Join the league of Digital Tech specialists

 
Advance your career with specialization in Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Embedded Systems, Security, Networks and Cloud

New age digital technologies are transforming the world and spawning a massive demand of specialists in areas like data analytics, IoT, Embedded systems, Security, Networks and cloud etc.  While specialists in data analytics are powering organisations with transformative capacities to win in their businesses, the IOT and Embedded systems specialists are revolutionising our lives and society. Massive growth in connectivity means greater need for security specialists and huge connected infrastructure needs specialists in network and cloud. 

M.Tech Software Systems is a unique programme that enables working professionals to specialise in many new age technology areas and be ready to transition into high demand careers. The programme enables the learners to specialize in some of the fastest growing domains like Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Embedded Systems, Security, Networks and Cloud. A comprehensive curriculum, extensive emphasis on experiential learning using remote labs and cloud labs and a flexible education methodology that enables working professionals to acquire a prestigious post graduate engineering degree while pursuing their careers, the M.Tech Software Systems is just the right programme for career growth in the software industry.

 

Option to pay fees using easy EMI with 0% interest and 0 down payment

WILP programs are

WILP programs are

UGC approved

Easy EMI Option With

Easy EMI Option With

0% Interest & 0 Down Payment

Admission begins

Admission begins

April,2024

Fees per semester

Fees per semester

INR 63,500

Programme Highlights


  1. M.Tech. Software Systems is a BITS Pilani Work Integrated Learning Programme (WILP). BITS Pilani Work Integrated Learning Programmes are UGC approved.
  2. The programme is of four semesters, with online classes conducted mostly on weekends or after business hours. You can pursue the programme without any career break.
  3. The programme offers a set of core courses and elective courses, allowing students to specialize in Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Embedded Systems, Security, Networks and Cloud.
  4. The programme makes use of Languages, Platforms, and Libraries. These include NS2, Net-SNMP, WireSha, R, Python, Prolog, Lisp, RStudio, Weka, Microsoft Power BI, TensorFlow, Anaconda Navigator, Python Ecosystem – NumPy, SciPi, Pandas, scikit-learn, MatplotLib; Searborn, Keras, NLTK, pgmpy etc., Keil, CCS Studio, Tossim, Cheddar, Jenkins, GitHub, SonarQube, Selenium, Tomcat, Maven, Java, Eclipse, Code::Blocks, Android Studio, Jupyter Notebooks, Spyder, Multisim, CPU-OS Simulator, SQLite, MATLAB, , Gantt Project, Open Project and XAMPP.
  5. The Dissertation (Project Work) in the final semester enables students to apply concepts and techniques learned during the programme.
  6. The programme uses a Continuous Evaluation System that assesses the learners over convenient and regular intervals. Such a system provides timely and frequent feedback and helps busy working professionals stay on course with the programme.
  7. The education delivery methodology is a blend of classroom and experiential learning. Experiential learning consists of lab exercises, assignments, case studies and work-integrated activities.
  8. Participants who successfully complete the programme will become members of an elite & global community of BITS Pilani Alumni
  9. Option to submit fee using easy-EMI with 0% interest and 0 down payment

Programme Curriculum

The programme offers specialisations in high-demand areas such as Data Analytics, Internet of Things, Embedded Systems, Security, Networks and Cloud.

  • Data Structures & Algorithms Design
  • Database Design & Applications
  • Distributed Computing
  • Elective 1
  • Software Architectures
  • Elective 2
  • Elective 3
  • Elective 4
  • Elective 5
  • Elective 6
  • Elective 7
  • Elective 8
  • Dissertation
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Organization and Software Systems
  • Distributed Data Systems
  • Software Engineering and Management
  • Usability Engineering
  • Object-oriented Analysis & Design

Specialisation in Data Analytics

Participants who earn a specialisation in Data Analytics will learn how to apply principles behind modern Data Analytics techniques; apply statistical and machine learning methods to real data; evaluate their performance and effectively communicate the results; and build expertise in advanced Artificial Intelligence topics such as Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing

