At a Glance — Admission Route & Fee Comparison 2026-27
NITK Surathkal - National Institute of Technology Karnataka
Mangalore · Estd. 1960 · NAAC A · NIRF #17
Route: Official route only · Official admission route
Management quota: Not applicable · No separate management quota published.
Official fee rows are not available on this comparison page — use the official admission route and the college profile for route details.
NIT Calicut
Kozhikode · Estd. 1961 · NAAC A+ · NIRF #21
Route: Official route only · Official admission route
Management quota: Not applicable · No separate management quota published.
Official fee rows are not available on this comparison page — use the official admission route and the college profile for route details.
Overview
NIT Karnataka Surathkal (NITK) and NIT Calicut (NITC) are both top-5 NITs from the Karnataka and Kerala coasts. NITK on Arabian Sea coast at Surathkal (295 acres); NITC at Kattangal, Calicut (300 acres). Both admit via JEE Main with similar tier-1 NIT cutoffs.
Academics
NITK offers strong portfolios in CSE, EE, ECE, IT, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Metallurgical, Mining and Industrial Engineering, with the Centre for Marine Engineering uniquely positioned given the coastal location. NITC offers similar branches with stronger Architecture, Production and Industrial Engineering programmes plus the Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Construction.
Campus Life
NITK coastal campus on the Arabian Sea offers stunning views and cultural exchanges with the Mangalore-Udupi belt. Engineer fest, Incident sports event. NITC campus is in the Western Ghats foothills near Calicut with substantial green cover. Tathva and Ragam fests, proximity to Kerala tourist circuit.
Verdict
NITK is the better choice for Karnataka domicile students, those wanting Marine Engineering or Mining/Metallurgical depth, and proximity to Bangalore (~360 km, 7-hour train). NITC is the better choice for Kerala domicile students, those wanting Architecture or Industrial Engineering, and proximity to Kochi/Bangalore tech corridors.
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