Updated on Dec 17, 2024 11:13 IST
Tasbiya Khan

Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Ranking 2024, Fees, Admission, Courses, Placements

There are a total of 5 top Engineering colleges in Kerala, all of which are owned by public/government organisations. JEE Main and JEE Advanced are the most accepting entrance exams in top Engineering colleges in Kerala. NIT Calicut, IIST, IIT Palakkad, College of Engineering Trivandrum, etc. are some of the best Engineering colleges in Kerala.

LATEST UPDATE:

  • The JEE Advanced 2025 exam date has been announced for the BTech course. As per the official website, the JEE Advanced 2025 exam will be conducted on May 18, 2025. Further, the application form will be released in Apr 2025. 
  • JEE Main 2025 Session 1 registration has closed for admission to BTech, BArch, and BPlan courses. The JEE Main 2025 Session 1 exam is scheduled to be held from Jan 22 to Jan 31, 2025.
  • JEE Advanced 2025 website launched. Syllabus and eligibility released. JEE Advanced attempt limit increased from two to three.

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Highlights 2025

Engineering is a stream of education that involves the application of Science, Technology, and Mathematics to innovate, design, develop, and maintain machines, structures, software, hardware, and systems and processes. This field offers a range of career opportunities across all industries, making it one of the most sought-after courses pursued by students after Class 12, especially those from the Science stream. 

The key highlights related to top Engineering colleges in Kerala are mentioned below:

Particulars

Parameters/Statistics

No. of Colleges

5

Annual Fees

INR < 1 lakh: 2 colleges

INR > 5 lakh: 3 colleges

Top Engineering Colleges

NIT Calicut, IIST, IIT Palakkad, College of Engineering Trivandrum, etc.

Top Specialisations

Computer Science Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, etc.

Accepted Entrance Exams

JEE Main, JEE Advanced, DASA UG, etc.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website and may vary.

Predict your chances here: Engineering Cutoff 2024 Predictor

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala with NIRF Ranking 2024

The Engineering college ranking in Kerala is an important benchmark for students who are looking to pursue an undergraduate engineering course. The ranking provides valuable insights into the quality of education, research facilities, and overall academic performance of the colleges.

Below is the list of ranking of Engineering colleges in Kerala from the past three years, i.e. from 2022 to 2024:

College Name

NIRF 2022

NIRF 2023

NIRF 2024

NIT Calicut Ranking

31

23

25

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Ranking

43

48

51

IIT Palakkad Ranking

68

69

64

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website of the ranking body listed and may vary.

READ MORE: Career after BTech

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Admissions 2025

The eligibility criteria required to get admission to Top Engineering colleges in Kerala are:

  • Students must pass Class 12 with a minimum of 60% of aggregate with PhysicsChemistry, and Mathematics as core subjects.
  • Admission is also based on merit basis and apart from that some colleges in Kerala accept scorecards of exams like JEE Main, JEE Advanced, etc., for BTech admissions.

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Exam Schedule 2025

The most popular entrance exams accepted by top Engineering colleges in Kerala are mentioned below:

  • JEE Main: JEE Main is a highly competitive national-level entrance exam conducted by the NTA in India. It serves as the gateway for admission to undergraduate engineering programs in prestigious institutions such as the IITs, NITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions. The exam aims to assess a candidate's aptitude in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, which are the core subjects for engineering.
  • JEE Advanced: JEE Advanced is the only entrance exam that opens the gates of IIT admissions in undergraduate courses leading to a bachelor's degree, Integrated master's degree, Bachelor-Master Dual Degree in Engineering, Science, or Architecture. Joint Entrance Examination – Advanced is a national-level exam and is the second level that the candidates need to qualify to be part of IIT alumni, the first being JEE Main.