Pool of Electives

  • Advanced Statistical Techniques for Analytics
  • Applied Machine Learning
  • Metaheuristics for Optimization
  • Data Mining
  • Data Warehousing
  • Deep Learning
  • Information Retrieval
  • Mathematical Foundations For Data Science (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Natural Language Processing

Specialisation in Internet of Things

Participants will build expertise in the building blocks of IoT technology and explore the vast spectrum of IoT applications; assess, select and customize technologies for IoT applications; connect the cyber world with the physical world of humans, automobiles and factories; integrate geographically distributed devices with diverse capabilities; design and implement IoT applications that manage big data

Pool of Electives

  • Embedded Systems Design (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Cyber Physical Systems (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Networked Embedded Applications
  • Cross Platform Application Development
  • Cloud Computing
  • Data Management for IoT
  • Stream Processing and Analytics
  • Embedded Network Security

Specialisation in Networks and Cloud

Participants will build expertise in how to design, and manage software and hardware that control digital networks; conceptualize and solve engineering problems concerning wireless and mobile networks effectively and arrive at the feasible optimal solution, individually and in teams; master formal techniques for network analysis, design and operate data centers; Network Security aspects, Storage Area Networks, Virtualizations, and Cloud Computing Concepts which have great scope and opportunities in the industry; apply advanced software engineering techniques (e.g., software-defined networks, containerization, etc.) to compute, improve and master the development of distributed networks.

Pool of Electives

  • Advanced Computer Networks
  • Cloud Computing (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Computer Networks (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Data Storage Technologies and Networks
  • Design and Operation of Data Centres
  • Edge Computing
  • Mobile Networks
  • Network Programming
  • Network Security
  • Software Defined Networks
  • Wireless and Mobile Communication
  • Middleware Technologies

Specialisation in Security

Participants will build expertise in the implementation of core software engineering principles and the best cybersecurity practices in terms of policies, models and mechanisms; gain knowledge about securing computer networks and systems; learn to examine secure software design and development practices in cybersecurity; understand the prevalent network and distributed system attacks; incorporate approaches for incident response and security risk management; understand the key concepts in domain-specific security.

Pool of Electives

  • Cyber Security (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Cryptography
  • Network Security
  • Ethical Hacking
  • Identity and Access Management Technologies
  • Cyber Crimes, Forensics and Incident Handling
  • Cloud, IoT and Enterprise Security
  • Secure Software Engineering
  • Blockchain Technologies & Systems
  • AI and ML Techniques in Cybersecurity

Specialisation in Embedded Systems

Participants will gain expertise in key areas of Application (Domain) Specific System Design such as scope of a Processor (Embedded processors, Desktop systems, Servers, and Supercomputers), the target application (general-purpose versus domain-specific), the characteristics of the design objectives (Speed, Power consumption, Cost, Reliability, Availability, and Reconfigurability), and the measurement and analysis of resulting designs.

Pool of Electives

  • Embedded Middleware Design
  • Embedded System Design (Mandatory Course for Specialization)
  • Fault Tolerant Embedded System
  • Hardware Software Co-Design
  • Networked Embedded Applications
  • Parallel Embedded Architectures
  • Real Time Scheduling
  • Real Time Systems
  • Software for Embedded Systems

General Pool of Electives

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Computer Organization and Software Systems
  • Distributed Data Systems
  • Software Engineering and Management
  • Usability Engineering
  • Object-oriented Analysis & Design

Electives can be chosen either from the General pool of electives or from across other pools of electives for Specialisations. Specialisations are optional. To earn a Specialization, a participant must select and successfully complete at least 5 courses from that Specialisation pool

For more information on programme curriculum download the programme brochure

Choice of Electives is made available to enrolled students at the beginning of each semester. A limited selection of Electives will be offered at the discretion of the Institute.

