Every year, after the release of JEE Mains Results, candidates start applying to the top IITs. The Indian Institute of Technology is the most prestigious institutions for engineering courses like CSE, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, etc.. Candidates who miss the chance to get into IITs can go for the NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs. There are 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 32 GFTIs. These institutes are also well known for their top-class engineering, science, and architectural courses.
Candidates often get confused about which to choose when it comes to picking one between a lower-ranked IIT and a top-ranked NIT, or a lower-ranked NIT and a top-ranked IIIT, or a lower-ranked IIIT and a top-ranked GFTI. When candidates are to choose between the above-mentioned combinations, they must consider some of the factors mentioned below:
- JEE Rank: Candidates must check their JEE Rank before applying to any institution. Candidate must check the previous year’s cutoff data to evaluate their acceptance.
- Branch Preference: Always give preference to branch over college if you have special interest in any particular field (particularly CSE, which provides better placement). Else, go for college over branch if you care more for campus life, alumni, and long-term career flexibility.
- Placement Data: Before applying to any institute, candidates must check their placement rate and placement tie-ups.
- Course and Curriculum: IIITs focus on technology-oriented CSE programs, NITs provide an even set of engineering courses, and GFTIs offer diversified courses, with some focused along the lines of NEP and AICTE work towards modernisation.
- Infrastructure: when talking about infrastructure, candidates should keep in mind that all the older NITs and IIITs have well developed campuses including hostels, libraries, labs, etc. whereas the new a campuses may still be on the developing stage.
- Location & Locality: when choosing any campus, candidates should prefer metro cities as, metro cities can offer better internship and job opportunity.
Given below is the list of the top 5 NITs, top 5 IIITs, and top 5 GFTIs.
| Top 5 National Institute of Technology (NIT) | ||
| Name of NITs | NIRF Ranking (2024) | Final Cutoff (Computer Science and Engineering) (2024) |
| National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli | 9 | 1,224 |
| National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | 17 | 1,615 |
| National Institute of Technology Rourkela | 19 | 2,940 |
| National Institute of Technology Warangal | 21 | 2,186 |
| National Institute of Technology Calicut | 25 | 4,482 |
| Top 5 Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) | ||
| Name of IIITs | NIRF Ranking (2024) | Final Cutoff (Computer Science and Engineering) (2024) |
| Indian Institute of Information Technology Gwalior | 101-105 | 8,044 |
| Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad | 87 | 5,202 ( Information Technology)Does not Offer CSE |
| Indian Institute of Information Technology Lucknow | Not Ranked | 9,824 |
| Indian Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad | 62 | – |
| Indian Institute of Information Technology Sri City, Chittoor | Not Ranked | 26,444 |
| Top 5 Government Funded Technical Institutions (GFTI) | ||
| Name of GFTIs | NIRF Ranking (2024) | Final Cutoff (Computer Science and Engineering) (2024) |
| Assam University, Silchar | Not Ranked | 50,836 |
| Institute of Infrastructure, Technology, Research and Management, Ahmedabad | Not Ranked | 40,078 |
| School of Studies of Engineering and Technology, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur | Not Ranked | 65,174 |
| J.K. Institute of Applied Physics & Technology, Allahabad | Not Ranked | 43,997 |
| National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology, Maharashtra | Not Ranked | 54,579 (Electrical Engineering)Does not offer CSE |
National Institute of Technology (NITs)
The National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are goverened by the National Institutes of Technology Act of 2007, which are independent public technical universities supported by the Indian government. After the IITs, the NITs are regarded as one of the best engineering schools in India. JoSAA administers the JEE Main exam, which is required for admission to NITs.
Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs)
The Indian Institute of Information Technology are a collection of educational institutions with a focus on computer science and information technology. There are 26 IIITs are in India as of 2024. PPP (Public Private Partnership) model IIITs and centrally funded IIITs are both available.
Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs)
The Government Funded Technical Institutes are referred to a variety of central universities, state-funded colleges, and deemed universities such as Assam University, PEC Chandigarh, and Gurukul Kangri are included in GFTIs. There are more than 30 GFTIs in India, as of 2024.
NIT vs IIIT vs GFTIs : Comparison Table
This comparison table given below provides a structured overview of NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, it states the differences in academic orientation, placement performance, infrastructure, fee structure, and career opportunities to guide students in selecting the most suitable institution.
| Feature | NITs | IIITs | GFTIs |
| Focus | All branches | Mostly CSE/IT | Varies |
| Placements | Strong | Excellent for CSE | Mixed |
| Infrastructure | Well-established in old NITs | Top IIITs are strong | Inconsistent |
| Branch Availability | Wide | Limited | Varies |
| Alumni Network | Strong | Emerging | Limited |
| Tuition Fees | Moderate | Moderate to High | Low to Moderate |
| Career Scope | Core + IT | IT/Tech focused | Depends on institute |