Listed below are the most popular entrance exams accepted in Kerala along with their schedules:

Exams Date Schedule
JEE Main 2025 Exam

Session 1: 22 Jan '25 - 31 Jan '25

Session 2: 1 Apr '25 - 8 Apr '25

JEE Main Schedule

JEE Advanced 2025 Exam 18 May '25 JEE Advanced Schedule

KEAM 2025 Exam

24 Apr '25 - 28 Apr '25

KEAM Schedule

What are the entrance exams accepted by Engineering Colleges in Kerala?

The table below shows the popular entrance exams accepted by various top Engineering institutes in India:

Exams

No. of Colleges

Cutoff Predictor

JEE Main

4

JEE Main 2024 Predictor

JEE Advanced

2

JEE Advanced 2024 Predictor

DASA UG

1

DASA UG 2024 Predictor

KEAM

1

KEAM 2024 Predictor

Top Government Engineering Colleges in Kerala

The table below shows the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fees/ BTech and MTech seat intake and entrance exams/eligibility criteria:

Public/Government Colleges

Total Tuition Fee/Seat Intake

Entrance Exams/Eligibility Criteria

NIT Calicut Admission

INR 5 lakh

BTech Seats: 1,182

MTech Seats: 537

Entrance Exams: JEE Main, DASA UG

Class 12 with 75% aggregate

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Admission

INR 6 lakh

BTech Seats: 164

MTech Seats: 238

Entrance Exams: JEE Main, JEE Advanced

Pass in Class 12

IIT Palakkad Admission

INR 8 lakh

BTech Seats: 200

Entrance Exams: JEE Main, JEE Advanced

Class 12 with 75% aggregate

College of Engineering Trivandrum Admission

INR 35,000

BTech Seats: 840

MTech Seats: 540

Entrance Exams: JEE Main, KEAM

Class 12 with 45% aggregate

Government Engineering College Thrissur Admission

INR 35,000

BTech Seats: 840

MTech Seats: 369

Entrance Exams: JEE Main, KEAM

Class 12 with 45% aggregate

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website/ sanctioning body and may vary.

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Courses and Fees

The table below shows the various courses offered by top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fees:

Top Colleges Courses Offered Tuition Fee
NIT Calicut BTech in CSE, BTech in Biotechnology, BTech in Mechanical Engineering, etc. INR 5 lakh
IIST BTech in Aerospace Engineering, BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, etc. INR 6 lakh
IIT Palakkad BTech in Electrical Engineering, BTech in CSE, BTech in Data Science and Engineering, etc. INR 8 lakh
College of Engineering Trivandrum BTech in CSE, BTech in Mechanical Engineering, BTech in Industrial Engineering, etc. INR 34,600

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website.

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Fees vs Salary

ROI is an important metric to consider as it helps students and their families determine whether the cost of attending a particular Engineering college is worth the investment.

The listed below shows some of the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fee and average placement package:

College Name

Total Tuition Fee

Annual Average Package

NIT Calicut BTech

INR 5 lakh

INR 9 LPA

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology BTech

INR 6 lakh

INR 11 LPA

Government Engineering College Thrissur BTech INR 34,600 INR 7 LPA

College of Engineering, Trivandrum BTech

INR 34,600

INR 6 LPA

Disclaimer: The above statistics are based on the latest available data.

Read more about Engineering colleges in other locations:

Highest Salary Offered by the Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala

Refer to the table below for a detailed overview of the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their average placement package and the prominent recruiters:

College Name

Average Placement Package

Prominent Recruiters

College of Engineering, Trivandrum Placements

INR 6 LPA

Cognizant Technology Solutions, TCS and Deloitte, etc.

NIT Calicut Placements

INR 9 LPA

Google, EY, IBM, Intel, Amazon, etc.

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Placements

INR 11 LPA

Infosys, Adobe, TCS, JSW Group, etc.

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from the official website/ media reports/ NIRF website and may vary.

