Looking for the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs and IIITs? Don’t worry, we have listed everything for you. Across the country, there are around 5,868 Engineering Colleges in India approved by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Out of these, only 80 institutes belong to the IIT, NIT, and IIIT category – including 23 IITs, 31 NITs, and 26 IIITs – which remain the dream of most engineering aspirants.
As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report, nearly 23.20 lakh students are enrolled in BTech courses in India. Every year, over 23 lakh students look forward to admissions in IITs, NITs, and IIITs, where the JoSAA 2025 seat matrix offers just (just in case definition) 62,853 seats in total.
To add to this, almost 9 lakh candidates appear for JEE Main, the entrance exam for NITs and IIITs. Of these, only the best 2.5 lakh students are allowed to write JEE Advanced, which is the opening door to IIT admissions. Lastly, only 44,000 candidates are successful in attaining seats at IITs, which makes the competition incredibly hard.
It is evident that competition to get seats in IITs, NITs, and IIITs is very difficult. So, Class 12 students, who have dreams of getting into an engineering career, should also consider these other best engineering colleges apart from IITs, NITs, and IIITs as an option for a good backup plan.
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Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT, and IIIT
If you are looking for the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs, and IIITs, here is a complete list for you. These engineering colleges in India have been ranked among the best engineering colleges apart from IITs, NITs, and IIITs by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
The NIRF rankings evaluate colleges on different parameters such as Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Peer Perception. Because of these detailed criteria, the NIRF list is considered one of the most reliable ways to identify the top colleges in India apart from the IITs, NITs and IIITs.
Check out below the list of engineering colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT based on the NIRF 2024 rankings in the engineering category.
| Institute Name | UG Admission Process | PG Admission Process | NIRF Ranking |
| Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu | VITEEE | VITMEE | 11 |
| Jadavpur University, West Bengal | WBJEE | GATE | 12 |
| SRM Institute of Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu | SRMJEEE | SRMJEEE (PG) | 13 |
| Anna University, Tamil Nadu | TNEA | CEETA PG | 14 |
| Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Rajasthan | BITSAT | GATE | 20 |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu | AEEE / JEE Main | GATE | 23 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi | JEE Main | JMI Entrance Test | 24 |
| Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Odisha | SAAT / JEE Main | SAAT | 26 |
| Delhi Technological University, New Delhi | JAC Delhi Counselling | GATE | 27 |
| Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Punjab | JEE Main | GATE | 29 |
| Amity University, Uttar Pradesh | JEE Main / 10+2 Score | BTech Scores | 30 |
| Chandigarh University, Punjab | CUCET | CUCET | 32 |
| Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh | AMUEEE | AMU Entrance Test | 33 |
| Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Andhra Pradesh | KLEEE / JEE Main / JEE Advanced / AP EAMCET / State Engineering Exams | BTech Scores | 35 |
| Kalasalingam Academy of Research & Education, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main / 10+2 | GATE | 36 |
| Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Odisha | KIITEE | KIITEE | 37 |
| Shanmugha Arts Science Technology & Research Academy, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main / 10+2 | BTech Scores / GATE | 38 |
| Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu | 10+2 Scores | UG Merit / GATE | 46 |
| Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology, West Bengal | JEE Main | GATE | 49 |
| Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST), Kerala | JEE Advanced | GATE | 51 |
To explore more options for the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs and IIITs, we have listed some of the best engineering colleges apart from IITs, NITs, IIITs zone-wise. This will help students easily find the right college in their preferred location.
Check Out: List of Top NIT Colleges in India – NIRF 2025 Ranking
Top Engineering Colleges in India Other than IIT, NIT and IIIT – North Zone
If you are looking for engineering colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT in the northern region, here is the list of top colleges in India apart from the IITs, NITs and IIITs in the North Zone:
| Institute Name | Admission Process – UG | Admission Process – PG | NIRF Ranking |
| Lovely Professional University, Punjab | LPUNEST / JEE Main | LPUNEST / GATE | 50 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi | JEE Main | JMI Entrance Exam | 24 |
| Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, Uttar Pradesh | JEE Advanced / JEE Main | GATE | 80 |
| Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan | Banasthali University Aptitude Test | GATE / University Aptitude Test | 78 |
| Chandigarh University, Punjab | CUCET | CUCET | 32 |
| Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi | JAC Delhi Counselling | PGCAT – IIIT D / GATE | 85 |
| Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh | AMUEEE | AMU Entrance Test | 33 |
| UPES, Uttarakhand | UPESEAT / JEE Main / 10+2 | BTech Merit | 42 |
| Amity University, Uttar Pradesh | 10+2 Merit / JEE Main | BTech Scores | 30 |
| Chitkara University, Punjab | JEE Main – UG | NA | 94 |
| Delhi Technological University, Delhi | JAC Delhi Counselling | GATE | 27 |
| Graphic Era University, Uttarakhand | JEE Main (UG) | NA | 52 |
| Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Punjab | JEE Main | GATE | 29 |
| Manipal University Jaipur, Rajasthan | JEE Main Scores / MET | MET / GATE | 64 |
| Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS) – Pilani, Rajasthan | BITSAT | GATE | 20 |
| Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi | JEE Main + Counselling / IPU CET / CUET-UG | IPU CET / GATE / CUET-PG | 89 |
Top Engineering Colleges in India Other than IIT, NIT and IIIT – South Zone
As per the latest AICTE data, almost 50% of the engineering colleges in India are concentrated in five southern states – Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Below is the list of the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs and IIITs in the southern region.
