23 IITs offer around 130+ courses every year for admission. Out of these courses which courses are the most sought after, let’s check out here.
Top 10 Most Sought BTech Courses in IITs: The candidates who qualify JEE Advanced get to choose their IIT and courses for admission. Last year 23 IITs offered a total of 133 courses. Of the 133 courses, 77 were four-year BTech courses, and 56 were five-year academic courses. 17,385 seats were available across 133 courses offered by the 23 IITs last year and 48,248 candidates qualified JEE Advanced.
JEE Advanced is the only exam that leads to admission to the IITs. Candidates need to pass the JEE Advanced cutoff to be eligible for JoSAA counselling. JoSAA counselling is a centralised counselling process for admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs and CFTIs.
Let's analyse the courses across the 23 IITs that were most in demand last year.
- Top 10 Preferred Courses and Institutes in 2026
- Top 10 Most Sought BTech Courses in IITs
- Demand for Computer Science and Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Electronics and Communication Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Electrical Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Artificial Intelligence in IITs
- Demand for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in IITs
- Demand for Mechanical Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Electronics and Electrical Engineering in IITs
- Demand for Mathematics and Computing in IITs
- Demand for Electronic Engineering in IITs
- On What Factors the Demand of a Course in the IITs Depend?
Top 10 Preferred Courses and Institutes in 2026
Based on JoSAA counselling 2026 and student preferences among top JEE Advanced 2026 rank-holders, the top 10 most sought-after and competitive courses at the IITs are:
| Course Name (BTech/BS) |
IITs Offering the Course |
Approx Closing Rank |
| 1. Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) |
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur |
1 to 150 |
| 2. Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (AI & DS) |
IIT Hyderabad, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Patna |
500 to 3,000 |
| 3. Mathematics and Computing |
IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Guwahati |
100 to 800 |
| 4. Electrical Engineering (EE) |
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee |
300 to 900 |
| 5. Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) |
IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore |
600 to 2,200 |
| 6. Engineering Physics |
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee |
1,000 to 4,500 |
| 7. Mechanical Engineering |
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur |
1,500 to 4,500 |
| 8. Aerospace Engineering |
IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur |
2,000 to 5,500 |
| 9. Chemical Engineering |
IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Guwahati |
2,500 to 6,500 |
| 10. Economics / Financial Engineering |
IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee |
2,000 to 6,000 |
Top 10 Most Sought BTech Courses in IITs
As per last year, these are the courses that were most in demand among the candidates in the IITs:
| Sr. No. |
BTech Course |
|---|---|
| 1 |
|
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
|
| 4 |
|
| 5 |
|
| 6 |
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence |
| 7 |
|
| 8 |
|
| 9 |
Mathematics and Computing |
| 10 |
Commonly asked questions
No, there will be no spot round of seat allocation at any of the IITs after the completion of the last round of JoSAA seat allocation.
The JEE Advanced 2026 cutoff will be released with the results of JEE Advanced 2026. Until then, candidates can check below the JEE Advanced cutoff from the previous years:
The JEE Advanced 2025 cutoff of the common rank list is 20.56%; 18.50% for the GEN-EWS rank list and OBC-NCL rank list; 10.28% for SC, ST, and PwD rank lists across all categories; and 5.14% for Preparatory course rank lists.
All those candidates who score above the cutoff marks in their respective categories can register for JoSAA counselling to participate in the IIT seat allotment process. Note that qualifying the JEE Advaced cutoff will not guarantee a seat in the IITs. Various factors are at play while allotting seats in the IITs. These factors include the demand for a course and IIT, the number of seats on offer, the reservation criteria, etc.
Demand for Computer Science and Engineering in IITs
Computer Science and Engineering has been the most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Computer Science and Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Computer Science and Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| 21893 |
|
| 21814 |
|
| 21260 |
|
| 21216 |
|
| 21124 |
|
| 20555 |
|
| 20539 |
|
| 19914 |
|
| 18766 |
|
| 18292 |
|
| 16525 |
|
| 15810 |
|
| 15,465 |
|
| 15114 |
|
| 14907 |
|
| 14724 |
|
| 14431 |
|
| 12832 |
|
| 12419 |
|
| 12060 |
|
| 11919 |
|
| 11543 |
|
| 9174 |
Demand for Electronics and Communication Engineering in IITs
Electronics and Communication Engineering has been the second most sought-after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Electronics and Communication Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Electronics and Communication Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee |
19331 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati |
17999 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad |
13752 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar |
13,190 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Patna |
11859 |
Explore colleges based on JEE Advanced
Demand for Electrical Engineering in IITs
Electrical Engineering has been the third most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in Electrical Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Electrical Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi |
19064 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay |
18929 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur |
18618 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee |
18261 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur |
18153 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras |
17917 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad |
16779 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
15599 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Indore |
14846 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar |
13180 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad |
12892 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar |
12,153 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur |
12022 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Ropar |
11899 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Mandi |
11674 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay |
10798 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati |
10045 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Goa |
9654 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad |
9375 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad |
9310 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai |
9237 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar |
7496 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Jammu |
7359 |
Demand for Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering in IITs
Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering has been the fourth most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur |
17421 |
Demand for Artificial Intelligence in IITs
Artificial Intelligence has been the fifth most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Artificial Intelligence course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Artificial Intelligence course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad |
16900 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar |
13326 |
Demand for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in IITs
Data Science and Artificial Intelligence have been the sixth most sought-after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Data Science and Artificial Intelligence course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee |
16673 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati |
15673 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai |
9176 |
Also Read: IITs Offering BTech in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science: Admission via JEE Advanced
