Kanpur

SGSITS IS BETTERFaculty : Though it varies from dept to dept yet overall its better than all other colleges in the state. There are depts like mechanical and civil where you'll find very experienced and senior professors and then there are depts like IT where faculties are comparatively novice. Depts like computer engineering and electronics have fair share of both. I studied in the dept of Computer Engineering.I feel lucky for I had a chance to study from the likes of Mehta Sir and then feel agitated as important subjects like data structures and computer networks were taught by not so good teachers.
Exposure : This is the field which requires huge improvement. Tech-fests are organized but they are as good as not having them. College administration usually avoids funding from external sources. So don't expect a celebrity coming and performing, GS just can't afford it. Students' participation in inter college events, techfests etc that are organized in other colleges is also quite less though I am seeing some improvements here. Very few students go for internships. But there are some exceptions like mechanical dept which has continuously impressed even on an international level. BAJA was something that I want to point to. Overall, the students need much more exposure of technology and ideas.
Atmosphere: By atmosphere I mean the kind of air that flows in college. It again depends in dept. Depts like mechanical have this atmosphere of building things because of events like BAJA. Worst atmosphere is in dept of Computer Engg where there is total ignorance and lack of programming knowledge. Almost no participation in coding contests. Final year projects aren't very impressive either.
Hostel (2.5) The college has both boys and girls hostel but seats are limited and allotted based on your rank in admission test. Its cheaper to stay in hostel than staying out. The quality of students here is same as that of entire college - geeks, smarts, dumbs, you'll find all. The infrastructure of hostel is poor, really poor. Maintenance is worse. Mess food is as good as a mess food can be, but there is an option of opting out of hostel mess and eat at some other place which usually will be equally bad. I stayed in hostel all 4 years of BE. The atmosphere there is as that of a typical hostel can be. Friendships, fun, booze, smoke, last night studies, you'll experience all. You'll get to learn a lot of stuff there, believe me. Don't leave if you get a change to stay.