For detailed programme curriculum, download the brochure.

Learning Methodology

ATTEND ONLINE LECTURES OVER WEEKENDS

Lectures are conducted live via online classes. These lectures can be attended via the internet using a computer from any location. These online classrooms offer similar levels of interactivity as regular classrooms at the BITS Pilani campus.

Classes for students admitted during the period Oct 2023 - Jan 2024 will begin in Jan 2024. The class schedule is announced within 1 week of completion of the admission process.

The online lectures are conducted usually over weekends for a total of 7-8 hours per week. If you miss a lecture, you can also access the recorded lecture on the internet.

DIGITAL LEARNING

Learners can access engaging learning material which includes recorded lectures from BITS Pilani faculty members, course handouts and recorded lab content where applicable.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

Continuous Assessment includes graded Assignments/ Quizzes, Mid-semester exam, and Comprehensive Exam.

CASE STUDIES AND ASSIGNMENTS

Carefully chosen real-world cases & assignments are both discussed and used as problem-solving exercises during the programme.

DISSERTATION/ PROJECT WORK

The fourth semester offers an opportunity for learners to apply their knowledge gained during the programme to a real-world like complex project. The learner is expected to demonstrate understanding of vital principles learnt across semesters and their ability to successfully apply these concepts.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

The programme emphasises on Experiential Learning that allows learners to apply concepts learnt in the classroom in simulated, and real work situations. This is achieved through:

 

Simulation Tools, Platforms & Environments: Some or all of the following would be utilised across the programme.

  • Cloud based virtual lab which supports the following programming languages/tools/simulators:
    • Networks: NS2, Net-SNMP and WireShark
    • Data Analytics:
      • Languages: R, Python, Prolog and Lisp
      • Platforms: RStudio, Weka, Microsoft Power BI, TensorFlow and Anaconda Navigator
      • Libraries: Python Ecosystem – NumPy, SciPi, Pandas, scikit-learn, MatplotLib; Searborn, Keras, NLTK, pgmpy etc.
      • Embedded and IOT: Keil, CCS Studio, Tossim and Cheddar
      • Devops: Jenkins, GitHub, SonarQube, Selenium, Tomcat and Maven
      • Programming Environments: Java, Eclipse, Code::Blocks, Android Studio, Jupyter Notebooks and Spyder
      • Others: Multisim, CPU-OS Simulator, SQLite, MATLAB, , Gantt Project, Open Project and XAMPP
  • Remote Lab facility caters to the needs of resource intensive requirements of Big Data Analytics applications with the following platforms:
    • Apache Hadoop
    • Apache Storm
    • Apache Spark
    • Apache Kafka
    • MongoDB
    • CockroachDB
    • MPI
  • Remote Lab facility caters to the needs of Embedded Systems and IoT. It supports the following:
    • Hardware / Software tools: MultiCore STM32 microcontroller based development boards.
    • Simulation tools: Tossim, Cheddar and Keil

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum eligibility to apply: Employed professionals holding B Tech., BE, M.Sc, MCA or equivalent in relevant disciplines with at least 60% aggregate marks and minimum one year of work experience after the completion of the degree in relevant domains.

UGC Approval

BITS Pilani is an Institution of Eminence under UGC (Institution of Eminence Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2017. The Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP) of BITS Pilani constitutes a unique set of educational offerings for working professionals. WILP are an extension of programmes offered at the BITS Pilani Campuses and are comparable to our regular programmes both in terms of unit/credit requirements as well as academic rigour. In addition, it capitalises and further builds on practical experience of students through high degree of integration, which results not only in upgradation of knowledge, but also in up skilling, and productivity increase. The programme may lead to award of degree, diploma, and certificate in science, technology/engineering, management, and humanities and social sciences. On the recommendation of the Empowered Expert Committee, UGC in its 548th Meeting held on 09.09.20 has approved the continued offering of BITS Pilani’s Work Integrated Learning programmes.

