One of the oldest in the elite group of engineering colleges, IIT- Kharagpur,  has received the highest number of applications this year. According to JoSAA records, IIT-Kharagpur received around 2.5 lakh applications which is the highest among all IITs.

This, according to IIT Kharagpur officials is because, one, a wide variety of courses  and specialisations are available and two, because the number of seats up for grabs is more than any other IIT.

Each seat at IIT-Kharagpur has attracted some 186 applicants this year. However, only some 107 students from the top 1000 rankers have applied for a seat.

So, what makes this the popular choice and not the toppers choice? 

“Top rankers prefer the brand name that comes attached with IIT-Bombay and IIT-Delhi. But  IIT- Kharagpur is popular amongst the rest  because of the micro-specializations  introduced here,” said the official incharge of JEE admissions. 

This flexibility is what attracts students with lower ranks. At IIT-Kharagpur, a low rankers might not bag a seat for computer science but a computer-related specialisation will always be available.

But is IIT-K doing anything to get the bright ones? “We have improved facilities in the campus, undertaken development projects, a range extra-curricular activities are all in place,” said Prof. Manish Bhattacharya, Dean of Student Affairs in IIT-K. “However, the fact that Delhi and Bombay are metros works well for the institutes there,” Prof Bhattacharya added.