National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal (NITK) is a public engineering institute near Mangalore, ranked #17 in NIRF 2025 Engineering and among the strongest NITs by placements. Established in 1960 and an Institute of National Importance, it admits B.Tech students through JEE Main and JoSAA, with low subsidised fees. About {{COLLEGE_COUNT}} colleges in our database are comparable institutes.
The defining feature is top-NIT outcomes at government fees: NITK ranks among the best NITs, with a 2024 B.Tech average around ₹16.25 LPA and computer-science branches well above that, while charging the heavily subsidised tuition of a centrally funded institute. Its coastal Surathkal campus is fully residential.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal |
| Founded | 1960 (as Karnataka Regional Engineering College; NIT since 2002) |
| Type | Government (centrally funded), Institute of National Importance |
| Location | Surathkal, near Mangalore, Karnataka |
| Admission | JEE Main and JoSAA (B.Tech); GATE and CCMT (M.Tech) |
| B.Tech tuition | ~₹1,25,000 per year (income-based remission applies) |
| 2024 placements (B.Tech) | Average ~₹16.25 LPA; highest ~₹55 LPA; CSE average ~₹23.24 LPA; ~75% placed |
| NIRF 2025 | Engineering #17 |
| Official website | nitk.ac.in |
[Source: NITK official site (institutional facts); NIRF India Rankings 2025; documented 2024 placement figures; standard NIT fee structure.]
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| B.Tech tuition (per year) | ~₹1,25,000 |
| Income below ₹1 lakh | Tuition fully exempt |
| Income ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh | Two-thirds tuition remission |
| SC/ST students | Tuition exempt |
[Source: standard NIT fee policy / NITK fee structure.]
As at all NITs, tuition is heavily subsidised and means-tested, so the effective cost for many students is far lower than the headline.
The Surathkal campus is a fully residential coastal campus near Mangalore.
NITK was established in 1960 as the Karnataka Regional Engineering College (KREC) and became a National Institute of Technology in 2002, an Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act. Its campus sits on the coast at Surathkal, near Mangalore.
The institute offers B.Tech across core branches, a wide set of M.Tech specialisations, M.Sc, MBA, and PhD programmes, and is consistently among the higher-ranked NITs. It is fully residential, and degrees are awarded by NITK.
In NIRF 2025 it ranks #17 in Engineering, with a score of 64.59.
Four points stand out for a JEE Main aspirant weighing the top NITs.
NIRF 2025 Engineering #17
2024 CSE average ~₹23.24 LPA; B.Tech overall ~₹16.25 LPA
B.Tech tuition around ₹1.25 lakh per year, with income-based remission
A self-contained campus on the Karnataka coast
Honest caveat: the 2024 B.Tech placement rate was about 75%, and strength is concentrated in computer science, IT, and electronics (CSE around ₹23 LPA, IT around ₹24 LPA), while core branches sit lower. Branch choice matters for outcomes.
| Framework | Category | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIRF | Engineering | 2025 | #17 |
| NIRF | Overall | 2025 | #54 |
| NIRF | Engineering | 2024 | #13 |
10 courses offered. Fees in INR lakhs.
| Course | Specialization | Duration | Total seats | Total fee | Avg package |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture) | — | — | — | ₹6.25L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Mechanical Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹5L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Civil Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹5L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Computer Science and Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹5L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | — | 36 months | — | ₹5L | ₹16.25L |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Electronics & Communication Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹5L | — |
| M.Sc (Master of Science) | — | — | — | ₹0.7L | — |
| M.Tech (Master of Technology) | — | 24 months | — | ₹1.4L | — |
| MBA (Master of Business Administration) | — | — | — | ₹1.2L | — |
| MCA (Master of Computer Applications) | — | — | — | ₹1.5L | — |
1-year placement history, latest data from 2024.
1,400 cutoff records for 2025 across exams, courses and categories (2,571 in all years; earlier years are not listed here).
| Year | R | Exam | Course | Category | Gender | Quota | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 5148 | 19255 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 13972 | 22672 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 6485 | 10057 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 14652 | 19997 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | HS | 1050 | 2726 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 11287 | 12286 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 19132 | 20685 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 3867 | 6323 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | HS | 3025 | 4086 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 511 | 3567 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 753 | 1528 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 2600 | 3531 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 28488 | 31371 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 3703 | 3703 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 35269 | 40373 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | HS | 18307 | 27975 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 1607 | 2372 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 5460 | 6178 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | OS | 38997 | 41075 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 21229 | 25160 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | OS | 2019 | 3934 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 5752 | 7027 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | HS | 3415 | 5327 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | HS | 5870 | 6674 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Main | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | HS | 10004 | 11998 |
Campus size, faculty strength, hostel facilities, and academic infrastructure.
For 2024, the B.Tech average was about ₹16.25 LPA, with a highest of about ₹55 LPA. Computer science averaged around ₹23.24 LPA and IT around ₹24.13 LPA, well above the all-branch figure.
Computer Science at NITK is among the most competitive branches and closes at strong JoSAA ranks. Detailed branch and category cutoffs are tracked year by year; CSE and IT close earliest.
Tuition is around ₹1,25,000 per year, with income-based remission: families earning below ₹1 lakh pay no tuition, those between ₹1 and ₹5 lakh get two-thirds remission, and SC/ST students are tuition-exempt.
Through JEE Main followed by JoSAA counselling for B.Tech, with home-state and other-state quotas. M.Tech admission is through GATE and CCMT.
Yes. It is a centrally funded government Institute of National Importance, established in 1960 as KREC and converted to an NIT in 2002.
Last reviewed: May 21, 2026. Next scheduled review: August 2026, after JoSAA 2026 and any NIRF 2026 release.