Demand for Mechanical Engineering in IITs
Mechanical Engineering has been the seventh most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Mechanical Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Mechanical Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi |
16456 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bombay |
16304 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur |
16170 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee |
16092 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur |
16074 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Madras |
15490 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati |
14763 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad |
14241 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
13804 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Indore |
12791 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar |
11349 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad |
11256 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar |
10,691 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur |
10486 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Ropar |
10242 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Mandi |
10090 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Patna |
9928 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati |
9011 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Goa |
8905 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad |
8478 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad |
8454 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai |
8441 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Jammu |
6868 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
6866 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar |
6131 |
Demand for Electronics and Electrical Engineering in IITs
Electronics and Electrical Engineering has been the eighth most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Electronics and Electrical Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Electronics and Electrical Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati |
15373 |
Demand for Mathematics and Computing in IITs
Mathematics and Computing has been the ninth most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Mathematics and Computing course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Mathematics and Computing course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi |
15309 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad |
13770 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati |
13662 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Indore |
12018 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Delhi |
10528 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur |
10520 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Ropar |
9795 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Patna |
9352 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
8638 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Goa |
8222 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad |
7776 |
| Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad |
7395 |
| Indian Institute of Technology Jammu |
6144 |
Demand for Electronic Engineering in IITs
Electronic Engineering has been the tenth most sought after course across the IITs. Check below how many candidates showed interest in the Electronic Engineering course while registering their choices in JoSAA counselling across the IITs:
| Institute |
Number of candidates opted Electronic Engineering course as a choice |
|---|---|
| Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi |
13965 |
On What Factors the Demand of a Course in the IITs Depend?
As per the AISHE report, the core engineering branches are still the most popular choices among engineering candidates. Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Electrical Engineering are the top 5 engineering streams with the maximum number of enrollments at the undergraduate level over the past few years. But, slowly this trend is declining. With Information Technology (IT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) entering our everyday lives the demands for streams like computer science, Data Science, AI, etc have increased. The same is evident as per the date above.
Steadily, the engineering streams that are growing in popularity are Information Technology, Chemical Engineering, Agriculture Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. One of the major factors of demand for a course among the candidates is the job market. Also, as per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report, Computer Engineering is one of the most popular engineering streams.
Factors that define the demand for a course are:
- Job prospects
- Career scope
- Placements
- Future prospects
- Salary prospects
- Interest of the candidate
Read More:
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Student Forum
Answered 2 days ago
No, you can get admission at IIT Goa with a rank of 20,000 if you belong to the General AI category. For this category, the maximum rank accepted was 14290 for the BTech in Mechanical Engineering course. Hence, General AI category students need a rank of at least 14290 to be eligble for admission. C
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
IIT Tirupati BTech cutoff 2026 for the BTech course ranged from 6030 (CSE) to 17682 (Civil Engineering) in the last round (Round 5) for the General AI category. To know the IIT Tirupati cutoff category-wise for 2026 for the BTech course, see the table below. Please note that these are closing rank
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
You are not eligible for JEE (Advanced) 2027 because your first appearance for Class 12 was in 2025. For JEE (Advanced) 2027 candidates must have taken their Class 12 (or equivalent) examination for the first time in either 2026 or 2027. Since your first appearance was in 2025 you fall outside this
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, Indian students can apply for TU Munich Admissions directly after Class 12th, provided they meet the minimum qualifying JEE Advanced score requirement and other program-specific entry requirements.
Students without a JEE Advanced score, will either have to enroll in the Studienkolleg or complete
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Technical University of Munich generally accepts a JEE Advanced score only for the immediate academic intake to the year the exam was passed (usually within one year).
Universities like TU Munich assess students based on current admission rules, and hence using a scorecard older than admission year i
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, the Technical University of Munich does not accept JEE Advanced scores for Master's programs. For entry to PG programs, students need to have completed a UG degree from a recognised Indian college or university, submit relevant documents, and meet the program-specific criteria.
Check TU Munich Ad
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
While evaluating opening and closing rank trends, JEE Advanced cutoffs, and branch allocation dynamics for civil engineering at IIT Bhubaneswar provides a helpful baseline for your academic planning, Lovely Professional University (LPU) serves as an excellent alternative to elevate your engineering
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
The IIT GANDHINAGAR JEE Advanced closing ranksfor the General (open) female only category in 2026 ranked from roughly 5,437 for computer Science and engineering up to 20270 for civil engineering.
m
Beginner-Level 1
Answered 2 months ago
IIT BHU CSE cutoff 2026 ranged from 1436 in the first round to 1439 in the last round for the General category under the All India quota. Hence, a rank of at least 1439 is needed to qualify for admission to the CSE course. Check the table below to know the overall cutoff range for other categories.
| Category | IIT BHU CSE cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
| General | 1436 - 1439 |
| OBC | 601 - 601 (R1) |
| SC | 313 - 373 |
| ST | 161 - 170 |
| EWS | 245 - 245 (R1) |
| PWD | 66 - 66 (R1) |
N
Contributor-Level 10


Engineering Education & Entrance Exam Expert
Role: Senior News Writer & Content Editor, Shiksha.com
Education: B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering [IET], MA Education Philosophy
Satyendra Singh is an Engineering gradua
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