Tier 1 — Elite NITs (Closing Rank Below 159)
These elite NITs — National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, NIT Karnataka, Surathkal, National Institute of Technology, Warangal, and NIT Calicut and others — offer Computer Science & Software Engineering (Gender-Neutral) accessible only to candidates with JEE Main Category Ranks at or below 159. Competition here is among the most intense in Indian engineering admissions. National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli and NIT Karnataka, Surathkal and others are showing tightening competition year-over-year — meaning these seats are becoming progressively harder to secure. Notably, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela shows an easing trend year-over-year, potentially offering a marginal window for borderline aspirants.