JEE Main: How to choose an NIT

Imagine that the results are out, ranks declared, scores announced and you got through JEE(Joint Entrance Examination) Main! What next? Counselling, of-course!

Now imagine if your rank makes you eligible for not one or two but may be 10 NITs. So, wouldn’t you need a plan to help you choose amongst the NITs you have qualified for? Accordingly, what would be the factors to consider for selecting the best one for you?

Well, these are not only your concerns, but of those thousands and lakhs of students who are sure or are at least hoping to crack JEE Mains to enter the prestigious NITs (National Institutes of Technology).

According to Gopal Sharma, Shiksha Expert, a student should be in a position to choose between NITs. He says, “ First of all, you need to get into a position to choose an NIT! You should have a rank under 5000 (which goes high to get the top NITs) to be in a position to get an NIT of your choice. Once the results are out, you can access your score and make a list of your desirable institutes”.

He further suggests the following pointers that students should remember while choosing an NIT.

1. First of all, it is all about your interest. Introspect, listen to yourself and ask yourself what you want to be and where you want to see yourself in future.
2. Don't just choose a branch because your friends are doing the same too.
3. Dig information regarding: the infrastructure, the faculty, the placement record, the research work by the students and the reputation of the course you are interested in.

However, R L Trikha, director, FIIT JEE, feels that a student should be able to make a fair balance between the branch and the institute. He says, “There is a hierarchy and choosing the right NIT depends on various factors. So, let’s assume a person is eligible to get into five NITs. So, there are factors like which branch is he getting, where is the campus located and its geographical location. The third is the food factor. Imagine, if a student is a North Indian and he has to go down south. It may be a big problem for him to adjust to the food habits in the South. The fourth factor is the parental attachment, as some students don’t want to go to an institute far from their home town. All these factors would together decide your selection of the right NIT for admission.”

He further adds, “Now supposedly, all these things are at an equal level, then a person would choose the nearest institute. But, in my opinion a student should choose an institute or an NIT based on its brand value that would include its placements and market value. So, a student needs to decide if he wants a lower branch in the top NIT or the most popular branch in the last ranked NIT. On an average, all the NITs in the country are considered to be good, so much so that after the IITs, it’s the NITs that people look for. So in my opinion, if your rank is good, you should look for a good NIT and a good branch but in case, you don’t get a good rank and the best combination is not possible then other factors like food and proximity come into play. One should then look for a good branch in the nearest NIT. Rather than looking to choose a good NIT, students should go for a good branch because an NIT is an NIT and the brand value will remain.”

Now, listen to what this NIT student has to say about his reasons for choosing his desired institute.

“I got a call from 10-12 NITs. However, branches were not that good in some. I wanted a core branch and that too only Civil! Among the options, NIT Srinagar had the best faculty for the same and I was getting this branch in only 4-5 of the NITs and that too the third tier NITs. So, I chose NIT Srinagar for its faculty and now I definitely can vouch for it,” says Zahid, an NIT Srinagar passout.

To help you make a better and clear choice, here is a recap along with some additional pointers you must know while selecting an NIT of your choice:

1. Faculty: Faculty is one of the most important components that goes into the making of an institute. While visiting or researching for an institute, look for these: Number of full-time, part-time or adjunct faculty members, their qualifications, how many PhDs, how many with MTech qualification, what's their pedigree etc. The point to note here is that top institutes will have higher number of PhDs. Also, Faculty:Student ratio holds importance.

1. Location/Proximity: Opting for an NIT depending on its location is completely your choice. A student with a good rank has a better chance of getting to choose his desired NIT near or far away from his home town but in case if you have a lower rank, then its better you choose a popular branch in the NIT nearest to your location.
2. Ranking: According to experts, NIT Trichy leads the way amongst all the NITs. It is then followed by NIT Warangal, NIT Kurukshetra, NIT Rourkela, NIT Allahabad, NIT Bhopal, NIT Jaipur, NIT Durgapur, NIT Jamshedpur etc. So when you have to make a choice, remember the ranking of these institutes along with its brand and the market value.
3. Placements: Placements play an important role while selecting the institute of your choice. Amongst the NITs you are eligible for, experts suggest that students should opt for the one which has the best placement stats for the past years.
4. Stop following, Start exploring: Do not follow the herd. Do not just go for what your peers say or choose. Opt for the institute that you aim to go to and not the one your friend is going to. However, it’s your rank that will play a major role in deciding your fate.