Cost of Studying at Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala

Refer to the table for a detailed overview of the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their fee structure:

Fee Range

Engineering Colleges in Kerala

INR < 1 lakh

2 (College of Engineering Trivandrum, Government Engineering College Thrissur)

INR > 5 lakh

3 (NIT Calicut, IIST, IIT Palakkad)

Specialisations Offered by Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala

The table below shows the top specialisations offered by Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their number of colleges:

Top Specialisations

Number of Colleges

Chemical Engineering

2

Aeronautical Engineering

1

Civil Engineering

1

Computer Science Engineering

1

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala: Comparison

The table below shows the comparison of top Engineering colleges in Kerala:

Read More

Selected Filters

Location

Total Fees

Rating

Ownership

Specialization

Exams Accepted

Choose rank publishers
25
NIRF ' 24
(All India)
NIT Calicut - National Institute of Technology
4.1

Placements

4.0

Infrastructure

3.9

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.0

Crowd & Campus Life

4.3

Value for Money

4.2

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(362)
Fees: 5.00 Lakh
Salary : 9.00 Lakh
Not Ranked
India Today ' 23
Not Ranked
Times ' 24
51
NIRF ' 24
(All India)
IIST - Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology
4.1

Placements

3.7

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.4

Crowd & Campus Life

3.5

Value for Money

4.6

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(52)
Fees: 6.25 Lakh
Salary : 10.50 Lakh
Not Ranked
India Today ' 23
Not Ranked
Times ' 24
64
NIRF ' 24
(All India)
IIT Palakkad - Indian Institute of Technology
3.9

Placements

3.8

Infrastructure

3.9

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.0

Crowd & Campus Life

3.9

Value for Money

4.0

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(28)
Fees: 8.00 Lakh
Not Ranked
India Today ' 23
Not Ranked
Times ' 24
101-150
NIRF ' 24
(All India)
College of Engineering, Trivandrum
4.4

Placements

4.3

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.1

Crowd & Campus Life

4.7

Value for Money

4.7

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(200)
Fees: 34,600
Not Ranked
India Today ' 23
Not Ranked
Times ' 24
201-250
NIRF ' 24
(All India)
Government Engineering College, Thrissur
4.4

Placements

4.2

Infrastructure

4.3

Faculty & Course Curriculum

4.2

Crowd & Campus Life

4.7

Value for Money

4.7

Learning Experience

0.0

Course Support

0.0
(112)
Fees: 34,600
Salary : 6.50 Lakh
Not Ranked
India Today ' 23
Not Ranked
Times ' 24

Other popular Engineering colleges in Kerala

14 Courses
31.8 K - 34.6 K
4.15 LPA

#251-300 NIRF

11 Courses
64.84 K - 6.62 L
6 LPA
10 Courses
12 L - 24 L
7.24 LPA
9 Courses
3 L
4.5 LPA

#201-250 NIRF

1.05 L - 3 L
5 - 6.8 LPA

#37 India Today

9 Courses
2 L - 2.25 L
2.6
8 Courses
2 L
4 LPA
12 Courses
1.6 L - 2 L
3.97 - 3.99 LPA

#121 India Today

10 Courses
4.02 L
4 LPA

#93 Times

8 Courses
23.77 K - 34.6 K
4.5 LPA
10 Courses
24.68 K - 34.6 K
4.02 LPA
2 L
3.76 LPA

#251-300 NIRF

Confused about which college or exam to opt for?

Chat with our counsellor.

Get your personalised list of colleges & exams.

12 Courses
34.6 K - 67.22 K
4.5 LPA
10 Courses
2.85 L - 3 L
3.5 LPA
2 L - 3.25 L
2.9
3 L - 3.67 L
3.6 LPA
10 Courses
1.05 L - 3 L
4.0
6 Courses
34.6 K
3.7 LPA
13 Courses
3 L
3.8 LPA
8 Courses
1.4 L - 3.01 L
5.5 LPA

#140 Times

8 Courses
34.6 K
3.6 LPA
11 Courses
1.8 L - 2.6 L
3 LPA
6 Courses
34.6 K
3.6 LPA
2.4 L - 3.8 L
3 - 3.4 LPA
7 Courses
34.6 K
3.5
8 Courses
40 K - 1.4 L
4.5

Top Engineering Colleges in Kerala FAQs

Q: How many Engineering colleges are there in Kerala?