Industry Talks

The programme features live online sessions on some of the most exciting developments, and pressing issues faced by businesses in the technology space. Speakers include business leaders, R&D professionals, and academicians from leading technology firms and institutions. 

Some of the recent and upcoming sessions include:

 

Sl. No.
Title of Tech Talk
Date
Speaker(s)
  Illustrating Edge AI Techniques and Tools towards Digitally Transformed Cities April 2023 Dr. Pethuru Raj, Chief Architect and VP, Edge AI Division, Reliance Jio Platforms
  Blockchain as a key component of FinTech January 2023 Raam Baranidharan, CTO - BlokTrek
  Personalizing the Online Grocery Substitution Experience February 2022 Dr. Rahul Ghosh, Senior Director of Data Science, Walmart India
Kamiya Motwani, Senior Data Science Manager, Walmart India
  Applying Data Science Technologies in HealthCare December 2021 Manisha Mantri, Joint Director, C-DAC, Pune
  Financial Risk Modelling using ML Techniques November 2021 Mayank Rasu, Guest Faculty at WILP CSIS Department
  Enterprise Cloud Transformation Journey October 2021 Surendra Tipparaju, Principal Architect Manager, Microsoft Hyderabad
  Cyber Threat Intelligence June 2021 Nandi Dharma KishoRe H.N., Assistant Vice President - K7 Threat Control Lab
  Cellular V2X May 2021 Brijesh Unnikrishnan, Principal Engineer at Mavenir.
  3D processing and Computation - An Engineering View May 2021 Dr. Raghavendra Singh, Director, Computer Vision and Machine Learning at Oyla, Inc. 
  SDLC in the Devops world April 2021 Meshach Samuel, Associate VP, HCL
  Recent Trends in Database Administration April, 2021 Gautam Avarsala
Managing Director, dBPro Software Solutions
  Service Assurance in 5G networks: An AI/ML perspective
March, 2021
Ashvin Lakshmikantha, Principal Engineer –System Architecture
Anand Eswaran, Principal Engineer – System Architecture
Cloud Networking Group, Ericsson R&D, Bangalore
  Blockchain:Technology backbone for Digital economy March, 2021 Sridhar Vedhanabatla
Associate Director, Information Security & Privacy, Gainsight

Mode Of Examination

Examinations Mode Options applicable for students admitted in Batch starting in April 2024.

Semester 1, 2 and 3 have Mid-Semester Examinations and Comprehensive Examinations for each of course. These examinations are mostly scheduled on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. During these semesters, in addition to the Mid-Semester and Comprehensive examinations, there will also be Quizzes/Assignments conducted online on the Learning Management System (LMS) as per the course plan in which the students need to participate. In Semester 4 (Final Semester), the student will be doing a Dissertation/Project Work as per the Institution’s guidelines.

Two Options on Mode of Examinations:

It is institute’s endeavour to offer two options on mode of exams at the time of the registration for each semester of the programme. However, please note that Option 2 as explained below is offered purely on the discretion of the institute. Availability of Option 2 is not assured and is subject to institute’s own assessment of the feasibility of providing it. Students will need to choose one from the available option/s provided by the institute at the time of registering for every semester. The two mode of exam options are explained below:

Option 1 - Examinations at Designated Examination Centres: Students choosing this option will need to appear in person for taking the examinations at the institution’s designated examination centres as per the examination schedule, instructions, rules and guidelines announced before every examination. These designated examination centres are at the following locations: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa, Pilani, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Indore, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Jamshedpur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, Vijayawada, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore. In addition to these locations, Institution also has a designated examination centre in Dubai.

