is confident of the original 130.

What is a good BITSAT score?

It depends on the programme and campus: BITS publishes the cut-off score of every programme at every campus after each iteration on the admissions portal, and those tables are the only reliable guide. Computer Science at Pilani closes highest and the later iterations open lower; the higher of a candidate’s two session scores is used.

What is the BITSAT 2026 cutoff?

BITS publishes a cut-off score for every programme and campus after each admission iteration rather than a single number: the 2026 iterations ran on 20 June, 1 July, 14 July and 22 July, and the Iteration I list sets the highest bar, with Pilani computer science at the top and the Hyderabad and Goa campuses and the M.Sc. programmes below it. The iteration-wise cut-off tables on admissions.bits-pilani.ac.in are the reference; in recent years Pilani computer science has closed in the 320s and above, with the other programmes and campuses spread below it.

When is the BITSAT 2026 exam date?

BITSAT 2026 Session 1 was held on 15 and 16 April 2026 and Session 2 on 24 to 27 May 2026, with slot booking through the portal; the score used is the higher of the two. BITSAT 2027 has not been announced — the 2026 application window opened on 15 December 2025, so the 2027 brochure is expected in December 2026.

Are there free BITSAT mock tests?

Yes. The free BITSAT mock tests here follow the 2026 format — 130 questions in the four parts, three hours, +3 and −1, with the bonus-question option at the end — and report the score by part against the iteration cut-offs. Take them in one sitting, as the real test has no per-part time limit.

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