India's top 10 Engineering Colleges

As the school academic session for 2011-12 is set to close, the race for admission to country's coveted engineering institutes is gaining momentum. Students across the country are gearing up to compete for a seat in India's best technology institutes.

Among the long list of these engineering institutes spread across the country, there are a few which top in campus placements, infrastructure and academic environment. IT magazine Dataquest's annual survey has released a list of India's top engineering institutes.

While this year's survey reveals some surprises, IITs continue their dominance in the list. Here's over to the top 10 'Best engineering colleges of 2011'.

1. IIT Bombay
Established in 1958 with aid from UNESCO and former Soviet Union, IIT Mumbai ranks at No. 1 on the list of Best engineering colleges of 2011. However, the college bags the No. 2 spot in the placement-wise category with a total score of 28.6 on 40.

The survey quotes IIT Mumbai's placement report saying, "Amongst positive vibes about economic recovery and increased hiring, IIT Bombay entered its placement season with high expectations in 2010-11. Around 250 organizations participated in the campus placement and over 950 jobs have been offered through on-campus and pre-placement offers."

According to DQ, as per research and industry-institute collaboration, IIT-B plays an aggressive role. According to the report, the institute is working on country-specific research initiatives along with the industry. It has also collaborated with IBM for an Open Collaboration Research (OCR) project.

IIT Bombay also scores high on infrastructure and academic environment. The college also tops in alumni funding. The institute offers a variety of courses in engineering, pure sciences, design, management and humanities.

2. IIT Madras

At No. 2 on the list of Best engineering colleges of 2011 is IIT Madras, jumping two spots from its 2010 ranking. On the placement ranking, the college scores 28.6 out of 40.

According to DQ survey, IIT Madras made an impressive climb to No. 3 position in the placement category compared to No. 11 in the previous year.

On the industry interface-wise ranking, the college bagged No. 2 spot with a score of 3.7 out of 5, followed by National Institute of Technology Karnataka Surathkal.

According to DQ survey, IIT Madras scores excellent on industry-academia collaborations. In terms of academic environment, IIT Madras holds second position, which is topped by IIT Kharagpur. On the infrastructure front, the college came at No.2 spot, behind IIT-Bombay.

3. IIT Delhi

The Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, ranks at No.3 on the list, slipping one position from 2010 rankings. On the placement front, the college bags the No. 6 spot with a score of 25.9 on a scale of 40.

In terms of academic environment, industry interface and infrastructure, the college bags the third spot.

IIT Delhi, like all other IITs, is best known for its undergraduate programme that includes the Bachelor of Technology programme, the dual-degree Bachelor-cum-Master of Technology programme and an Integrated Master of Technology Programme.

4. IIT Kharagpur

At No. 4 on the list of India's Best engineering colleges is IIT Kharagpur, dropping one position from its 2010 position. The college scores 25.3 out of 40 on the placement front, placed at No. 7. Incidentally, the collge was at No. 2 on the placement category in 2010 with a score of 30.2 out of 40.

On the academic environment, the IIT-Kharagpur trails other institutes, bagging the top spot with a score of 15.7 out of 20. The college earns a score of 6.1 out of 10 on the infrastructure parameter.

IIT Kharagpur is an autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institute of higher education established by the Government of India in 1951. Among the first thirteen IITs set up, it is officially recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India.

5. International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad

At No. 5 on the list is IIIT, Hyderabad, retaining its 2010 ranking. The institute tops on the placement-wise category with a score of 30 (out of 40). In the previous year (2010), the institute had received a score of 29.7 (out of 40) in the placement parameter at No. 3.

However, it seems the college needs to pull up its socks on infrastructure front. Ranked at No. 10 in infrastructure category, it scores 5.8 on 10. In academic environment segment, the institute bags 8th position with a score of 10.8 (out of 20).

International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad is an autonomous institute started in 1998 with support from the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

6. Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani

BITS, Pilani is next on the list of 2011's Best engineering colleges. At No. 6, the institute has jumped three position from its 2010 ranking. Ranked at No.8 on the placement parameter, the college scores 25 out of 40.

Located in Pilani, Rajasthan, BITS also has campuses in Goa and Hyderabad in India; and Dubai in United Arab Emirates. It also has an extension center in Bangalore.

7. Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
Seventh Best engineering college on DQ's year 2011 list is Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. Ranked at No. 10 on the placement parameter, the college gets scores 24.3 out of 40.

In infrastructure segment, the college fourth postion with a score of 6.8 out of 10. On the academic environment, the college figures out in the top 10 ranking at No. 7, with a score of 10.4 on a scale of 20.

IIT Guwahati is officially recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India.

8. Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
At No. 8 is Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The institute has slipped one position from its 2010's ranking.

The college doesn't figure in the top 10 in placement and infrastructure categories. However, in academic environment segment, the college bags fifth position with a score of 10.9 on a scale of 20.

Established in 1919 in Varanasi, IT-BHU has 13 departments and three inter-disciplinary schools.

9. National Institute of Technology, Karnataka
At no. 9 on the list is National Institute of Technology, Karnataka, jumping one position from its 2010's ranking. While the college doesn't find a place in top 10 placement in placement category, the college is ranked at No. 9 in the infrastructure segment with a score of 5.0 out of 10.

It was founded in July 1960, as a joint venture between the Karnataka government and the Central government under the name Karnataka Regional Engineering College, Surathkal.

10. Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Delhi
On no. 10 is Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology, Delhi. The institute falls under the purview of Faculty of Technology, University of Delhi. Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology ranks at no. 5 in placement segment with a score of 26.1 out of 40.

However, the college doesn't make it to the top 10 list in the infrastructure and academic environment categories.

Apart from the under-graduate (BE) level courses in engineering, NSIT also offers post-graduate (MTech) level courses in several engineering disciplines.