IIT vs. NIT: Which Engineering College is Right for You?
One of the most repetitive questions encountered in the minds of young aspiring engineers is which engineering college is right for their career: IIT or NIT? These questions are obvious as the decision will impact their career long-term. However, only a few aspirants know the difference between the two, leading to misconceptions and wrong choices.
Read on and find the key difference between the two colleges to make the right decision for your career.
Understanding the Gap: IIT vs. NIT
Let’s get an insight into the key differences between IIT & NIT:
- What is IIT & NIT
IITs or Indian Institutes of Technology is a chain of engineering and technology institutions in India. These institutes were established in the 1950s under the guidance of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The IITs are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, of 1961 which refers to the foundation of the premier institutes in India to empower youths with the latest technological education. Each IIT functions as an autonomous body but is linked to each other through a common council called the IIT Council. There are 23 IITs in India accounting for 17740 seats.
NITs or National Institutes of Technology are centrally funded technical institutes under the ownership of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. These institutes are established under the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education, and Research Act, 2007. There are 31 NITs in India accounting for 24,229 seats for undergraduate programs and 11,428 for postgraduate programs.
- Number of Colleges:
The second important difference is to know the number of NIT & IIT colleges in India. We have around 23 IITs and 31 NITs in our country providing prestigious engineering degrees.
| List of NIT & IIT Colleges in India | |
| IITs | NITs |
| IIT Bombay IIT DelhiIIT GuwahatiIIT KanpurIIT KharagpurIIT MadrasIIT RoorkeeIIT (BHU) VaranasiIIT BhubaneswarIIT GandhinagarIIT HyderabadIIT IndoreIIT JodhpurIIT MandiIIT PalakkadIIT PatnaIIT RoparIIT TirupatiIIT GoaIIT JammuIIT Dharwad | Dr. B. R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar (NITJ)Malaviya National Institute of Technology JaipurMaulana Azad National Institute of Technology BhopalMotilal Nehru National Institute of Technology AllahabadNIT AgartalaNIT Andhra PradeshNIT Arunachal PradeshNIT CalicutNIT DelhiNIT DurgapurNIT GoaNIT HamirpurNational Institute Of Industrial EngineeringNIT JamshedpurNIT KurukshetraNIT ManipurNIT MeghalayaNIT MizoramNIT NagalandNIT PatnaNIT PondicherryNIT RaipurNIT RourkelaNIT SrinagarNIT SikkimNIT SurathkalNIT TrichyNIT UttarakhandNIT WarangalSardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology SuratVisvesvaraya National Institute of Technology Nagpur |
- Admission Criteria: IIT Vs. NIT
Admission requirements are one of the most significant variations between IITs and NITs. The minimal prerequisite for admission to an IIT is JEE Advanced. Students must have a high rank in JEE Advanced and a minimum of 75% in their 12th grade to participate in the counselling process for admission to IIT. Students who score well in the JEE Mains are eligible for admission to NITs. Therefore, admission to IITs requires more proficiency than to a NIT.
- Courses Offered
There is no doubt that IITs are superior to NITs in delivering quality education. IITs comprise the world’s best faculty capable of imparting technical knowledge that can boost the career prospects of students when compared to other institutes.
The IITs are well known for their B.Tech, B.Arch, and B.Sc courses while NITs are known for their B.Tech and B.Arch. courses. These courses are meticulously designed taking into consideration the latest technologies and trends in the relevant field of engineering.
- Infrastructure
Most IITs are innovation-oriented where the main focus is on the establishment of multiple research labs to provide better facilities for the students to carry out their research. That’s why
IITians are students who invent a feasible solution for the nation’s sustainable development. Whereas NITs are productivity-driven institutions that work mostly to understand every aspect of production. Subjects like economics are a significant part of their curriculum.
- Placements
Both IITs and NITs are equally important in providing excellent placement opportunities to students due to their strong alumni networking across the globe. Though IT is the main sector where you get most of the placements, the NITs and IITs also provide a lot of job opportunities in other sectors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we find that both IIT and NIT are equally competent and relevant institutions for engineering students. Admission to IIT requires more comprehensive knowledge compared to the NIT. Both institutes are highly reputed for pursuing higher studies as they impart quality and industry-relevant education to the students. Choosing the right institute depends on your career goals and eligibility. For more information on the right career pathway for your future endeavours talk to the professionals at IIB Career Institute.
IIB has been a renowned name in coaching NEET & JEE (Main & Advanced) aspirants for the last 25 years with a proven track record of success and expert guidance that can pave the path to your success in the competitive examination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose NIT or IIT?
Answer: Choosing NIT or IIT depends on an individual goal and career prospects. IITs are research-driven institutions that foster innovative youth minds to develop new inventions for global recognition while NITs offer exhaustive academic curricula for excellent knowledge and career growth.
Which is expensive IIT or NIT?
Answer: IITs are more expensive than NITs in terms of tuition fees, accommodation, admission fees, etc.
Does NIT give 100% placement?
Answer: The difficulty level of the NEET exam varies every year. As per the experts, the NEET exam paper’s difficulty lies between moderate to very difficult levels as it is considered one of the highly competitive exams.
What is the main difference between IIT and NIT?
Answer: The main difference between IITs and NITs is in terms of the admission process, fees, placements, scope, and establishment. There are fewer seats in IIT as compared to NITs in India.
Which institutions are known for better research opportunities?
Answer: IITs are well-known for research opportunities while NITs are known for their academic excellence. In IIT studies are based on research work.
Do both IITs and NITs offer similar courses and specialisations?
Answer: Generally, both institutions provide a wide range of specializations and courses. When compared, IITs provide better specialization than NITs.
Is the admission process equally competitive for both IITs and NITs?
Answer: IITs have a more competitive admission process as they require a high percentile in the JEE Advanced examination compared to NITs.