A: There are a total of 5 top Engineering colleges in Kerala, all of which are owned by public/government organisations. JEE Main and JEE Advanced are the most accepting entrance exams in top Engineering colleges in Kerala. NIT Calicut, IIST, IIT Palakkad, College of Engineering Trivandrum, etc. are some of the best Engineering colleges in Kerala.

Q: Which is the No. 1 Engineering college in Kerala as per NIRF ranking 2024?

A: NIT Calicut emerged to be as the No. 1 Engineering college in Kerala followed by other colleges.Listed below are some of the colleges along with NIRF rankings:

College Name

NIRF 2022

NIRF 2023

NIRF 2024

NIT Calicut Ranking

31

23

25

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Ranking

43

48

51

IIT Palakkad Ranking

68

69

64

Q: Which college is best for BTech in Kerala?

A: Listed below is the best Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fee:

College Name

Total Tuition Fee

NIT Calicut

INR 5 lakh

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology

INR 5 lakh

IIT Palakkad

INR 8 lakh

College of Engineering, Trivandrum

INR 35,000

Q: Is it worth joining Engineering colleges in Kerala?

A: Joining Engineering colleges in Kerala can be worthwhile.For that, you need to check its ROI. Listed below are some of the colleges along with their fees and average placement package:

College Name

Total Tuition Fee

Annual Average Package

NIT Calicut BTech

INR 5 lakh

INR 9 LPA

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology BTech

INR 6 lakh

INR 11 LPA

Government Engineering College Thrissur BTech INR 34,600 INR 7 LPA

College of Engineering, Trivandrum BTech

INR 34,600

INR 6 LPA

Q: Which government Engineering college has best placement in Kerala?

A: The table below shows the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fees/ BTech and MTech seat intake:

Public/Government Colleges

Total Tuition Fee/Seat Intake

NIT Calicut Admission

INR 5 lakh

BTech Seats: 1,182

MTech Seats: 537

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Admission

INR 6 lakh

BTech Seats: 164

MTech Seats: 238

IIT Palakkad Admission

INR 8 lakh

BTech Seats: 200

College of Engineering Trivandrum Admission

INR 35,000

BTech Seats: 840

MTech Seats: 540

Government Engineering College Thrissur Admission

INR 35,000

BTech Seats: 840

MTech Seats: 369

Q: What is the eligibility criteria to get admission in top Engineering colleges in Kerala?

A: The eligibility criteria required to get admission to Top Engineering colleges in Kerala are:

  • Students must pass Class 12 with a minimum of 60% of aggregate with PhysicsChemistry, and Mathematics as core subjects.
  • Admission is also based on merit basis and apart from that some colleges in Kerala accept scorecards of exams like JEE Main, JEE Advanced, etc., for BTech admissions.

Q: How much time is required to prepare for JEE Mains?

A: The time required to prepare for JEE Mains depends on several factors, such as your current knowledge level, the amount of time you can dedicate to studying, and your desired level of excellence. However, here are some general guidelines:

  1. Ideally, you should start preparing for JEE Mains at least 6-8 months before the exam date. This will give you ample time to cover the entire syllabus, practice mock tests, and analyze your performance.
  2. If you have already started preparing, it's essential to make a time table and stick to it. Allocate at least 6-8 hours daily for studying, and ensure that you take regular breaks to avoid burnout.
  3. It's important to note that the amount of time required to prepare for JEE Mains can vary depending on your current knowledge level. If you have a strong foundation in the subjects, you may require less time, whereas if you need to build your fundamentals, you may need more time.
  4. Additionally, it's important to remember that studying smartly is more crucial than studying for a long time. Focus on understanding the concepts, practicing challenging problems, and analyzing your performance regularly.

