Colleges in Vellore

Every answer above has captured the essence of bioinformatics in general, so Ill restrict my answer to the differences between the 2 courses in VIT
ACADEMICALLY, Bioinformatics students do not study Embedded Systems, Microprocessors, Graphics and Multimedia, Mobile Computing, 2 math subjects and there are separate courses for Computer Architecture and Organisation and Digital Logic whereas bioinformatics students study it as 1 subject.
The courses that we do have are: Biological Databases, Analytical Bioinformatics, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Evolution and Phylogeny e.t.c.
Courses like OOPP, DBMS, CN, CAO, OS, theory of computation, DSA, Algorithm design and analysis, software engineering, software project management are studied by students of both courses. Thus, there is around 70% similarity in the syllabi of both the courses.
PLACEMENT WISE, very few companies hesitate to let Bioinformatics students sit for placements. Out of 40+ companies that have come so far, only 14–15 (these are RnD/harware companies) haven't allowed hybrid branches but otherwise we are only next to CSE and IT in terms of placements and our PAT cell makes sure we get placed and are provided equal opportunities.
HOSTEL ROOM ALLOTMENT Is where we are blessed. We are a branch with strength of around 90–120 which means that if you get a CGPA of around 8.5 you still get the room of your choice unlike in branches with too many people. Scoring is not easy as people assume because at the end of the day we do compete for marks with both biotechnology and computer science students in our class.
This is how life is different for a cse with spec in bioinformatics student in vit. Rest depends what you make of your own time and effort.

Without management quota, your rank should be below 8000 and for IT to be 11000 to be precise for a confirmed seat in category 1 there. This year in Phase 1 counselling Day 1, ranks from 1-8000 were called and to my surprise, all the seats of CSE branch were filled. In category 1 the CSE branch fees are 198000 INR with 10000 Rs admission fees and 3000Rs. The refundable money included then in second to the fourth year, the fee structure 185000 INR. Don't worry. If you don't get a seat in category 1 then you have to manage to get a rank between 20000-30000, then also your seat is confirmed in CSE branch but that would be under category 2 to category 4 (i.e. fee increases as category number increases) and you have to pay higher fees than category 1.