Hyderabad: BITS Pilani’s Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP) marked a major milestone at its Convocation 2026, conferring degrees on a record 15,153 working professionals across 30 specialised disciplines.

Held at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus, the convocation cohort was nearly twice the size of the previous year. The ceremony followed a unique “phygital” format, combining an in-person event with a customised Metaverse stage to enable a digitally integrated graduation experience.

The ceremony was attended by Atul B. Lall, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Dixon Technologies, who served as the Chief Guest, along with BITS Pilani Vice Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao and Prof. S. Gurunarayanan, Director-in-Charge for Off-Campus Programmes and Industry Engagement.

Kumar Mangalam Birla highlights importance of continuous learning
In his address, BITS Pilani Chancellor Dr. Kumar Mangalam Birla said India is at a critical stage of its economic development and emphasised the importance of continuous professional education.

He noted that ongoing academic and professional upskilling can contribute to higher national productivity while strengthening India’s technological capabilities and sovereignty.

Strong representation from key sectors
The graduating batch reflected significant diversity across industries and professional backgrounds.

Technology and digital sectors accounted for 46 per cent of the graduating cohort, while another 35 per cent came from engineering, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.

The cohort also included more than 2,000 women professionals, 167 medical doctors and 60 defence personnel. More than 80 international learners from 15 countries were also part of the graduating class.

Over 51,000 learners currently enrolled
BITS Pilani WILP has nearly five decades of experience in delivering industry-oriented higher education programmes for working professionals.

The programme currently has more than 51,000 enrolled learners and a global alumni network of over 1.5 lakh professionals across 32 countries.

The 2026 convocation highlights the growing demand for flexible, industry-linked higher education among working professionals seeking to upgrade their skills while continuing their careers.