| Institute Name | Admission Process – UG | Admission Process – PG | NIRF Ranking |
| M. S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Karnataka | KCET / COMEDK | GATE / Karnataka PGCET | 75 |
| Vellore Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu | VITEEE | VITMEE | 11 |
| Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main + 10+2 Scores | BTech Scores / GATE | 38 |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu | AEEE / JEE Main | GATE | 23 |
| International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore, Karnataka | JEE Main | GATE | 74 |
| PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu | TNEA | CEETA PG | 67 |
| Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Kerala | JEE Advanced | GATE | 51 |
| Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka | MET | MET | 56 |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences, Tamil Nadu | TNEA | CEETA PG | 53 |
| Anna University, Tamil Nadu | TNEA | CEETA PG | 14 |
| International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad, Telangana | KCET / COMEDK UGET / JEE Main | GATE / KPGCET | 74 |
| Kalasalingam Academy of Research & Education, Tamil Nadu | JEE Main + 10+2 | GATE | 36 |
| Sathyabama Institute of Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu | TNEA / SAEEE | BTech Merit – PG | 66 |
| Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University, Andhra Pradesh | KLEEE / JEE Main / JEE Advanced / AP EAMCET / State Exams | BTech Scores – PG | 35 |
| University of Hyderabad, Telangana | NA | GATE | 70 |
| Sri Krishna College of Engineering & Technology, Tamil Nadu | TNEA | GATE | 83 |
| Sri Sivasubramaniya Nadar College of Engineering, Tamil Nadu | 10+2 Merit | GATE / UG Merit | 46 |
| Visvesvaraya Technological University, Karnataka | KCET / JEE Main | BTech Scores | 69 |
| S.R.M. Institute of Science & Technology, Tamil Nadu | SRMJEEE | SRMJEEE (PG) | 13 |
Check Out: List of Top IIT Colleges in India Based on NIRF Ranking 2025
Top Engineering Colleges in India Other than IIT, NIT and IIIT – Western Zone
According to the NIRF Rankings 2023, three engineering colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT from the western region have secured a place among the best. These colleges are listed below:
| Institute Name | Admission Process – UG | Admission Process – PG | NIRF Ranking |
| College of Engineering, Pune (Maharashtra) | Through MHT CET | Based on GATE Score | 77 |
| Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (MH) | JEE Main or MHT CET | GATE Exam | 41 |
| Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (MH) | Not Applicable for UG Courses | GATE Exam | 63 |
Top Engineering Colleges in India Other than IIT, NIT and IIIT – Eastern Zone
As per the NIRF Rankings 2023, six top colleges in India apart from the IITs, NITs and IIITs are located in the eastern zone. The list of these top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs and IIITs is given below:
| Institute Name | Admission for UG (Mode) | Admission for PG (Mode) | NIRF Ranking |
| Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Odisha | KIITEE | KIITEE | 37 |
| C.V. Raman Global University, Odisha | CGET / JEE Main | CGET / GATE | 96 |
| Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology, Shibpur | JEE Main | GATE | 49 |
| Birla Institute of Technology, Jharkhand | JEE Main | GATE | 48 |
| Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Odisha | SAAT / JEE Main | SAAT | 26 |
| Jadavpur University, West Bengal | WBJEE | GATE | 12 |
Check Out: Top Private Engineering Colleges in India 2025
Key Factors to Consider Before Choosing Top Engineering Colleges in India?
While selecting Top Engineering Colleges in India or engineering colleges in India other than IIT, NIT, and IIIT, don’t just depend on rankings. Check important points related to this:
- ROI (Return on Investment): Choose colleges where placement packages are the same match the fees you pay.
- Academics & Faculty: First of all, the best engineering colleges apart from IITs, NITs, and IIITs shall have a good curriculum, experienced faculty members, and good placement records.
- Industry Exposure: Internships, research projects, and tie-ups with companies help students gain practical skills.
- Infrastructure: Modern labs, research centers, libraries, and other facilities support better learning.
- Student Support: Academic guidance, career counseling, and mental health assistance make college life easier.
- Diversity and Inclusion: A diverse and embracing campus readies students for international opportunities.
- Location Benefit: Colleges near industries or in metro cities have better placements and internship opportunities.
FAQs on Top Engineering Colleges in India other than IIT, NIT and IIIT
Q: Which are the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs, and IIITs?
Some of the top engineering colleges in India other than IITs, NITs, and IIITs, are BITS Pilani (and its campuses), Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Anna University, Jadavpur University, and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). These engineering colleges in India are popular among students due to good faculty, placement records, infrastructure, and research opportunities; they can be considered an alternative option for students after IITs, NITs, and IIITs.
Q: Which state in India has the highest number of engineering colleges?
Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of engineering colleges in India, totaling 8050 institutions that are functional. After them, other states of India, such as Maharashtra and Karnataka, are also full of engineering colleges offering different levels of courses.
Q: How many engineering colleges are there in India?
At present, there are over 8,876 engineering colleges in the country, of which 6,611 are private and 2,265 are government engineering colleges in India.
Q: What is the total seat intake for IITs?
For the 2025 admission cycle, there are around 18,160 seats available in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for undergraduate programs.
Q: What JEE Advanced rank is required to get into the top IITs?
For courses like Computer Science in top-most IITs like IIT Delhi or IIT Madras, you typically need a JEE Advanced rank under 500. For older IITs, target up to a rank of 4500, and for newer IITs, try up to a rank of 10000 as per the branch and cutoff trends.
Q: How many marks are required in JEE Advanced for IIT admission?
There is no such thing as a set minimum for IITs. JOSSA will release the cutoff scores every year, which change as per your JEE Advanced rank, the difficulty of the exam, and the number of applications to the branch or IIT.
