<script> tag vs <script type = 'text/javascript'> tag

In HTML 4, the type attribute is required. In my experience, all browsers will default to text/javascript if it is absent, but that behaviour is not defined anywhere. While you can in theory leave it out and assume it will be interpreted as JavaScript, it's invalid HTML, so why not add it.

In HTML 5, the type attribute is optional and defaults to text/javascript

Use <script type="text/javascript"> or simply <script> (if omitted, the type is the same). Do not use <script language="JavaScript">; the language attribute is deprecated

Ref :
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/65aaf5f3-09db-4f7e-a32d-d53e9720ad4c/script-languagejavascript-or-script-typetextjavascript-?forum=netfxjscript
and
Difference between <script> tag with type and <script> without type?

Do you need type attribute at all?

I am using HTML5- No

I am not using HTML5 - Yes

<script> is HTML 5.

<script type='text/javascript'> is HTML 4.x (and XHTML 1.x).

<script language="javascript"> is HTML 3.2.

Is it different for different webservers?

No.

when I did an offline javascript test, i realised that i need the <script type = 'text/javascript'> tag.

That isn't the case. Something else must have been wrong with your test case.