Option 2 - Online ExaminationsStudents choosing this option can take the examinations online from any location e.g. office or home. However the Institute at its discretion may choose not to offer this option and in such a case students will need to take the examinations as per Option 1 that entails appearing for the examination at any one of the designated examination centres. Also, to take an Online Examination, the student must possess a Laptop or Desktop system with Two Web Cams (One Web Cam for the student’s frontal face view and a Second Web Cam for the student’s and Laptop or Desktop system’s full side view during the exam), a smart phone and good internet connectivity. Please click here to refer to the complete details about mandatory IT and Non-IT Infrastructure requirements for taking the online examinations. A student should choose this option only if the student is confident to arrange the required mandatory IT Infrastructure and Non-IT Infrastructure to take the examinations under this mode. Students opting for online examinations would require to log in to the institution’s online examination platform as per the announce examination schedule and take the online examinations in compliance with the institution’s defined instructions, guidelines, and rules which are announced before all examinations.

Important: While it will be institute’s endeavour to offer both the above options for students to choose from at the time of registering for any semester, however availability of the online mode option may not always be feasible or is assured and Institute at its own discretion could choose to offer only Option 1 as mentioned above. Also note that The Institute regularly takes actions to optimize its examination system and hence the mandatory IT and Non-IT Infrastructure requirements, instructions, guidelines, and rules associated with both the above mentioned examination modes may change anytime at the Institute's discretion. All students will need to 100% comply with any such changed specifications announced by the Institute.

Fee Structure

The following fees schedule is applicable for candidates seeking new admission during the academic year 2023-24.

  • Application Fees (one time) : INR 1,500
  • Admission Fees (one time) : INR 16,500
  • Semester Fees (per semester) : INR 63,500

The one-time Application Fee is to be paid at the time of submitting the Application Form through the Online Application Centre.

Admission Fee (one-time) and Semester Fee (for the First Semester) are to be paid together once admission is offered to the candidate. Thus, a candidate who has been offered admission will have to pay INR 80,000/-. You may choose to make the payment using Netbanking/ Debit Card/ Credit Card through the Online Application Centre. Option to submit fee using easy-EMI with 0% interest and 0 down payment. Click here to learn more.

Semester Fee for subsequent semesters will only be payable later, i.e. at the beginning of those respective semesters.

Any candidate who desires to discontinue from the programme after confirmation of admission & registration for the courses specified in the admit offer letter will forfeit the total amount of fees paid.

For the examination centre at Dubai, in addition to the semester fees, for each semester there will be an examination centre fees of 1000 UAE Dirhams or equivalent per semester out of which 500 UAE Dirhams is to be paid at the time of appearing in Mid-semester examinations at Dubai Centre for that semester and the remaining 500 UAE Dirhams is to be paid at the time of appearing in comprehensive examinations at Dubai centre for that semester.

All the above fees are non-refundable.

Important: For every course in the program institute will recommend textbooks, students would need to procure these textbooks on their own.

How to Apply

  1.  
  2. Once you have logged in, you will see a screen showing 4 essential steps to be completed to apply for the programme of your choice.
  3. Begin by clicking on Step 1 - ‘Fill/ Edit and Submit Application Form’. This will enable you to select the programme of your choice. After you have chosen your programme, you will be asked to fill your details in an online form. You must fill all the details and press ‘Submit’ button given at the bottom of the form.
  4. Take the next step by clicking on Step 2 - 'Download Application PDF Copy’. This will download a pdf copy of the application form on your computer.
  5. Now, click on Step 3 - 'Pay Application Fee’ to pay INR 1,500/- using Netbanking/ Debit Card/ Credit Card.
  6. Take a printout of the downloaded Application Form and note down the Application Form Number displayed on the top-right corner of the first page. This Application Form Number should be referred in all future correspondence with BITS Pilani.
  7. In the printout of the downloaded Application Form, you will notice on page no. 3 a section called the Employer Consent Form. Complete the Employer Consent Form. This form needs to be signed and stamped by your organisation’s HR or any other authorised signatory of the company.

    Important: In view of work-from-home policies mandated by many organisations, a few candidates may not be able to get the physical forms signed by their HR/ other authorised organisational representative. Such candidates may instead request an email approval to be sent to their official email ID by the HR using the format available through this link.

