Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala 2026
Kerala is home to 4 top engineering colleges ranked under NIRF 2025, all government-owned: NIT Calicut, IIST Thiruvananthapuram, IIT Palakkad, and College of Engineering Trivandrum. These colleges admit students through JEE Main and JEE Advanced scores. Most of the best Engineering colleges in Kerala are affiliated with APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU) and hold NBA and NAAC accreditation. They offer AICTE-approved BTech and MTech programmes known for strong academics and good placements.
- Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Known Facts 2026
- Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala NIRF 2025, India Today, The Week Ranking 2026
- 2.1 Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2025
- 2.2 Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: India Today Ranking 2026
- 2.3 Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: The Week Ranking 2026
- Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Kerala Engineering Colleges 2026
- Entrances Accepted in Kerala Engineering Colleges 2026
- Top Government Engineering Colleges in Kerala
- BTech and MTech Seat Intake at Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala
- Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Courses and Fees
- Top BTech Colleges in Kerala
- Top MTech Colleges in Kerala
- ROI of the Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala
- Comparison of the Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala 2026
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Known Facts 2026
Kerala has a perfect combination of highly paid National Institutes such as IIT Palakkad as well as expensive state colleges such as College of Engineering Trivandrum ( CET). It has a Return on Investment like no other due to its unbelievably low government fee structure. The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) offers students direct, specialized pathways into space missions with ISRO. Here are the key highlights of the top BTech colleges in Kerala, including all important info. -
| Particulars |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total no. of Engineering colleges in Kerala |
4 colleges |
| Top Kerala Engineering Colleges as per NIRF ranking 2025 |
NIT Calicut, IIST Thiruvananthapuram, IIT Palakkad, College of Engineering Trivandrum |
| Fee range of top colleges |
~ INR 27,000 - INR 8 lakh |
| Top Engineering specialisations offered in Kerala colleges |
Computer Science Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc. |
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
JEE Main, JEE Advanced, KEAM, etc. |
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala NIRF 2025, India Today, The Week Ranking 2026
Kerala offers several top engineering colleges in India and with top institutions ranked by NIRF 2025, India Today 2026 and The Week 2026, it’s easy to find the best college for your future. Read the rankings below -
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2025
As per the NIRF ranking 2025, NIT Calicut ranked as the top Kerala Engineering college followed by top colleges like IIST Thiruvananthapuram and IIT Palakkad. These rankings are based on various factors like research great faculty, placement opportunities, etc. Now check the top 10 engineering colleges in Kerala based on NIRF ranking -
| College Name |
NIRF 2024 | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 21 | |
| 51 | 61 | |
| 64 | 64 |
Source: Rankings are licensed from the NIRF official site and the NIRF ranking 2026 engineering colleges Kerala is not yet published.
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: India Today Ranking 2026
NIT Calicut is ranked as the best college in Kerala by India today 2026 among the engineering colleges category in the state ranked second and third are MEC Kochi and TKM College of engineering.
| Top Engineering Colleges | India Today Ranking 2026 |
|---|---|
| NIT Calicut | 19 |
| MEC Kochi - Government Model Engineering College | 38 |
| TKM College of Engineering | 101 |
| SCMS School of Engineering and Technology | 120 |
NOTE: The above rankings have been taken from the official India Today website.
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: The Week Ranking 2026
As per the Week-Hansa Research Survey 2026, NIT Calicut is ranked the best engineering institution in Kerala and MEC Kochi and Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology are the best private engineering colleges in Kerala. Go through the table below for more colleges.
| Top Colleges | The Week Ranking 2026 |
|---|---|
| NIT Calicut | 19 |
| MEC Kochi - Government Model Engineering College | 77 |
| RSET - Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology | 90 |
| FISAT - Federal Institute of Science and Technology | 97 |
| 5. Saintgits College of Engineering | 188 |
NOTE: The above rankings have been taken from the official the Week website.
Eligibility Criteria for Admission to Kerala Engineering Colleges 2026
To get admission in engineering colleges in Kerala for the 2026 academic year, candidates should meet certain conditions, which are mainly dictated by the Commissioner for Entrance Examination CEE, Kerala.
- Students must pass Class 12 with a minimum of 60% aggregate with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as core subjects.
- Admission is also based on a merit basis and some colleges accept exams like JEE Main, JEE Advanced, etc.
Entrances Accepted in Kerala Engineering Colleges 2026
To get admission to the best Kerala Engineering colleges, Candidates must have passed Class 12 or clear an entrance exam like JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Listed below are the accepted entrance exams for the best Engineering colleges in Kerala with schedules and college predictors-
| Exams | Schedule | Exam College Predictor |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main Exam | ||
| JEE Advanced Exam | JEE Advanced Schedule | JEE Advanced College Predictor |
Top Government Engineering Colleges in Kerala
Top Government Engineering Colleges in Kerala - CET Trivandrum, NIT Calicut, IIT Palakkad, etc. are known for their great academic standings, low tuition fees, good placements (mostly through the KEAM exam) and are the best of the best. Here are some of the top colleges with fees and NIRF ranking 2025.
| Public/Government Colleges |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut Admission | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh |
21 |
| Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Admission | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh |
61 |
| IIT Palakkad Admission | INR 20,000 - INR 8 lakh |
64 |
| College of Engineering Trivandrum Admission | INR 13,000 - INR 1.9 lakh |
101-150 |
Source: The above data have been taken from the official colleges website and will/may vary in the future.
