Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT
Every year, when the admission session starts, candidates face multiple doubts regarding their higher education. Many aspirants are unable to make informed decisions, which can lead to missed opportunities and setbacks.IITs, NITs, and IIITs are the top engineering colleges that every aspirant dreams of. However, having a plan B and plan C is wise, as competition for seats in IITs, NIT, and IIITs is overwhelming. 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.
Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT
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, which offer a total of 62,853 seats as per the JoSAA 2025 seat matrix.
Also, every year, almost 9 lakh candidates appear for JEE Main, which is the gateway for NIT and IIIT admissions. Out of JEE Main candidates, the top 2.5 lakh candidates are selected to apply for JEE Advanced, the entrance exam for IITs. Of the 2.4 lakh candidates, around 44,000 qualify for IIT admissions.
Explore colleges based on JEE Main
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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: College List, Cutoff, Eligibility Criteria
- List of Top 20 Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT
- List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in South Zone
- List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in North Zone
- List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in Eastern Zone
- List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in Western Zone
- What to Look for in a Good Engineering College?
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 2025 rankings in the engineering category.
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 2025 |
Mode of admission (UG) |
Mode of admission (PG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu |
16 |
VITEEE |
VITMEE |
| Anna University, Tamil Nadu |
20 |
TNEA |
CEETA PG |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu |
23 |
AEEE / JEE Main |
GATE |
| S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu |
14 |
SRMJEEE |
SRMJEEE (PG) |
| Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu |
33 |
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 |
| International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, Telangana |
38 |
KCET, COMEDK UGET, JEE Main - UG |
GATE/ KPGCET |
| Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy, Tamil Nadu |
40 |
JEE Main and 10+2 |
BTech scores / GATE |
| 44 |
KCET / JEE Main | BTech scores | |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu |
45 |
TNEA |
CEETA PG |
| Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu |
47 |
10+2 scores |
GATE / UG Merit |
| 59 |
MET | MET | |
| 61 |
JEE Advanced |
GATE |
|
| 67 |
TNEA |
CEETA PG |
|
| 67 |
TNEA / SAEEE |
BTech Merit - PG |
|
| 70 |
NA |
GATE |
|
| International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore, Karnataka |
74 |
JEE Main |
GATE |
| 75 |
KCET / COMEDK |
GATE / Karnataka PGCET |
|
| Sri Krishna College of Engineering and Technology, Tamil Nadu |
100 |
TNEA |
GATE |
List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in North Zone
Explore more B.Tech exams with upcoming dates
18 Oct '25
JEE Main
SRMJEEE
31 Oct '25
30 Nov '25
1 Jul '25 - 15 Oct '25
10 Oct '25 - 18 Oct '25
1 Oct '25 - 31 Oct '25
31 Oct '25
30 Nov '25
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 |
| 50 |
LPUNEST / JEE Main |
LPUNEST / GATE |
|
| 42 | UPESEAT / JEE Main / 10+2 |
BTech Merit |
|
| 52 |
JEE Main - UG |
NA |
|
| 78 |
GATE / Banasthali University Aptitude Test |
||
| 85 |
JAC Delhi Counselling |
PGCAT - IIIT D / GATE |
|
| 64 | JEE Main scores / MET |
MET / GATE |
|
| Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Uttar Pradesh |
80 | JEE Advanced / JEE Main |
GATE |
| 89 |
JEE Main + Counselling and IPU CET/ CUET-UG (for BTech Biotechnology) |
IPU CET / GATE / CUET - PG |
|
| 94 |
JEE Main - UG |
NA |
List of Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in Eastern Zone
According to the JoSAA seat matrix, the total seats in IITs are 17760, while the number of seats in NITs and IIITs is 24229 and 8546, respectively. According to the official data, this year 355 seats were increased in IIT, including 20 in IIT Bhubaneswar, 12 in IIT Bombay, 30 in Kharagpur, 84 in Patna, 30 in Gandhinagar, 10 in Guwahati, 40 in Bhilai, 10 in Tirupati, and 75 in Dharwad. In 2023, the IIT seat count was 17385.
To get admission in IITs, any rank around 5000 AIR is safe (for the unreserved category). However, the rank for reserved category candidates will be higher (in the range of 10,000 to 15,000) for admission to the top IITs. To get a seat in top IIT and the highly sorted course like CSE, achieving a rank within the approximate range of 2000-2500 is typically required. It's important to note that the exact cutoff can differ each year due to factors such as the number of candidates, the difficulty level of the exam, and the availability of seats.
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 |
| 48 |
JEE Main |
GATE |
|
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | JEE Main / MHT CET |
GATE |
|
| 63 | NA | GATE | |
| 77 |
MHT CET |
GATE |
What to Look for in a Good Engineering College?
Yes, candidates are required to submit proof of domicile in case availing the home-state quota in NITs. It is only NIT where admission is offered against the Home State quota.
Candidates home state is determined based on the state from which you appear for your 12th board exam and on the basis of the state to which you belong.
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.
NO. Barch admisison in the IITs is based on JEE Advanced and Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT). For Barch admisison t the IITs, candidates have to first qualify JEE Advanced and then appear for AAT.
Apart from the rankings, while curating the list of top colleges offering engineering courses, candidates must take into note the following factors:
ROI: How much you invest in a 4-year course offered by a college versus what placement package you get is an example of return on investment (ROI). Select a college that will ensure good end-of-course opportunities that are worth the fee they are charging.
Academics and Reputation: Check how the reputation of a college and the course they are offering is. Talk to existing students, check out the alumni, talk to recently and previously passed out seniors. Check out authentic reviews online and then make a decision.
Location: Also, the location should matter. Check the commute distance, and even if you opt for a hostel, the college should not be in a remote area with no easy access to basic facilities.
Industry connection, training and placements: This is one of the most important factors. Select a college that provides industry exposure, training and workshops regularly. A college that takes the initiative to enhance the skills of a student should always be prioritised. Get a review of the placement cell of the college and check past placement records.
Faculty: Know the faculty and student ratio. Learn about the faculty standards and reviews.
In addition to the above factors, also consider the factors that fit your personal goals, like a college's specialisation in a particular discipline, research facilities, etc.
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The participating institutes of JEE Main are the colleges that participate in the JoSAA counselling for admission in various Engineering, Architecture and Planning courses. Besides JEE Main participating institutes, many colleges offer admission based on the scores of JEE Main but are not a part of JoSAA. Such institutes organise their counselling process for admission.
There are a total of 31 NITs, 25 IIITs and 19 other GFTIs that participate in JoSAA counselling. The number of seats in these institutes can be checked below. Other institutes which offer admission based on JEE Main scores are from the states which do not conduct their entrance exams for engineering admission and include U.P., Bihar, M.P., Delhi, among others.