Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT

It's admissions season for the 2024-25 academic year and students nationwide are facing the consequential decision of choosing their career path. Most aspiring engineers are aiming to secure a spot in prestigious institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs. However, it's always wise to have a backup plan. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of top-tier engineering colleges in India, apart from the IITs, NITs, and IIITs. Keep scrolling to find out more.

What are the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs and IIITs? We have got you covered here. In India, there are a total of 5868 engineering and technology institutions that are approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). The total number of IITs, NITs and IIITs is 80 (23 IITs, 31 NITs, and 26 IIITs), and most of the engineering aspirants chase the number 80.

As per the recent All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report, a total of 23.20 lakh candidates are enrolled in BTech courses across the nation. This means more than 23 lakh students opt for BTech admissions and most of them look out for seats in IIT, NITs and IIITs that offer a total of 57,152 seats as per JoSAA 2023 seat matrix.

These data show how tough the competition in engineering admissions is, especially to grab seats in the IITs, NITs and IIITs. Thus, all the class 12 board students who want a career in engineering must have a Plan B, that is a selection of colleges other than the IITs, NITs and IIITs.

Also Read: BTech Admission Through CUET 2024: College List, Cutoff, Eligibility Criteria

List of Top 20 Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT

Here is an extensive list of colleges that have been ranked among the top engineering colleges in the nation by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023. NIRF rankings are based on parameters like Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR); Research and Professional Practice (RP); Graduation Outcomes (GO); Outreach and Inclusivity (OI); and Peer Perception. Therefore, NIRF rankings cover all perspectives of a good college making it very reliable.

Check below the list of top colleges in India apart from the IITs, NITs and IIITs, based on NIRF 2024 rankings in the engineering category. 

Name of the institute	NIRF Rank	Mode of admission (UG)	Mode of admission (PG)
Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu	11	VITEEE	VITMEE
Jadavpur University, West Bengal	12	WBJEE	GATE
S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu	13	SRMJEEE	SRMJEEE (PG)
Anna University, Tamil Nadu	14	TNEA	CEETA PG
Birla Institute of Technology & Science - Rajasthan	20	BITSAT	GATE
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu	23	AEEE / JEE Main	GATE
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi	24	JEE Main	JMI Entrance Test
Siksha `O` Anusandhan, Odisha	26	SAAT  / JEE Main	SAAT
Delhi Technological University, New Delhi	27	JAC Delhi Counselling	GATE
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-university), Punjab	29	JEE Main	GATE
Amity University, Uttar Pradesh	30	10+2 score / JEE Main	BTech scores
Chandigarh University, Punjab	32	CUCET	CUCET
Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh	33	AMUEEE	AMU Entrance Test
Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University (K L College of Engineering), Andhra Pradesh	35	KLEEE / JEE Main / JEE Advanced / AP EAMCET / State Level Engineering Entrance Exams across India	BTech scores
Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu	36	10+2 and JEE Main	GATE
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha	37	KIITEE	KIITEE
Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy, Tamil Nadu	38	JEE Main and 10+2	BTech scores / GATE
Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu	46	10+2 scores	GATE / UG Merit
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, West Bengal	49	JEE Main	GATE
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Kerela	51	JEE Advanced	GATE

Read More: Engineering Stream Popularity Trends in Last 5 Years

To get a more extensive list of top engineering colleges in India other than the IITs, IIITs and NITs, let's list out the colleges zone-wise.

List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in South Zone

As per the recent AICTE data, almost half of all the engineering seats in India are located in the five states – Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. 

Check below top engineering colleges in the southern part of India:

Name of the institute	NIRF Rank	Mode of admission (UG)	Mode of admission (PG)
Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu	11	VITEEE	VITMEE
Anna University, Tamil Nadu	14	TNEA	CEETA PG
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu	23	AEEE / JEE Main	GATE
S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu	13	SRMJEEE	SRMJEEE (PG)
Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy, Tamil Nadu	38	JEE Main and 10+2	BTech scores / GATE
Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu	36	10+2 and JEE Main	GATE
Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University (K L College of Engineering), Andhra Pradesh	35	KLEEE / JEE Main / JEE Advanced / AP EAMCET / State Level Engineering Entrance Exams across India	BTech scores - PG
Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu	46	10+2 scores	GATE / UG Merit
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Kerala	51	JEE Advanced	GATE
Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka	69	KCET / JEE Main	BTech scores
International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, Telangana	74	KCET, COMEDK UGET, JEE Main - UG	GATE/ KPGCET
Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka	56	MET	MET
PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu	67	TNEA	CEETA PG
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu	53	TNEA	CEETA PG
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu	66	TNEA / SAEEE	BTech Merit - PG
University of Hyderabad, Telangana	70	NA	GATE
International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, Karnataka	74	JEE Main	GATE
Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Tamil Nadu	83	TNEA	GATE
M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Karnataka	75	KCET / COMEDK	GATE / Karnataka PGCET