In conclusion, the amount of time required to prepare for JEE Mains can vary depending on several factors. However, ideally, you should start preparing at least 6-8 months before the exam date, and make a study plan that suits your needs and schedule. Remember to study smartly, practice regularly, and analyze your performance to achieve your desired score.

Q: What type of questions are asked in JEE Main?

A: The JEE Main question paper will have questions from Physics Chemistry and Mathematics as per the prescribed syllabus. Each Subject will have two sections. Section A will be of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) and Section B will contain Questions whose answers are to be filled in as a numerical value. In Section B, candidates have to attempt any 05 (five) questions out of 10. There will be negative marking for both Section A and Section B. For each question in Section B.A. Candidate has to enter the correct integer value of the answer using the mouse and the on-screen virtual numeric keypad in the place designated to enter the answer. For Section B, the answer should be rounded off to the nearest integer.

Q: What are the specialisations offered by top Engineering colleges in Kerala?

A: The table below shows the different specialisations offered by number of top Engineering colleges in Kerala:

Top Specialisations

Number of Colleges

Chemical Engineering

2

Aeronautical Engineering

1

Civil Engineering

1

Computer Science Engineering

1

Q: Who are the top recruiters participated in top Engineering colleges in Kerala?

A: The most prominent recruiters who hire students from top Engineering colleges in Kerala are:

Google

EY

IBM

Intel

Infosys

Adobe

TCS

ICICI Bank

Accenture

Jio

Amazon

JSW Group

Q: What are the top Engineering colleges in Kerala with good placements?

A: The table below shows the top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their placement package offered by their graduates and the prominent recruiters:

College Name

Average Placement Package

Prominent Recruiters

College of Engineering, Trivandrum Placements

INR 6 LPA

Cognizant Technology Solutions, TCS and Deloitte, etc.

NIT Calicut Placements

INR 9 LPA

Google, EY, IBM, Intel, Amazon, etc.

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Placements

INR 11 LPA

Infosys, Adobe, TCS, JSW Group, etc.

Q: How many questions are asked in JEE Main exam?

A: The JEE Main exam has a total of 90 questions from all three subjects. The exam has 30 questions each from Physics Chemistry and Mathematics. Out of 30 questions, 20 are multiple choice questions and 10 are questions with numerical value answers. Students need to answer any 5 out of 10 numerical value type questions whereas all 20 multiple choices questions are compulsory and no choice is provided in them. Students need to complete all the 75 questions in 3 hours.

Q: Is direct admission available for BTech at NIT Calicut?

A: No, admission to NIT Calicut BTech course is entirely based on merit obtained in JEE Main entrance exam. Candidates can take the test by registering online on the NTA website (nta.ac.in). The students who secure a score greater than or equal to the cutoff marks become eligible for participation in the JoSAA counselling, which is conducted for the final seat allotment. Futher, vacant seats are filled with CSAB Counselling process.

Q: How are B.Tech placements at IIST - Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology?

A: As being a Govt College and with strong history Placements at IIST are strong, with a unique focus on absorption into ISRO for students maintaining a CGPA of 7.5 or above also efforts have been made by students to secure diverse placement opportunities where the highest packages go upto 1300k to 1600k which is Quite great offer jn Indian Engineering core branches.

Q: What are the various courses offered by the top Engineering colleges in Kerala?

A: The table below shows the various courses offered by top Engineering colleges in Kerala along with their total tuition fees:

Top Colleges Courses Offered Tuition Fee
NIT Calicut BTech in CSEBTech in BiotechnologyBTech in Mechanical Engineering, etc. INR 5 lakh
IIST BTech in Aerospace EngineeringBTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, etc. INR 6 lakh
IIT Palakkad BTech in Electrical EngineeringBTech in CSEBTech in Data Science and Engineering, etc. INR 8 lakh
College of Engineering Trivandrum BTech in CSEBTech in Mechanical EngineeringBTech in Industrial Engineering, etc. INR 34,600
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NIRF 2024India Today 2023