Poll: India's best engineering colleges

The results of the 14th India Today annual survey of the top colleges in India were declared last month. The poll ranked 1,500 colleges in the streams of science, arts, commerce, medicine, engineering and law.

Earlier we featured the country's top science, commerce, arts, medical and law colleges, and asked you to vote for your top pick.

Today we take a look at the top 10 engineering colleges in the country and what sets them apart from the rest. As expected, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) dominated the rankings, but a few other institutes also find mention. Check out the top 10...

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Moving up two notches to take top spot this year is the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.

The college started out in 1959 with just about 100 students. Today in its golden jubilee year, it has over 3,700 students enrolled in its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, ably supported by over 300 faculty many of whom have won awardin their fields.

The institute offers nine specialisations in engineering studies which include aerospace, computer science and bioengineering. It has also established centres for specialised study and research in areas that include electrinic systems, mechatronics, laser technology and nanoscience.

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Sliding a spot fom last year to number 2 this year is IIT, Delhi.

The institute has close to 5,000 students enrolled in its UG and PG courses, supported by 13 departments and 11 centres of learning and research. It also encourages research among its faculty and students, and actively participates in a number of consultancy projects, Indian and international conferences.

Some of the areas of study include atmospheric science, rural technology and biomedical engineering.

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Moving up one spot from last year to number 3 is IIT Madras.

Established in 1959, the institute has over 4,500 students and 460 faculty on campus. There are 16 academic departments that offer various specialisations in subjects that include ocean engineering, chemistry and applied mechanics. Apart from the BTech degree, the institute also offers MS, MTech and PhD programmes.

The institute also actively encourages research through academic research programmes, sponsored research and interdisciplinary research projects.

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Next on the list is IIT Kharagpur, which was ranked number 2 last year.

The oldest of the IITs, the institute began with just over 220 students and 42 teachers. Today it has over 2,700 students on campus and 450 faculty.

The institute offers a wide choice when it comes to specialisation, including cryogenic engineering, geophysics and architecture and regional planning.

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Staying put at number this year is IIT Bombay.

Established in 1958, the institute has a well-established reputation for excellence in teaching. It offers two undergrad programmes (BTech and dual degree), seven postgrad programmes (including MTech, MPhil and diploma programmes) and a PhD course as well.

Every year over 1,200 students are admitted to the institute and 14 centres provide training in specialisations that inlude earth sciences, biosciences and maths.

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IIT Roorkee at number 6 also retains its ranking from last year.

The institute had been providing quality technical education for over 160 years before it was recognised as the seventh IIT in 2001 by the government of India. It continues its legacy of excellence in teaching through its undergrad courses (in 11 disciplines of engineering and architecture), postgrad courses (in 55 disciplines) and well-supported facility for doctoral work.

Currently IITR has over 4,000 students enrolled in its various courses, with 18 academic departments and number of academic and support centres that include centres for nanotechnology, disaster management and alternate hydro-energy.

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Another institute to hold its rank from last year is the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani.

BITS offers three academic programmes -- integrated first degree (BE, BPharm, MSc), higher degree (ME, MPharm) and doctoral (PhD) programmes. The institute has close to 4,400 students enrolled on campus and nearly 17,000 in its work-integrated learning programmes.

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Moving up two spots from last year is VIT, Vellore ranked number 8.

The institute has over 13,500 student enrolled in its undergrad and postgrad programmes which offer BSc, BTech, MSc, and MTech courses. Some of the subjects students can specialise in are biomedical genetics, mechatronics and applied microbiology.

VIT also encourages research activities among faculty and students, and has acquired stong credentials in the areas of rapid prototyping, manufacturing and biomedical research among others.

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IIT Guwahati comes in at number 9, the same as last year.

Established in 1994, the institute today has 11 departments supporting its BTech, BDes, MTech, MSc and PhD programmes. The institute also has three centres -- for energy, environment and nanotechnology -- for advanced study and specialisation.

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And closing out the top 10 is new entrant National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, moving up one spot from last year.

Celebrating its golden jubilee this year, the institute has a rich history of not just excellence in education but also an unstinting focus on research.

It has 14 departments supporting its undergrad (in 9 disciplines), postgrad (in 27 specialisations) and doctoral programmes.

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