BTech and MTech Seat Intake at Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala
Candidates can see the table below for the top Engineering colleges in Kerala with BTech and MTech seat intake -
| Top Colleges | BTech Seats | MTech Seats |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut | 1,253 | 668 |
| IIST Thiruvananthapuram | 164 | 238 |
| IIT Palakkad | 280 | 45 |
| College of Engineering Trivandrum | 870 | 522 |
Source: The above data have been taken from the official colleges website and will/may vary in the future.
Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Courses and Fees
The table below shows the various courses offered by top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fees -
| Top Colleges | Courses Offered | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut Courses | BTech in CSE, BTech in Biotechnology, BTech in Mechanical Engineering, etc. | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh |
| IIST Courses | BTech in Aerospace Engineering, BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, etc. | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh |
| IIT Palakkad Courses | BTech in Electrical Engineering, BTech in CSE, BTech in Data Science and Engineering, etc. | INR 20,000 - INR 8 lakh |
| College of Engineering Trivandrum Courses | BTech in CSE, BTech in Mechanical Engineering, BTech in Industrial Engineering, etc. | INR 13,000 - INR 1.9 lakh |
Top BTech Colleges in Kerala
There are around 200+ BTech colleges in Kerala. These colleges accept KEAM, JEE Main/Advanced, and other institute-level exams for admission. Some of the top colleges are mentioned below with their tuition fees -
| BTech Programmes in Kerala |
Total Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| INR 6 lakh |
|
| Indian Institute of Information Technology, Kottayam BTech Course |
INR 10 lakh |
| INR 5 lakh |
|
| INR 1 lakh - INR 3 lakh |
|
| Government Engineering College, Thrissur BTech Course | INR 34,000 |
Top MTech Colleges in Kerala
Some of the top MTech Colleges in Kerala are mentioned below with their tuition fees -
| MTech Colleges in Kerala | Tuition Fee |
|---|---|
| NIT Calicut MTech Course | INR 1.4 lakh |
| IIST MTech Course | INR 1.4 lakh |
| IIT Palakkad MTech Course | INR 20,000 |
| College of Engineering, Trivandrum MTech Course | INR 13,890 |
| MEC Kochi MTech Course | INR 1 lakh |
NOTE: The info. are from the official site and can change.
ROI of the Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala
IIST Thiruvananthapuram offered the highest placement package of INR 10.50 LPA with the top recruiters participated include Infosys, Adobe, TCS, JSW Group, etc. Take a look at the table below for the top engineering colleges in Kerala with placement package with their tuition fees -
| College Name |
Total Tuition Fee |
Median Package |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut Placements | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh |
INR 4.8 LPA - INR 17 LPA |
| CET Trivandrum Placements | INR 13,000 - INR 1.9 lakh |
INR 7 LPA - INR 7.3 LPA |
| Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Placements | INR 5 lakh |
INR 6.2 LPA - INR 18.5 LPA |
Comparison of the Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala 2026
To check the comparison between the best Engineering colleges in Kerala, click on the links below.
1. NIT Calicut - National Institute of Technology
2. IIST - Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
3. IIT Palakkad - Indian Institute of Technology
4. College of Engineering, Trivandrum
Commonly asked questions On Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala 2026
Yes, NIT Calicut offers various scholarships and awards to its meritorious students. Tabulated below is the list of scholarships offered at NIT Calicut:
| NIT Calicut Scholarships | ||
|---|---|---|
USIEF Fellowship | CSS of Top Class Education for SC/ ST | Prof Allesu Kanjirthinkal |
Subramonia Iyer (SILA Scholarship) | Chinese Government Scholarship | New Zealand Commonwealth |
SIB Scholar | Rhodes Scholarship | MCM & CSS Scholarship |
Yes, Kerala follows a reservation policy in engineering admissions. Seats are reserved for SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), OBC (Other Backward Classes), and certain other economically and socially backward communities as per state government norms. There are also reservations for NRI candidates and management quota seats in private colleges. The exact percentage of reserved seats can vary by college type (government, aided, self-financing).
Yes, there are many government Engineering colleges in Kerala. Some of them are mentioned below with their tuition fees and their seat intake:
Public/Government Colleges | Total Tuition Fee | NIRF Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|
NIT Calicut | INR 5 lakh | 21 |
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology | INR 5 lakh | 61 |
IIT Palakkad | INR 8 lakh | 64 |
College of Engineering Trivandrum | INR 28,000 | 101-150 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Yes, joining the top-ranked engineering colleges in Kerala like NIT Calicut, IIT Palakkad, IIST Thiruvananthapuram, and the College of Engineering Trivandrum is generally worth it due to their strong ROI with solid placements, and academic reputation.
College Name | Total Tuition Fee | Median Package |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Calicut Placements | INR 1.4 lakh - INR 5 lakh | INR 4.8 LPA - INR 17 LPA |
| CET Trivandrum Placements | INR 13,000 - INR 1.9 lakh | INR 7 LPA - INR 7.3 LPA |
| Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Placements | INR 5 lakh | INR 6.2 LPA - INR 18.5 LPA |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Other popular Engineering colleges in Kerala
#801-1000 Times Higher Education
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