  8. Further on page no. 4 of the printed Application Form is a section called the Mentor Consent Form. The Mentor Consent Form needs to be signed by the Mentor. Click here to know who could be a Mentor.

    Important: In view of work-from-home policies mandated by many organisations, a few candidates may not be able to get the physical forms signed by their Mentor. Such candidates may instead request an email approval to be sent to their official email ID by the Mentor using the format available through this link.

  9. Further on page no. 5 of the downloaded Application Form, is a Checklist of Enclosures/ Attachments.
  10. Make photocopies of the documents mentioned in this Checklist.
  11. Applicants are required to self-attest all academic mark sheets and certificates.
  12. Finally, click on Step 4 - 'Upload & Submit All Required Documents’. This will allow you to upload one-by-one the printed Application Form, Mentor Consent Form, Employer Consent Form, and all mandatory supporting documents and complete the application process. Acceptable file formats for uploading these documents are DOC, DOCX, PDF, ZIP and JPEG.
  13. Upon receipt of your Application Form and all other enclosures, the Admissions Cell will scrutinise them for completeness, accuracy and eligibility.
  14. Admission Cell will intimate selected candidates by email within two weeks of submission of application with all supporting documents. The selection status can also be checked by logging in to the Online Application Centre.

Batch Profile

M.Tech. Software Systems - Batch Profile

Student Speak

FAQs

M.Tech. Software Systems is a BITS Pilani Work Integrated Learning Programme (WILP). BITS Pilani Work Integrated Learning Programmes are UGC approved.

This programme is designed for working professionals. At the time of submitting the application, candidates must be employed in another organization. Professionals who are owners of a registered business are also eligible to apply. For detailed information, including academic background, work experience, etc. refer to the programme eligibility criteria.

Lectures are conducted live via online classes. These lectures can be attended via the internet using a computer from any location. These online classrooms offer similar levels of interactivity as regular classrooms at the BITS Pilani campus. The online lectures are conducted usually over weekends for a total of 7-8 hours per week. If you miss a lecture, you can also access the recorded lecture on the internet.

Upon successful completion of the programme, participants will receive a degree certificate from BITS Pilani.

The Degree of Master of Technology in Software Systems

Each semester has a Mid-semester Exam and a Comprehensive Exam, which are conducted over weekends. Participants will need to appear in-person to take these exams at exams centers in the following locations:
India Centers: Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pilani, Pune
International Centers: Dubai
In case participants are unable to take an exam due to work-related commitments, there is also a provision of appearing for Make-up Exams.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, an option of taking exams online is also being offered. For details, please refer to the programme brochure.

The programme provides high degree of interactivity between participants and the faculty members and programme instructors. Q&A sessions during the live online lectures allow participants to pose questions to the faculty members, and seek guidance through voice and chat. Further interaction with faculty members and peers is enabled through the e-learning portal, by using discussion forums and message boards. 

The programme features high usage of experiential learn components such as Simulations, Virtual Labs, and Remote Labs, in order to mimic the on-campus experience.
Participants will be given access to portals, that will allow them to access both cloud-based labs, as well as Campus-based physical labs. Using leading industry-recognised Software tools, Programming languages, and Simulation software, participants will be able to perform experiments and run simulations to advance their knowledge

Candidates applying to the programmes must choose a Mentor, who will monitor the academic progress of the candidate, and act as an advisor & coach for successful completion of the programme. Candidates should ideally choose the immediate supervisor or another senior person from the same organisation. In case a suitable mentor is not available in the same organisation, a candidate could approach a senior person in another organisation who has the required qualifications. For detailed information, please refer to the programme brochure.
Kindly note that BITS Pilani does not assign Mentors to programme participants.

The programme is designed for working professionals, and participants are not required to travel to a BITS campus. However, certain programme offer Campus Immersion Modules such as workshops or seminars, which are highly recommended but not mandatory. 

Industry Endorsements