NIT Surathkal vs NIT Calicut – Full Comparison 2026

JoSAA 2026 CSE closing ranks, NIRF standing, placements and campus comparison between NITK Surathkal and NIT Calicut

NIT Surathkal vs NIT Calicut – Quick Comparison

ParameterNIT SurathkalNIT Calicut
Full NameNational Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), SurathkalNational Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC)
LocationSurathkal, Mangalore, KarnatakaKattangal, Kozhikode, Kerala
Established19601961
CSE Closing Rank (OS, Open, R1 2026)1,6055,100
CSE Closing Rank (OS, Open, R5 2026)1,9545,769
Home State QuotaKarnataka (50% seats)Kerala (50% seats)
Known StrengthCSE, ECE, core branches, research outputCSE, IT, strong alumni network

* CSE closing ranks are Other State (OS) quota, Open category, Gender-Neutral, sourced from official JoSAA 2026 round-wise cutoff data. Home State quota ranks differ.

Which One Should You Choose?

If your JEE Main rank allows you to choose between NIT Surathkal and NIT Calicut for Computer Science Engineering, NIT Surathkal is the slightly stronger pick on paper — it closed CSE admissions at a lower (better) rank across every round of JoSAA 2026, reflecting higher demand and generally stronger NIRF/placement perception. However, NIT Calicut remains an excellent choice, particularly for IT and allied branches, and its CSE cutoff gap to Surathkal narrows considerably for branches like ECE and core engineering.

Beyond CSE, consider your home state: Karnataka candidates get a significant cutoff advantage at Surathkal under Home State quota, and Kerala candidates get a similar advantage at Calicut. If you are from neither state, you will compete in the Other State quota at both — in which case the numbers above are directly comparable.

For a full picture of how NIT cutoffs have trended over the last five years, see our NIT cutoff trend 5-year analysis. To understand how the quota split works in detail, read our NIT home state quota explainer and NIT other state quota explainer.

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Frequently Asked Questions – NIT Surathkal vs NIT Calicut

Common questions comparing NIT Surathkal and NIT Calicut

1
Which is better, NIT Surathkal or NIT Calicut?
NIT Surathkal (NITK) is generally ranked higher — it finished at NIRF rank in the top-15 engineering institutes band and had a tougher JoSAA 2026 CSE closing rank (Other State/General, Gender-Neutral) of 1,954 in Round 5 compared to NIT Calicut's 5,769. Surathkal also has a larger campus, a well-regarded CSE/ECE department and strong core-branch placements. NIT Calicut is a very close second with excellent placements of its own, especially in IT services and core engineering.
2
What was the CSE closing rank for NIT Surathkal and NIT Calicut in JoSAA 2026?
Based on official JoSAA 2026 data, NIT Surathkal's CSE (Other State quota, Open category, Gender-Neutral) closing rank moved from 1,605 in Round 1 to 1,954 in Round 5. NIT Calicut's CSE closing rank moved from 5,100 in Round 1 to 5,769 in Round 5. These are CRL-equivalent Other State ranks; Home State quota closing ranks differ and are generally higher (worse) for candidates from Karnataka/Kerala respectively.
3
Is NIT Surathkal's placement record better than NIT Calicut?
Both institutes report strong placement rates, typically above 85-90% for CSE and electronics branches, with top packages reported in the Rs 40-50 LPA+ range from product and core recruiters. Exact year-wise placement statistics vary and should be verified from each institute's official placement brochure, since neither NIT publishes identical reporting formats.
4
Does home state quota affect my chances differently at these two NITs?
Yes. Home State (HS) quota at NIT Surathkal is reserved for Karnataka candidates and at NIT Calicut for Kerala candidates — each is 50% of total seats. If you are not from Karnataka or Kerala, you compete only in the Other State (OS) quota at both institutes, which is the pool the closing ranks above are drawn from. See our full explainer on how this works.
5
Which city/campus is considered better to live in — Surathkal or Calicut?
NIT Surathkal is located in Mangalore (coastal Karnataka) with a scenic beachside campus. NIT Calicut (NITC) is located near Kozhikode, Kerala, with a large green campus. Both are considered safe, well-connected tier-2 cities with reasonable cost of living; the choice often comes down to regional/language comfort and specific branch preference rather than city alone.

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Disclaimer

Cutoff data sourced from official JoSAA 2026 records. Placement and ranking figures are approximate — verify with official institute placement reports.