List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in North Zone

Check below top engineering colleges in the northern part of India:

Name of the institute	NIRF Rank	Mode of admission (UG)	Mode of admission (PG)
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-university), Punjab	29	JEE Main	GATE
Birla Institute of Technology & Science - Pilani, Rajasthan	20	BITSAT	GATE
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi	24	JEE Main	JMI Entrance Test
Delhi Technological University, Delhi	27	JAC Delhi Counselling	GATE
Amity University, Uttar Pradesh	30	10+2 score / JEE Main	BTech scores
Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh	33	AMUEEE	AMU Entrance Test
Chandigarh University, Punjab	32	CUCET	CUCET
Lovely Professional University, Punjab	50	LPUNEST /  JEE Main	LPUNEST / GATE
UPES, Uttarakhand	42	UPESEAT / JEE Main / 10+2	BTech Merit
Graphic Era University, Uttarakhand	52	JEE Main - UG	NA
Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan	78	Banasthali University Aptitude Test	GATE / Banasthali University Aptitude Test
Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi	85	JAC Delhi Counselling	PGCAT - IIIT D / GATE
Manipal University Jaipur, Rajasthan	64	JEE Main scores / MET	MET /  GATE
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Uttar Pradesh	80	JEE Advanced / JEE Main	GATE
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi	89	JEE Main + Counselling and IPU CET/ CUET-UG (for BTech Biotechnology)	IPU CET / GATE / CUET - PG
Chitkara University, Punjab	94	JEE Main - UG	NA

List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in Eastern Zone

In NIRF ranking 2023, there are 6 engineering colleges from the eastern zone of India, they are as follows:

Name of the institute	NIRF Rank	Mode of admission (UG)	Mode of admission (PG)
Jadavpur University, West Bengal	12	WBJEE	GATE
Siksha `O` Anusandhan, Odisha	26	SAAT  / JEE Main	SAAT
Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, West Bengal	49	JEE Main	GATE
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha	37	KIITEE	KIITEE
Birla Institute of Technology, Jharkhand	48	JEE Main	GATE
C.V. Raman Global University, Odisha	96	CGET / JEE Main	CGET / GATE

List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in Western Zone

In NIRF ranking 2023, there are 3 engineering colleges from the western zone of India, they are as follows:

Name of the institute	NIRF Rank	Mode of admission (UG)	Mode of admission (PG)
Institute of Chemical Technology, Maharashtra	41	JEE Main / MHT CET	GATE
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Maharashtra	63	NA	GATE
College of Engineering, Pune, Maharashtra	77	MHT CET	GATE

What to Look for in a Good Engineering College?

Apart from the rankings, while curating the list of top colleges offering engineering courses, candidates must take into note the following factors:

• ROI: The amount of money that students receive as a placement offer in exchange for investing a sizeable sum of money to attend a college and complete a degree of study is known as return on investment, or ROI. Thus candidates must look for a college that has a good ROI record.
• Academic Rigor and Reputation: A good engineering college should have a strong academic reputation and offer a challenging curriculum that prepares students for the rigours of engineering practice. The faculty should be highly qualified and experienced, and the college should have a strong track record of placing graduates in top engineering positions.
• Industry Connections and Hands-on Learning: Engineering is a hands-on field, so engineering colleges need to provide students with opportunities to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. This can be done through internships, co-ops, research projects, and other forms of experiential learning. Strong industry connections can help students secure these opportunities and gain valuable experience.
• Infrastructure and Resources: A good engineering college should have the necessary infrastructure and resources to support its academic programs. This includes modern labs, equipment, and technology, as well as access to libraries, research facilities, and other resources.
• Student Support Services: Engineering students often face a lot of academic and personal challenges. A good engineering college should provide students with comprehensive student support services, including academic advising, career counselling, tutoring, and mental health support.
• Diversity and Inclusion: A diverse and inclusive engineering college will provide students with a richer learning experience and better prepare them for the global workforce. The college should be committed to attracting and retaining students from all backgrounds and promoting a culture of respect and inclusion.
• Location and Environment: The location of an engineering college can also be a factor in its quality. A college in a vibrant city or near major industries may offer students more opportunities for internships, research, and networking. Additionally, the overall environment of the college should be conducive to learning and personal growth.

In addition to these general factors, some specific factors may be important to consider when choosing an engineering college. These factors may include the college's specialization in particular engineering disciplines, its research opportunities, its alumni network, and its overall fit with your personal and academic goals.

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